NASSAU, Bahamas – The Hon. Darren A. Henfield, Bahamas Minister of Foreign Affairs, was in Jamaica for the meeting with United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and in a post on his Facebook page revealed that he “thanked Mr. Pompeo and the American people on behalf of the people and Government of The Bahamas for his country’s unwavering support and solidarity during this challenging time in the life of our country.”
Minister Henfield noted that Secretary of State Pompeo “indicated that his country rescued some 400 Bahamians and spent $34 million, thus far, in aid because of Hurricane Dorian.”
The Jamaica meeting with Pompeo became engulfed in controversy after Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley, chairman of CARICOM, declared that she would not be attending the meeting, which she described as “an attempt to divide” CARICOM.
“I am conscious that if this country does not stand for something, then it will fall for anything,” Mottley said. “As chairman of CARICOM, it is impossible for me to agree that my foreign minister should attend a meeting with anyone to which members of CARICOM are not invited.”
Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Keith Rowley and Grenada Prime Minister Keith Mitchell also publicly announced that their countries would not be represented at the meeting.
Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness was joined at the meeting by representatives of The Bahamas, Belize, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, St Kitts and Nevis and St Lucia.
