A significant decrease in the funding for the drug enforcement unit operation Bahamas, Turks and Caicos has raised concern from the US Ambassador to the Bahamas and Bahamian officials.
US Ambassador John Rood said he is worried that the US government is planning considerable cut backs on the funds allotted to the Operation Bahamas Turks and Caicos (OPBAT) budget in the upcoming fiscal year.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell told The Tribune yesterday that it is very important for the Bahamas that OPBAT is fully funded.
Speaking as a guest on Island FM’s talk show “Parliament Street” Ambassador Rood said he hopes to reverse the decision made by the US government concerning the drug combat mission.
The newly appointed ambassador to the Bahamas said he extensively researched the OPBAT mission, a combined effort by the US Coastguard, US Army, US Drug Enforcement Administraion (DEA) and Bahamian officials to combat drug smuggling to and from the Bahamas, before taking office and understood that the operation is of immense importance both to the Bahamas “and equally to the United States”.
Source: Karin Herig, The Tribune
