EXCELLENCIES, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN

IT IS AN HONOUR TO WELCOME ALL OF YOU TO THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS. I WELCOME IN PARTICULAR THOSE WHO HAVE COME FROM OVERSEAS AND THOSE WHO ARE JOINING US FROM HERE AT HOME FOR THE FIRST TIME.

I TAKE NOTE THAT THIS IS LIKELY TO BE THE LAST TIME AMBASSADOR ROOD ATTENDS SUCH A MEETING BEFORE HE LEAVES THE POST AS AMBASSADOR.

IN THIS REGARD I TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY ON BEHALF OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF THE BAHAMAS, TO THANK YOU FOR WORK IN THE BAHAMAS. YOU HAVE REPRESENTED YOUR COUNTRY’S INTERESTS WITH APLOMB. WE WISH YOU WELL IN YOUR FUTURE ENDEAVOURS.

THE FOCUS OF MY BRIEF STATEMENT THIS MORNING IS ABOUT OUR CONTINUED COMMITMENT TO THE FIGHT AGAINST ILLEGAL DRUGS. ETERNAL VIGILANCE IS THE PHRASE THAT COMES TO MIND. OUR COMMITMENT MUST BE MORE THAN WORDS, HOWEVER. IT SHOULD CONTINUE TO BE MANIFESTED IN A COMMITMENT TO PUT THE RESOURCES BEHIND THE FIGHT. RETRENCHMENT IS NOT AN OPTION. IT WE RETRENCH THEN THE FORCES OF DARKNESS TAKE OVER.

WE HAVE A DAILY STRUGGLE IN THIS COUNTRY TO CONVINCE BOTH YOUNG AND OLD BUT ESPECIALLY THE YOUNG THAT IT PAYS TO BE IN THE SIDE OF THE GOOD. FORTUNATELY, THE RESOURCES THAT WE EMPLOY HELP TO ENSURE THAT FOR THE MAJORITY THEY SUPPORT GOOD OVER EVIL. THE AMBASADOR’S OWN COMMTIMENT TO INTERACTION WITH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM IS SURELY AN EXAMPLE OF TRYING TO REINFORCE THAT MESSAGE.

THE BAHAMAS IS COMMITTED TO THE FULLEST EMPLOYMENT AND DEPLOYMENT OF ITS RESOURCES. THE ROYAL BAHAMAS DEFENCE FORCE IS NOW MORE FULLY INTO THE FIGHT. I NOTE THE PRESENCE OF THE NEW COMMODORE OF THE FORCE CLIFFORD SCAVELLA. I THANK COMMODORE DAVEY ROLLE HIS PREDCESSOR FOR HIS WORK. THE BASE AT INAGUA IS UNDER ACTIVE CONSIDERATION. THE UPGRADE AND PROCUREMENT OF EQUIPMENT FOR BOTH THE POLICE AND THE DEFENCE FORCES IS VERY MUCH IN THE CARDS. IMMIGRATION OFFICERS AND CUSTOMS ARE ALL INVOLVED IN THE FIGHT.

IN JUNE OF THIS YEAR, THE MINISTRY OF NATIONAL SECURITY FORMALLY COMMISSIONED THE ADMINISTRATIVE RELOCATION OF SOME OF ITS FUNCTIONS TO CHURCH HOUSE, LOCATED ON EAST STREET AND SANDS ROAD. THIS BUILDING HOUSES THE NATIONAL ANTI-DRUG SECRETARIAT, WHOSE ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTIONS ARE IN THE PROCESS OF BEING FULLY ACTIVATED.

THE MINISTRY OF NATIONAL SECURITY HAS ALSO ESTABLISHED A PRIVATE SECURITY UNIT IN CHURCH HOUSE. THIS UNIT WILL ACT TO BRING GREATER EFFECTIVENESS AND EFFICIENCY IN THE SECURITY SERVICES DELIVERED TO HOTELS AND OTHER PRIVATE BUSINESS ESTABLISHMENTS. IT WILL GIVE SPECIAL ATTENTION TO THE DELIVERY OF SPECIALIZED TRAINING THAT WILL ENABLE THE PRIVATE SECURITY AGENTS TO BECOME MORE EFFECTIVE AT INTERDICTING THE MARKETING OF DRUGS TO HOTEL GUESTS AND AT DISCOURAGING THE CONSUMPTION OF ILLEGAL DRUGS IN HOTELS AND OTHER LARGE PROPERTIES.

THE PROBLEM OF DRUG TRAFFICKING AND DRUG ABUSE REMAINS CONSTANT WITHIN THIS HEMISPHERE AND INDEED GLOBALLY. ALTHOUGH THE INTER-AMERICAN DRUG ABUSE CONTROL COMMISSION (CICAD), THAT ARM OF THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES (OAS) WITH RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE HEMISPHERIC DRUG EFFORTS, CONTINUES TO SEEK EFFECTIVE WAYS TO ASSIST MEMBER STATES IN THEIR ANTI DRUG EFFORTS, THE PROBLEM PERSISTS.

BEING FULLY AWARE THAT THE TRAFFICKERS WILL NOT RELENT IN THEIR PURSUIT OF THE ECONOMIC BENEFIT OF THIS TRADE, IT IS THEREFORE PRUDENT FOR US NOT TO DECREASE OUR RESOURCES BROUGHT TO THIS FIGHT. IN FACT A VERY STRONG ARGUMENT CAN BE PRESENTED THAT THE LEVELS OF BOTH TECHNICAL AND FINANCIAL RESOURCES SHOULD BE INCREASED OR AT THE VERY LEAST SUSTAINED.

THE AMBASSADOR HAS BEEN A STRONG ADVOCATE FOR THE CONTINUED COMMITMENT OF THE RESOURCES OF HIS COUNTRY TO THE CONTUATION OF THIS FIGHT.

THE BAHAMAS WILL CONTINUE TO DO ITS PART TO STEM THIS FLOW, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUED BILATERAL AND MULTILATERAL DIAGLOGUE ON WAYS TO BECOME MORE EFFECTIVE IN OUR FIGHT.

BY THE TIME THE NEXT OF THESE MEETINGS IS HELD, A GENERAL ELECTION WILL HAVE BEEN HELD IN THE BAHAMAS. LET ME ASSURE YOU THAT THE COMMITMENTS MADE HERE TODAY HAVE BI PARTISAN SUPPORT. IT IS A COMMITMENT OF THE BAHAMAS.

THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.

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