By Malcolm Strachan

TO SAY the prospect of a new US ambassador has been long awaited in The Bahamas is an understatement of almost as epic proportions as the wait itself.

So to have the opportunity last week to see the confirmation hearing for Herschel Walker as he faced the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee was encouraging – not least of all to see the man himself.

The would-be successor to Nicole Avant, the last ambassador in post who left in 2011, has been no stranger to media attention.

In another world, he might have been in the Senate – he ran for a Senate seat in Georgia and lost out to Democrat Raphael Warnock. He is also a more familiar face to many perhaps from his days as a running back in the NFL with the Dallas Cowboys, Minnesota Vikings, Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants.

His Senate campaign was marked by some unusual comments – which I’ll come to in a while – but in the hyperfocused political climate in the US, even the slightest misstep is often seized on as a gaffe or a sign that someone is unworthy. Still, some of Mr Walker’s were remarkable.

On Thursday last week, though, in front of the US Senate committee, Mr Walker showed every sign of being well prepared in his answers – although he gave a nod to some of the criticism he has received over the years.

He said in his opening statement: “Throughout my life, many people have underestimated me, in academics, in athletics, in business – and I have always proven them wrong. I have done it through discipline, determination and by outworking everyone in every task, whether large or small. No one has ever questioned my work ethic. If confirmed, I will bring that same work ethic to my role as ambassador.”

That said and done, we got to the meat of the hearing – and the two main focus points of dealing with China’s influence in the region and cracking down on drug crime.

Of China, he said: “China is trying to increase its influence in the region. It has built nearly a $3bn deep water port in The Bahamas and has made other moves that may threaten our national security.”

That would refer to a port project in Freeport – while Senator Ted Cruz, during the hearing, also highlighted the impact of Huawei in our telecommunications sector as a concern.

Mr Walker said that “keeping that influence from being too close to the United States would be a measure of success for me”.

Certainly, relations between the US and China in The Bahamas have caught their fair share of headlines in recent times, along with some pointed words.

For many Bahamians, both in office and regular citizens and businesspeople, the presence of China has provided an alternative, sometimes one looked to when investment from the US has not been available.

So Mr Walker’s words on seeking to encourage US investment in The Bahamas will be welcome.

He said: “The US is The Bahamas’ largest trading partner. If confirmed, I will advise American businesses’ community of trade and investment opportunity that exists in The Bahamas. I will also make sure the Bahamian government is a welcoming environment for the US to invest so we can advance America’s prosperity.”

If we as a nation can be the beneficiaries of an increased focus from the US, all the better for us. Opportunity is a good thing.

Mr Walker cited his ability to relate to people from all walks of life, and his previous history as an “informal ambassador” to youth. He also highlighted his athletics history and connections.

There are high hopes for Mr Walker when it comes to his sporting connections – with many hoping he can build upon those to forge links with athletes and sporting bodies here in The Bahamas.

We might well see increasing numbers of visits from major teams or stars, events that connect Bahamians to sporting institutions, and let’s keep our fingers crossed for greater numbers of sponsorships available to carry some of our brightest stars to the US to help achieve their goals.

As mentioned, Mr Walker has had some odd comments in his history – such as when he talked on the campaign trail about watching a movie and saying: “A werewolf can kill a vampire, did you know that? I didn’t know that. So I don’t want to be a vampire anymore, I wanted to be a werewolf.”

At the time, President Barack Obama responded saying he too had considered such a matter “when I was seven”.

Mr Walker also made odd comments about President Donald Trump’s plan for a wall to stop immigration, saying “when you got a wall around your house, people don’t… yeah, but they can get in”, and blaming his wife’s “awful genes” for his son being an “ugly” baby. He claimed he spent time at the FBI training school and was “an agent”, which was not correct.

Contrast that however with what seemed to be a well-drilled appearance before the Senate. Candidates have to talk a lot on the campaign trail, and often with a microphone in front of them. We all say stupid things sometimes, just not usually on a hot mic.

The other aspect that Mr Walker focused on during his hearing was tackling drug smuggling in the region, saying: “The threat to American lives cannot be overstated, having an ambassador in place is more important than ever.”

To be clear, we all know the threat there has been from drugs coming through The Bahamas – a danger for both ourselves and the US.

Mr Walker’s words do not necessarily signal any increased recognition of that – possibly more restating what we already know – but it is clear that is going to be one of the top items regularly on his agenda while in office here if confirmed. That is a good thing for us all. The more drugs can be taken off our streets, the more we can tackle the engine of crime that fuels its distribution, and the murders and robberies that go with it.

We have been down the path before of having a prospective new ambassador – so certainly there are no guarantees until the confirmation is complete.

Having one in office would certainly help us to build on relationships. Mr Walker says as much himself, saying that his “secret sauce is relationship building. That is my strength and my passion”.

Will he get a chance to do so? Certainly the chance for someone to do so is well overdue.