**The Rt. Hon. Hubert A. Ingraham
Prime Minister**
On behalf of the people of The Bahamas, Prime Minister Ingraham has sent a letter of congratulations to President-elect Sen. Barack Obama.
In a press statement, he said the government and people of The Bahamas join with millions around the world in extending congratulations and best wishes to the new American administration. *”The success of Senator Obama’s extraordinary campaign will go a long way in shattering racial stereotypes in America. It is a quintessential American story of victory over tremendous odds.”*
Prime Minister Ingraham said that the election has not been a victory just for Senator Obama, Vice President-elect Senator Joseph Biden and the Democratic Party. *It will strengthen the special place that America holds in the minds and hearts of freedom-loving people everywhere.”*
He added that The Bahamas has enjoyed a special, warm and close relationship with successive US administrations, with national interests closely intertwined with those of the United States of America, our nearest neighbour and chief trading partner. * “And so we look forward to a continuation of this special relationship that has long existed between our two countries.”*
U.S. Ambassador to The Bahamas Ned L. Siegel says the November 4th Elections concluded a historic campaign which pushed the boundaries of the expected and accepted in American politics – whether on issues of race, gender, or age – and ushered in a new era of technological progress and grass-roots participation in the democratic process. He described the 2008 elections as an overwhelming celebration of participatory democracy on an unprecedented scale.
*”I believe that our relationship with the Commonwealth of The Bahamas and the wider Caribbean region will remain strong under the Obama administration,”* concluded the Ambassador.