NASSAU, Bahamas (CMC0 — The Bahamas government says it will reserve its position regarding the endorsement of a Caribbean Community (Caricom) national for the post of Commonwealth Secretary General.

“The Bahamas government has reserved its position until the meeting, at which point the prime minister will seek to establish whether there can be a Caribbean consensus before the vote takes place,” Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell told the Tribune newspaper here.

Commonwealth leaders will meet in Malta from November 27-29, and the Caribbean has not yet reached a consensus on the two candidates.

Antigua and Barbuda has named its diplomat Sir Ronald Sanders while Dominica has named the Dominica-born former British attorney general Baroness Patricia Scotland.

Grenada’s Prime Minister Dr Keith Mitchell, who is also the chairman of the Organisation of American States, has called on Caricom countries to support Sir Ronald, the son-in-law of Sir Shridath “Sonny” Ramphal of Guyana — the second Commonwealth secretary general and last Caribbean national to hold the post.

Media reports out of Australia indicate that Australia is prepared to put forward a compromise candidate if there is no clear consensus between the Caribbean and African voting blocs.

Botswana has nominated Mmasekgoa Masire Mwambawho, the former deputy secretary general, for the post, while Tanzania has nominated its foreign minister, Bernard Membe.