Ministers Wayne Munroe and Keith Bell, Permanent Secretaries Cheryl Darville and Cecilia Strachan, Commissioner Clayton Fernander and senior officers of the Royal Bahamas Police Force, Commodore Dr. Raymond King and senior officers of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, Director Anthony Ferguson and senior officers from the National Crime Intelligence Agency, and senior officers from the Customs Department attended the Northern Caribbean Security Summit in Doral, FL., 8th – 10th March, 2023.

OPBAT is a counter drug operation in which regional resources are used to stop illicit narcotics being transported between the United States, Turks and Caicos and The Bahamas. While OPBAT has resulted in the successful interdiction of drugs, security threats in the region have evolved and member states were using OPBAT resources to counter all illicit activities, not just narcotics. Too often, when the member states worked together to counter illicit activity, people would cite it as an OPBAT success, although it had nothing to do with narcotics.

This year Ms. Ursha Pitts, Charge d Affaires of the US Embassy – Nassau, hosted the high-level meetings under the theme, ‘Modernising Strategic Partnerships from Florida to Haiti’. Minister Munroe during his opening remarks noted that the Prime Minister charged that all government policies should be mindful of climate change due to the vulnerability of The Bahamas.

He noted that 9/11 was a wake-up call to all member states in the safety and security sector. It revealed that criminals would exploit the margins and the seas of any protective barriers that is set. He urged OPBAT members to embrace a holistic approach similar to that of HONLEA. Security forces must better coordinate all threats, while being mindful not to be wasteful of resources and assets.

He noted that there are significant geo-political challenges associated with transnational criminal networks, human smuggling and the opioid epidemic in the United States. To advance safety and security, the silo administrative and operational barriers needs to be removed from key areas of mutual interests and allow for better coordination and intelligence sharing systems and infrastructures.

During the three days session, the Bahamian delegation participated in several discussions including illegal firearms fueling violence in the region, human smuggling networks, and transnational organizations. The member states engaged in discussions on intelligence-driven investigations which continues to result in greater interdiction efforts; provide timely intelligence reports regarding courier services which have become actively involved in transporting firearms throughout the region; and work with national, regional and international stakeholders and secure their participation.

The meetings also served to bolster operational cooperation with the Turks and Caicos and the United States’ departments of safety and security. Included were Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL), and the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). All member states reiterated their commitments to the region, while seeking to foster more opportunities to engage in dialogue and share best practices on how countries in the region could further strengthen intelligence exchanges and build capacities and cooperation.

He shared with the member states some of the successes with emphasis on transnational threat related crimes which stem from the links between illicit drugs and small arms and light weapons trafficking. He noted that the regional relations of OPBAT was in alignment with the safety and security strategy of the Davis-Cooper administration which seeks to promote multi-lateral structured dialogue to better understand and address the multifaceted safety and security challenges of all nations.

Meanwhile, Minister Bell reiterated the significant relations between the Turks and Caicos, the United States and The Bahamas in addressing transnational crimes. He noted the significance of regional intelligence in addressing the proliferation of illegal migration across member states. He shared that the current trends are indicating that smugglers are not only engaged in the illegal movement of people, but drugs and weapons.

Commissioner Fernander and senior members of his team including ACP Kenwood Taylor, Ch. Supt. Roberto Goodman, Ch. Supt. Earl Thompson, Ch. Supt. Anton Rahming provided an overview on the nation’s response to guns and drug trafficking. The presentation centered on how the trafficked items are interrelated to both the United States and Turks and Caicos. Hence, multilateral relations, intelligence gathering and sharing, and special operations are important to advance safety in The Bahamas and both the United States and Turks and Caicos.

During the final day of the summit, Minister Munroe highlighted some of the strategies being used by the Royal Bahamas Police Force both at home and the region. He noted that the Police Force recently merged and opened the Anti-Gang and Firearms Investigation Unit. The Unit focuses on gun smugglers and firearms trafficking with special attention to our borders and entry points. The Police Force recently assisted Haiti who made an urgent request for assistance in training and resourcing the agency to tackle the gang problem in the country.  

Recently, the Police Force at the request of the Governor and Premier of the Turks and Caicos Islands deployed police officers to assist in the anti-gang efforts in the Turks and Caicos.  A smaller detachment of Bahamian police officers are currently deployed to continue that assistance. In addition, historically the Police Force has assisted in training police officers for the Royal Turks and Caicos Police Force. In fact, 17 recruits are currently in training at the Police Training College in Grand Bahama.

To complement, the Royal Bahamas Defence Force’s (RBDF) security strategy to address the threats of irregular migration, human trafficking and poaching is constantly evolving. The Royal Bahamas Defence Force continues to stand ready to assist in the training of the coast guard elements of the Haitian National Police.  The agency is using intelligence to assist regional partners and counterparts in the United States, Cuba, and Turks and Caicos through IMPACS and, decentralize operations to bases in the northern and southern Bahamas.

During the high-level summit the delegations from the Turks and Caicos and The Bahamas had the opportunity to visit the Krome Detention Center which is operated by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). ICE is responsible for upholding U.S. immigration law at, within, and beyond the U.S. borders. The delegations were able to observe the operational practices that govern detainees while in custody.

At the conclusion of the Northern Caribbean Security Summit, Minister Munroe on behalf of the Government of The Bahamas accepted to host the next Northern Caribbean Security Summit in The Bahamas in 2024. The summit will once again allow Ministerial and law enforcement Heads from the United States, Turks and Caicos and The Bahamas to address a range of national security challenges which need to be holistically navigated. Key to this will be advancing the enduring strength to sharpen the intelligence gathering, investing in technologies, introducing new and/or amending legislation and engaging in joint operations. The Bahamas understands that no one is safe until we are all safe.

Minister Murore (front- far right) along with Minister Bell (front – sixth from left) along with Permanent Secretaries – Cheryl Darville (front – fourth from right); Cecilia Strachan (front – first from the right); Commissioner Fernander (front third from left) along with senior members of National Security, Police and Defence Forces and Customs Department.
On the right U.S. Embassy –Nassau, Charge d’ Affairs, Usha Pitts (front – second from right), Governor of Turks and Caicos, HE Nigel Dakin along with other members of the Turks and Caicos delegation.