Speeches & Op-Eds
Maritime Crisis Management Seminar Opening Ceremony Remarks
Bahamas Port Authority
Main Conference Room
February 12, 2007
I would first like to recognize Honorable Minister Hanna Martin, Permanent Secretary Nairn, Mr. Ferguson, Lt. Commander Bain, Ms. Ferguson, Mr. Smith and other Bahamian government officials.
It is my great pleasure to welcome you to the Maritime Crisis Management Seminar. A very warm welcome to our instructors from the Coast Guard International Training Division in Yorktown, Virginia, Lt. Hector Pacheco, Petty Officer Mike Vecchione and Lt. Irvin Jones. And I do mean warm. Not a bad place to spend a couple of weeks doing training!
I would like especially to welcome those of you participating in this seminar. You are at the front lines of identifying and responding to threats to our maritime environment, and for that both the United States and The Bahamas owe you our gratitude.
In the world today, our countries face many common threats: threats to our public infrastructure, threats to our personal safety, threats to our strong economies, and threats to our environment. Because the United States and The Bahamas have so much in common, it is important that we continue to work together to protect our freedoms, our livelihoods, and all that we have built and worked for.
As an island nation with busy and vitally important freight and cruise ship ports, vigilance in the protection of these ports is particularly important to maintain the strength of the Bahamian economy. A majority of the over 4 million U.S. tourists coming to The Bahamas each year arrive by sea. Through Bahamian ports -- Nassau Harbour, Arawak Cay, Kelly's Wharf, Union Wharf, John Alfred Wharf, and others -- flow the life-blood of New Providence and tons of U.S. goods every day. The safety of the waters of The Bahamas is critically important to the security of each of our nations.
After 2001, we have been increasingly focused on transportation security, but the possibility of maritime disaster is, I fear, too often not at the forefront of our thoughts. With the growth of global terrorism, our seaports and borders are increasingly susceptible to attack. And we must prepare not only for intentional harm, but accidental harm – one need only recall the Exxon Valdez or any number of other shipping accidents that have devastated local environments.
Through this course, you will be prepared to deal with circumstances that we hope will never arise, but for which we must be prepared. You will become better equipped to protect the economy, the security, the people, and the environments of our countries. And while you will be trained in crisis response, the course will also about offer broader exposure to port security issues.
This seminar is also the latest example of the many joint activities carried out by the military, security, and law enforcement personnel of the United States and The Bahamas. What a wonderful testament to our close cooperation on security issues this new training will be! As Kip Hawley, Assistant Secretary for Homeland Security said recently:
By working together to share information, technology, and best practices, we can support each other and enhance the global transportation security network that is critical to the security of every nation.
Since the threat environment is always changing, education and training will remain a constant requirement. I know it is difficult job. I appreciate your dedication and willingness to participate in this training. Thank you.