WASHINGTON DC – During calendar year 2006, the United States Embassy provided nearly $2 million worth of training to Bahamian law enforcement and defense personnel.
This training benefited 530 Bahamian officials who, collectively, received over 135,000 hours of training. In calendar 2005, 542 Bahamian officials received Embassy-sponsored training at a cost over $2.35 million.
Training in 2006 encompassed a range of areas mutually identified as vital to strengthening Bahamian law enforcement and defense operations including: terrorism investigation, management training, financial crimes and money laundering, crisis response, and HIV policy planning.
The Embassy’s Regional Security Office, Naval Liaison Office, Narcotics Affairs Section and Coast Guard Liaison Office Guard contributed to these training courses.
The rapidly growing partnership between the Bahamas and the Rhode Island National Guard opened up additional avenues for training, including the training of non-law enforcement personnel in fire fighting and disaster management.
Ambassador Rood stated: “I believe training is the best means to strengthen the capability of our Bahamian law enforcement partners. Training provides knowledge, expertise and boosts to morale that pay dividends long after the training ends.”
Determining the type of training needed and who should receive it is a collaborative effort between the Embassy and our Bahamian counterparts. Working together, Bahamian officials identify areas within their organizations they wish to strengthen. This information is shared with Embassy counterparts who identify training opportunities within their agencies that match these requirements. The Embassy looks forward to continuing to work closely with our Bahamian colleagues to provide additional training in 2007.
