NASSAU, The Bahamas — Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transport and Aviation, Archie Nairn, said ongoing bilateral discussions between the Commonwealth of The Bahamas and the United States of America regarding the maintenance of safe and secure ports of entries throughout the country are critical to the enhancement of maritime security in The Bahamas.
Addressing the second annual International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Symposium which opened Tuesday (May 17) at the Radisson Cable Beach Resort, Mr. Nairn said, “The Bahamas has moved resolutely to ensure implementation of the ISPS Code as international shipping is of critical importance to the economic well-being of the country”.
“The challenge now is for The Bahamas, as an archipelagic state, to ensure that there are minimum standards at each of our ports that accommodate international shipping,” said Mr. Nairn. “This requires constant review by the Port Department, the ongoing training of officers, the upgrading of perimeter fencing and improved lighting, among others.”
Sponsored by the United States Navy and Coast Guard Liaison Offices of the U.S. Embassy and the Bahamas Port Department, the ISPS Symposium is designed to promote dialogue between government and key private industry officials in The Bahamas, the United States of America and the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Delegates from the Royal Bahamas Police and Defense Forces, Bahamas Customs, Immigration Department, Ministries of Tourism and Transport and Aviation, Royal Turks and Caicos Police Force, private port facility operations and cruise ship operations are attending the two-day symposium.
Permanent Secretary Nairn said the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 have forever changed the landscape of human history as those events have forced world governments to place greater concentration on counter-terrorism measures.
He said to counter the ongoing threats of terrorism, world governments are allocating significant amounts of resources to the enhancement of national security capabilities while better securing air and sea ports and national borders.
Mr. Nairn said the threat of a terrorist attack on the shores of The Bahamas remains a possibility due to the fact that millions of U.S. and other western tourists visit the shores of The Bahamas annually by way of the country’s air and sea ports.
“The reality is that as long as terrorism remains a threat to the United States of America and its interests abroad, it remains a threat to The Commonwealth of The Bahamas given our close proximity and the fact that our two countries have been inextricably linked in terms of trade and cooperation, tourism, law enforcement, defense, search and rescue and the exchange of information and ideas for decades,” Mr. Nairn said.
“Today, the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, the United States of America and indeed the world, face a new and more dangerous challenge in the war on terror that will once again bring into focus the spirit of cooperation that has existed between our two countries for so many years.”
“This ISPS Symposium comes at a critical juncture in the history of our country as we have experienced record numbers in terms of overall tourist arrivals and the number of cruise ship passengers that visit our shores annually and so the maintenance of safe and secure ports is even more vital,” Mr. Nairn added. Permanent Secretary Nairn said it is his belief that the symposium will further strengthen the resolve of those persons responsible for port security to remain vigilant and focused as “we commit ourselves to the task at hand, that is, to make our ports ISPS compliant and to ensure adequate security for all.”
Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Nassau, Robert Witajewski, said that as the tourism leader in the region, it is “only natural” that The Bahamas should be in the forefront of preparations to prevent unfortunate incidents from happening. Mr. Witajewski said security has to be systematic and comprehensive, beginning with the safe passage of visitors, security of the ships, security in transit and security in Port, adding that The Bahamas is at the forefront “more than anyone else in the Caribbean” with regards to its planning.
“As we know tourism is the lifeblood of the Caribbean in general and The Bahamas in particular, constituting 60 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product of the country,” said Mr. Witajewski. “An incident anywhere in the Caribbean is going to impact everyone in the Caribbean.”
“The Bahamas is also the largest single destination point outside of the United States for U.S. tourists in the Caribbean and as the leader in tourism in the region it is only natural that The Bahamas is going to be in the forefront of this planning and efforts to ensure that each and every visitor has the most enjoyable and safest vacation possible,” he added.
Mr. Witajewski said the collaboration between the United States, The Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands provides evidence of the desire and the commitment on the part of the three countries to work together as partners in this common interest.
“The safer and the more secure we make any country in the Caribbean, the safer and more secure we make every country in the region,” Mr. Witajewski said. “This is a task for which there is no end. There is always going to have to be another conference, another seminar, another symposium because as we become more vigilant and prepared, the terrorists are going to become ever more cunning in seeking to exploit our weaknesses wherever they can find them in your preparations and protocol.”
Mr. Witajewski told the delegates that they have the unique opportunity to share ideas and develop best practices that are going to make not only The Bahamas, the United States and the Turks and Caicos more secure, but all of the other countries in the region and their citizens, residents and visitors safer and more secure.
