NASSAU, Bahamas – The Bahamas has deposited its Instrument of Ratification with the Secretary General of the United Nations, to become an official Signatory State to the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty.

Acting Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs the Hon Brent Symonette announced that he signed the Letter of Ratification, during a press conference at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday, November 26, 2007, at 4 p.m.

Hours earlier, he told participants at a workshop hosted by the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty Organisation (CTBTO), that The Bahamas would ratify its position on nuclear testing, by the time the workshop ended on Wednesday, November 28.

"It is my pleasure on behalf of the Government of The Bahamas to so do. I wish we could have done it earlier," Mr. Symonette said.

The historic move was described as a "tipping point for the reminder of the Caribbean region", by Executive Secretary of the CTBTO Preparatory Commission, Tibor Toth, who was present at the press conference.

He too, earlier at the workshop held at the Wyndham Nassau Resort and Crystal Palace Casino on Cable Beach, underscored the importance of the Caribbean’s role in the fight against nuclear weapons.

The seminar was held for countries in the Caribbean region, to promote the entering into force, the treaty. It was noted however, that "there is a shrinking number" in the Caribbean yet to ratify the treaty.

The importance of the treaty is to prohibit all nuclear test explosions in any environment, underground, atmospheric and underwater. It also offers, through its verification technologies, a wide range of potential civil and scientific applications.

"While The Bahamas is not likely to be a producer of weapons of mass destruction or nuclear weapons, we still accept the importance of such a treaty," Mr. Symonette said.

He also stated that The Bahamas is in the process of ratifying the Ship Border Initiative Agreement, which gives the right to inspect vessels on The Bahamas Ship Registry for weapons of mass destruction.

"We are also working on the whole question of illegal movement of persons and funds, so that The Bahamas fulfils it natural role in the international arena," Mr Symonette said.

The CTBT is trying to raise consciousness and understanding of the treaty, not only among the countries that intend to ratify it, but also among those that have not yet signed the treaty.

"We want every country, even those who have no nuclear facilities, who do not plan to have any nuclear facility, and who don’t even have any peaceful nuclear use, to support the treaty," Mr. Toth said. "It has to be a cooperative global effort. Every country has to participate, otherwise those who we want to, won’t do it.

"We have reached 90 percent installation readiness. So it is an indication that technically, we are ready. There are very positive developments going on," he said.

NASSAU, The Bahamas – Acting Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Hon. Brent Symonette held a press conference with representatives of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Band Treaty Organization (CTBTO), Thursday, November, 28, 2007, to announce that The Bahamas has deposited its Instrument of Ratification with the Secretary General of the United Nations, to become an official Signatory State to the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. Pictured, from left, are Acting Permanent Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Under Secretary of Foreign Affairs Marilyn Zonicle; Permanent Secretary of National Security Missouri Sherman-Peter; Executive Secretary of CTBTO Preparatory Commission Tibor Toth; Minister Symonette; High Level Representative of Austria Ambassador Thomas Stelzer and PrepCom Chairperson for CTBTO H.E. Teresa Dengo. (BIS Photo/Raymond A. Bethel)