A significant political controversy has emerged in The Bahamas following Acting Prime Minister Chester Cooper’s public questioning of Ambassador-at-Large Rick Fox’s nationality. Mr. Cooper stated he was uncertain whether the former NBA star was actually Bahamian, remarking, “I don’t know what his nationality is. I always thought he was Canadian.” These comments appear deliberately provocative given Mr. Fox’s well-documented background as the Canadian-born son of a Bahamian father and Italian mother who holds dual citizenship and was raised in The Bahamas.
The diplomatic friction emerges just days after Mr. Fox announced his intention to contest the next general election, driven by what he describes as his “passion for the country.” While not disclosing whether he would run independently or under a party banner, Fox revealed he had met with both major political parties and found FNM Leader Michael Pintard “most aggressive” in pursuing his candidacy.
Mr. Fox’s elevated political profile has already generated institutional tension. Last month, Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell issued what many interpreted as an official reprimand after Fox criticized political behavior in a Halloween-themed social media post. Mitchell reminded ambassadors that they serve the appointing government and that “the honourable course is clear” in cases of disagreement.
Fox responded by highlighting what he perceived as a double standard, noting that “a sitting ambassador with a portfolio is openly endorsing a candidate while currently running for office himself”—a reference to non-resident Ambassador Sebas Bastian. He urged Minister Mitchell to focus instead on addressing widespread voter apathy.
When questioned about whether Fox should resign his ambassadorial position following his political announcement, Acting Prime Minister Cooper deferred to the Prime Minister’s authority regarding diplomatic appointments.
Mr. Fox has unequivocally stated his willingness to renounce his Canadian citizenship if required for frontline politics, emphasizing his strong Bahamian identity: “I am a Bahamian. I own one passport and it’s a Bahamian passport and I’m proud of that status.”
Beyond his basketball and acting career, Fox has established himself as an entrepreneur focused on national development. As founder and CEO of Partanna, a climate-technology company producing carbon-negative building materials, he signed a memorandum of understanding with the government in 2022 to develop a manufacturing facility with plans to construct affordable housing in Abaco using sustainable materials.