Speeches

Ceremony to Present Equipment for Megaport Initiative

May 27, 2005

Remarks U.S. Ambassador John D. Rood

It is my pleasure to be here in beautiful Grand Bahama, to celebrate yet another promising partnership among our nations.

The United States and The Bahamas have a long-standing common interest in keeping terrorists and their deadly cargo away from our shores.  I am pleased to announce a new program between our governments that will do just that.

Today, we are marking the arrival of equipment that will be employed in the Megaport Initiative.  The actual implementation of the program will be after the final testing and validation of all equipment as well as the conclusion and agreement of the operational protocols between the US and the Bahamas.

The Megaport Initiative utilizes the expertise of the United States Department of Energy and the National Nuclear Security Administration to make The Bahamas’ ports safer.  The Megaport Initiative works with foreign governments to install sophisticated equipment to deter, detect and interdict illicit trafficking in nuclear and other radioactive materials.  This initiative helps reduce the probability that these materials could be used in a weapon of mass destruction or a radiological dispersal device against our communities.

When a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Department of Energy of the United States of America and the Ministry of Finance in December 2004, The Bahamas became the first country in the Caribbean to participate in this important initiative.

Having identified high traffic ports around the world, it was no surprise to us at the Embassy that the DOE had chosen the Container Port in Freeport as one of the first sites to deploy this innovative program.  The Container Port is 65 miles from Fort Lauderdale, Florida.  More than 40 percent of its cargo containers are destined for ports in the United States with the rest mostly directed to the European Community.

Not only will this program provide the Government of the Bahamas access to the latest technology, more importantly, the level of cooperation that we enjoy with the Government of The Bahamas in the areas of common security and law enforcement, practically guarantees that this will be a fruitful, mutually beneficial partnership.

Just like our partnership through Operation Bahamas Turks and Caicos (OPBAT) makes it easier for our law enforcement and military personnel to work together in the fight against drug traffickers and alien smugglers, we are convinced that the Megaport Initiative’s sharing of information and technology will deter terrorists that might attempt to smuggle illicit radioactive materials through this Container Port.

Make no mistake about it, law enforcement - whether is searching for drugs, detecting the movement of weapons and contraband, or uncovering human trafficking - is a deterrent for all illegal activity and a benefit to everyone in the The Bahamas and the United States.

Finally, I would like to acknowledge the assistance of Hutchinson Port Holdings, our hosts this morning, in allowing the testing of this project in their facility.  We are pleased to see that private sector appreciates, as much as our governments that keeping the Container Port safe makes good business sense.

Allow me to close in my remarks by reiterating the fact that the fight to keep criminal organizations and illicit cargo out of our streets is one that we must not neglect.  The United States Government is proud of our partnership with the Government of the Bahamas in these efforts.