SPRINGFIELD, Illinois - The Honorable Frederick Mitchell, Bahamas Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration, had the rare privilege of addressing the Illinois General Assembly in legislative session 16th April 2013. The Minister’s visit was organized by Michael Fountain, a Bahamian with American citizenship, who is a well-respected lobbyist in the state. The visit was a flawless and smashing success. The Minister was accompanied on the visit by Anthony Stuart of the Ministry of Tourism, Kimberly Lam of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Kenneth Christie, an aide of Mr. Mitchell. The Minister addressed the House in the morning, welcomed by Speaker Michael Madigan and in the afternoon at the Senate by President John Cullerton. His formal hosts for the visit were Representative William Davis in the House and Senator Napoleon Harris of the Illinois Senate. The Minister said that the visit was organized to extend the reach and influence of The Bahamas to other parts of the United States and to serve Bahamian interests there. He announced that it was his hope that Michael Fountain would be appointed the Honorary Consul for the area subject to United States regulatory approval.