The Bahamas is joining the international law enforcement community in waging the war on terrorism, as it takes the necessary steps to strengthen and integrate better policing throughout the Bahamas and the Caribbean region.
A two-day conclave on counter terrorism, which opened Thursday at the Wyndham Nassau Resort, is viewed as a crucial step in that process.
Teams of high-level officials and regional partners from various jurisdictions came together to expand on ways to avoid and respond to terrorist attacks. The agencies will work together to analyze current environments and devise strategies to counter acts of terrorism.
Commissioner of Police Paul Farquharson said the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States brought about awareness that no country is safe from the acts of terrorism. He was speaking at the official opening ceremony of the Bahamas Conclave on Terrorism.
“The Caribbean region, in particular, due to its geographical location, and the Bahamas with its archipelagic make-up is vulnerable to terrorism,” he said. “This phenomenon, coupled with our dependence on the tourism industry further adds to our dilemma in identifying potential terrorist threats.”
Mr. Farquharson said he hopes the conference will be the catalyst by which the Caribbean launches an around-the-clock command centre on terrorism.
“The old saying that no man is an island is especially true in these times. That is why it is so important for security forces throughout the region and in the international arena to network as what affects one, eventually affects us all,” he said.
Mr Farquharson said the Caribbean faces a unique environment characterized by the forces of terrorism globalization and advancement in technology.
“We are ready to work together,” he said. “As a matter of fact, we have no choice but to do so. The question for many of us is how. I am inspired by the fact that many of our successes of today have come about as a result of better exchange of information between our partners and security intelligence and law enforcement communities around the world.
“There is no doubt we have come a long way. But we shall have a long road to travel. I have also devoted a great deal of thought to the challenges that lie ahead. If the truth is to be told, we have not yet attained the sustained level of integration that is necessary for the international law enforcement community to deal with the realities of policing in the third millennium.”
Mr Farquharson said the forum is one of the key facilitators in making the vision a reality and told delegates that he hopes that some of the ideas will spark interesting debate in their discussions and for the remainder of the conclave.
“September 11 provides a defining example of how the world environment is evolving. It proved that a collaborative approach is the only way to detect, deter and destabilize global criminal entities,” he said.
“Even prior to 9/11 the international law enforcement community was being driven towards more and better collaboration by globalization and the new face of transnational pride. We are entering a new frontier in law enforcement which forces us to rethink how we do our jobs on a local, international and national level.”
Mr Farquharson said situations that happen in one part of the world are having far-reaching ramifications in other areas.
He said besides the obvious threat of terrorist activities, the Caribbean is dealing with pressures resulting from changing demographics, an unsettled global economy and conflicts in the world’s political arena.
“These pressures affect us all in some way, shape or form. As we all know, the small-time drug dealer or armed robber just arrested in your community, could have links to a terrorist group halfway around the world,” he said.
Mr Farquharson said globalization reinforces the need to work together to properly address common issues with a unified approach. He said an integrated approach is long overdue.
“I would like to see its tentacles reaching far beyond our traditional partners to include organizations like all of us here today as well as non-governmental organizations and academic institutions,” he said.
By Rogan M. Smith, The Bahama Journal
