In the Progressive Liberal Party Government’s first drug interdiction meeting with high-ranking American officials, United States Ambassador J. Richard Blankenship blasted the Bahamas in a hard-line speech that challenged the nation to revamp antiquated sentencing legislation, appoint an anti- drug czar and throw corrupt elements out of the Royal Bahamas Defense Force.
Mr. Blankenship’s speech left Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell astounded and it was apparent that the ambassador’s remarks immediately strained relations between the Bahamas and the United States.
Mr. Mitchell said the government was “shocked” and it appeared as if Mr. Blankenship was lecturing them. Mr. Mitchell said, “Our dignity as a nation was challenged and our law enforcement officers embarrassed.”
Mr. Mitchell delivered much lighter remarks before the ambassador spoke, simply restating the government’s position on illicit drug trafficking.
Following the ambassador’s remarks, the Foreign Affairs Minister hastily called a noon press conference. Where he expressed the government’s disappointment in Mr. Blankenship’s statement.
Mr. Mitchell said he was forced to adjourn the meeting following those remarks.
“The Bahamas was unfairly blindsided,” Mr. Mitchell said. “We requested a copy of [Mr. Blankenship’s] statement before hand and it was not honoured.”
Mr. Mitchell pointed out that during the open session of this joint task force meeting, both sides normally state substantive policy statements, not going into much detail.
“The Ambassador made it appear as if the Bahamas and the United States are not working as one,” he said.
In prefacing his address, the U.S. Ambassador said his “suggestions” were simple and concrete steps the Bahamas can carry out “right now” with little effort and without great expenditure.
During his 20-minute speech, Mr. Blankenship suggested the Bahamas clearly enunciate its national drug control strategy to address all aspects of the drug problem and clearly lay out the national direction for drug interdiction, law enforcement and detection, among other things.
Mr. Blankenship called for a drug czar to be appointed to have operational control over all agencies involved in the drug war across traditional bureaucratic lines.
“With accountability, must come authority,” the ambassador said. “A drug czar must have total control of all personnel and assets involved in the drug war and this person should report to the Deputy Prime Minister and be employed by contract just are the Police Commissioner and Defense Force Commander.
“For our part the United States is prepared to contribute significant resources to the formation of this National Drug Office now, when the Bahamas acts.”
Urging the government to bring the Royal Bahamas Defense Force in on the war against drugs, the U.S. Ambassador claimed talent and resources were going to waste in the local marines.
ï¾ Although Mr. Blankenship expressed an interest in making the RBDF “full partners” in the drug war, he said the force must first undergo “a thorough reform effort.”
Pointing to a 1992 “incident” the U.S. Ambassador blasted the RBDF for an investigation that was “poorly handled and seemed to have had some institutional and political motives.”
Although he did not go into details about the incident that involved the RBDF’s HMBS Inagua, he said the matter was never satisfactorily investigated and many persons allegedly involved were still working with the Defense Force.
“Futher allegations involving either the Police Force or Defense Force must be fully investigated and resolved by independent judicial authorities, an independent prosecutor, if you will, or neither will be accepted as a full partner in the war on drugs by the United States,” the U.S. Ambassador said.
The American government wants all the RBDF personnel involved in the fight against narcotic to undergo the strictest of background checks and other “vetting” procedures, otherwise they will not be prepared to share “sensitive” information.
Applauding Prime Minister Perry Christie’s call for a reform of the Bail Act, Mr. Blankenship said he was aware of several cases in which Bahamian traffickers – released on bail – have fled the country.
He’s pushing for the passage of mandatory sentencing guidelines for drug offenders.
As the law now stands, the maximum sentence a Magistrate can hand down in five years.
Said the U.S. Ambassador: “We note, that convicted narcotics traffickers caught with thousands of pounds of drugs are only being sentenced for periods of 18 months to two years, even when guilt is demonstrated beyond a shadow of a doubt, by the testimony of law enforcement officers.
“This practice is ludicrous and out of step with modern judicial practice in much of the developed world, including other countries with an English common law based system.”
This type of sentencing, Mr. Blankenship added, is not proportional to the crime.
Finally, he urged the government to streamline the asset forfeiture process and act “immediately” to develop a spending plan for the $1.2 million uncontested cash seized in drug raids and held in government accounts.
“I have to admit that I get extremely frustrated when the government of the Bahamas approaches the United States for additional funding when I know that there is this pool of money available sitting untapped,” Mr. Blankenship said.
The Ambassador made it clear that the money is not intended to replace the U.S. government’s assistance, rather to serve as a supplement.
By Tosheena Blair, The Bahama Journal
