03/11/2004 00:00
TW
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By Humphrey Carter THE United States Consular Agent to the Balearics, Tumi Bestard, has worked under eight different Presidents during his career. Sworn in as Consular Agent during the Lyndon B. Johnson years (1963-1969), Bestard has not only worked for the Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush Sr., Clinton and George W. Bush administrations, he has also met seven of the eight presidents he has served, and Bestard has even introduced some to Majorca.

Photos: H. Carter

President Bill Clinton (1993-2001) first came to the island in 1997 on an official visit, with Hillary and daughter Chelsea, ahead of the Madrid UN summit, but he has since returned on at least one private visit.

George H. W. Bush (1989-1993) also visited the island accompanied by his wife Barbara during a summer holiday cruising the Mediterranean after he left the White House.

Jimmy Carter (1977-1981) also came on holiday to Majorca in 1991.
Over the years, Bestard has helped transform Palma into one of the U.S. Sixth Fleet's most popular ports-of-call, bringing millions of dollars to the island.

Yesterday he was refusing to make any official comment on the election, but did say that he would be staying up late into the early hours watching the results come in.

THIS election has been the busiest Tumi Bestard has ever had to deal with as U.S. Consular Agent.
Bestard said yesterday that a record number of U.S. citizens in the Balearics have registered to vote and cast their votes this time around with close to 700 U.S. citizens voting in total, nearly three times the total number of U.S. residents who voted in the last elections.

Yesterday with all the votes cast and Bestard having authorised many, the phones were ringing all morning as radio, TV and print journalists from across the Balearics were eager to interview the Consular Agent, however, as a few found out, there was no way he was making any comment.

But while the U.S. community in the Balearics has been more politically active than ever this time around, most U.S. citizens were staying at home last night to watch the results in the comfort of their own homes.

Unlike four years ago, there were no big gatherings and celebrations planned.
Today, Balearic politicians are expected to give their verdicts on the U.S. election.