New U.S. ambassador for the Bahamas

The recently announced appointment of Nicole Avant as the new ambassador to the Bahamas is significant for a few reasons.

As someone that has extensive experience in the public eye, she knows how to handle herself under pressure, and is well connected among several industries, including the financial industry, the entertainment business, and, of course, politically.

What is less obvious is whether her diplomatic acumen is sufficient to address the challenging issues that may lie ahead, not the least of which are the matters surrounding international copyright law and its application in the Bahamas.
The fact that this new ambassador is a female (the second for the Bahamas; the first being Ambassador Carol Boyd-Hallett, who served from 1986-1989), and an African-American (also the second for the Bahamas; the first being Ambassador Sidney Williams, who served from 1994-1998)—and the first African-American female ambassador—could mean that this personal perspective will help build on the affinity that the Bahamas already enjoys with the United States.

As Cuba’s tourism influence looms large in the Bahamas’ future, extending and securing our relationship stability with the United States is essential for our economic survival.

~ejr~

Nicole Avant talks about the Obama inauguration: