U.S. Ambassador John Rood says, “It is easier to get into waters and it is much easier to hide things under ships,” said Mr. Rood.
“We spend a lot of time searching for things that might go on the airlines, but we don’t think about the amount of persons that disembark on our shores from cruise ships. These people are a part of the protection of that industry.”
His comments came as 15 Royal Bahamas Police Force officers completed a two-week training course in detecting suspicious devices at seaports.
The realities of the times have forced Bahamian officials to focus more on beefing up measures implemented to prevent potential terrorist disruptions.
In the wake of the terror blasts in London, local authorities reiterated their resolve against the menace.
“I think it is important right now as we see what is happening in London, Spain and Amstradam where people don’t believe in what we stand for and they are attacking us and the goal of these men who graduated is to protect what we stand for,” Mr. Rood explained as he spoke at the closing ceremony.
The U.S State Department facilitated the programme. Officers from the Bureau of Diplomatic Security also worked closely with the men to train them in detecting bombs, VIP protection and even airport security.
Law enforcement officers from Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados also underwent the training which included strategies on tracking drugs and underwater harmful substances.
“It builds up their capacity to defend a cruise ship, cargo ship or a port,” the U.S. Ambassador said. “It also protects it from those who want to use these facilities to inflict harm upon others.”
The program was established in 1983. To date, over 48,000 foreign security and law enforcement officials in over 141 countries have been trained under it. This is the first time that the program was introduced in The Bahamas.
Sgt John Williams, assistant director of the program was encouraged by the results.
“I think that these men understand what it means to establish a good partnership with other Caribbean countries to protect our region,” he said.
According to U.S Embassy officials, the program is designed to expand the protection of national borders, critical infrastructure and national leadership, respond to and resolve terrorist incidents.
Security forces in Egypt on Sunday were still combing the Sinai peninsula and rounding up suspects as they continued their probe into three bombings that killed 84 people and wounded more than 200 in the Red Sea resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh.
A small bomb shook the northwest Spanish city of Santiago de Compostela Saturday, leaving glass shards scattered across a central plaza and prompting police to cordon off the area.
In Baghdad at least 22 people have been killed by a suicide bomber who blew up a lorry laden with explosives at a police station in the Iraqi capital.
Elsewhere, London’s Tube stations were gradually reopening following minor explosions across the city on Thursday.
By: Kendea Jones, The Bahama Journal
