AMBASSADOR ROOD, OTHER DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS OF THE US TEAM;

COLLEAGUES OF THE BAHAMIAN SIDE,

MEMBERS OF THE PRESS,

GOOD MORNING.

AMBASSADOR

THE GOVERNMENT OF THE BAHAMAS CONTINUES TO BE PLEASED WITH THE JOINT EFFORTS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS OF OUR TWO COUNTRIES. OUR COOPERATION IN COUNTER-NARCOTICS DATES BACK TO 1987 AND REMAINS A TEMPLATE FOR SIMILAR BILATERAL AGREEMENTS THROUGHOUT THE REGION AND BEYOND.

BUT EVEN AS WE CELEBRATE OUR SUCCESSES IN THE INTERDICTION OF DRUGS; EVEN AS WE CONTINUE TO IDENTIFY AND DISMANTLE THE DRUG RINGS WITHIN OUR TWO BORDERS, WE MUST REMAIN COGNIZANT OF THE HEMISPHERIC ASSESSMENT DONE BY INTER-AMERICAN DRUG ABUSE CONTROL COMMISSION (CICAD), THE ARM OF THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES (OAS) RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL ASPECT OF DRUGS.

DESPITE THE COMBINED EFFORTS OF VIRTUALLY ALL OF THE MEMBER STATES OF THE OAS, THE ASSESSMENT OF THE GOVERNMENTAL EXPERT GROUP (GEG), WHICH IS BASED ON INFORMATION RECEIVED FROM COUNTRIES OF THE HEMISPHERE,

INDICATES THAT DRUG TRAFFICKING IS ON THE INCREASE.

GIVEN THIS SOBERING HEMISPHERIC EVALUATION ON ILLICIT DRUGS AND THE PARTNERSHIP NOW ESTABLISHED BETWEEN NARCO-TRAFFICKERS AND THOSE WHO DEAL IN TERRORISM, MIGRANTS AND ARMS, WE CANNOT LET UP IN OUR COOPERATIVE EFFORTS.

THE LINK BETWEEN SMUGGLING OF MIGRANTS AND OF ILLICIT DRUGS CONTINUES TO BE OF GRAVE CONCERN TO THE GOVERNMENT. IN THIS REGARD WE WOULD WISH WITH YOUR CONCURRENCE AMBASSADOR, TO EXPAND THE AMBIT OF THESE MEETINGS TO INCLUDE THE SUBJECT OF MIGRATION.

I WILL NOT GO INTO THE RESULTS OR CONCERNS OF OUR BAHAMIAN LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES IN THIS FIGHT AGAINST ILLICIT DRUGS AS THEY ARE ALL REPRESENTED HERE AND WILL LEND TO THE DISCUSSIONS WE WILL HAVE THIS MORNING.

BUT AMBASSADOR, I WOULD WISH TO REITERATE THE THANKS OF THE GOVERNMENT TO THOSE BRAVE OFFICERS FROM BOTH SIDES WHO CONTINUE TO WORK UNTIRINGLY TO ERADICATE THE SCOURGE OF DRUGS IN ALL OF ITS ASPECTS

OUR THANKS ARE ALSO EXTENDED TO YOUR GOVERNMENT, FOR THE CONTINUED ASSISTANCE YOU HAVE PROVIDED. WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING EVEN MORE CLOSELY WITH YOU AS WE TOGETHER, SEEK TO MAINTAIN THE PRESSURE ON DRUG TRAFFICKING AND INDEED ALL OTHER TRANS-NATIONAL ORGANIZED CRIME.

WE DARE NOT EASE OUR PACE, FOR WE HAVE SEEN IN EARLIER YEARS HOW OUR ACHIEVEMENT OF POSITIVE RESULTS IN INTERDICTION GAVE RISE TO A FALSE BELIEF THAT WE HAD WON THIS WAR. OUR CONFIDENCE TRANSLATED INTO THE REMOVAL OF ASSETS AND A REDUCTION IN FUNDING, WITH ALMOST DISASTROUS RESULTS.

EXCELLENCY,

WE ARE OF COURSE HEARTENED BY THE PERSONAL EFFORTS, WHICH YOU HAVE UNDERTAKEN SINCE ASSUMING YOUR GOVERNMENT’S TOP POST HERE IN THE BAHAMAS, TO PREVENT REDUCTION IN FUNDING, PARTICULARLY IN THE AREAS OF DRUG PREVENTION AND TREATMENT, AND PUBLIC EDUCATION. THE GOVERNMENT FULLY REALIZES THAT NO ONE COUNTRY CAN SUCCESSFULLY FACE THE ONSLAUGHT OF TRAFFICKING IN ILLICIT DRUGS AND ALL OF ITS ASSOCIATED CRIME.

WE THEREFORE WISH TO AGAIN THANK THROUGH YOU, AMBASSADOR, THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES FOR ITS UNMACHED COOPERATION AND CONTINUED ASSISTANCE.

WITH THESE COMMENTS EXCELLENCY, LET ME AGAIN SAY WELCOME TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM, AND WISH YOU A MERRY YULETIDE SEASON, AND ALL THE BEST FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR.