National Security Minister the Hon Tommy Turnquest sits as chair of the CICTE X in Washington DC.

WASHINGTON, DC -- National Security Minister the Hon Tommy Turnquest assumed the chairmanship of the 10^th Regular Session of the Inter-American Committee against Terrorism (CICTE) – an arm of the Organization of American States – at a ceremony in Washington DC on Wednesday evening. It is the first time The Bahamas has chaired the Committee.  

The Bahamas was elected by acclamation to chair the committee through March 2011, after having served as Vice Chair to Mexico over the last year. Colombia nominated The Bahamas, citing among other things the country’s “widespread activity” in support of Mexico’s chairmanship as reason to support The Bahamas in the position of chairman. Canada, a major contributor to the OAS and the CICTE, seconded the nomination.  

Mr Turnquest, during brief remarks, expounded on the theme chosen by The Bahamas for the three-day conclave – “Public/Private Partnerships In The Fight Against Terrorism.”  

The Minister said the “traditional approach to terrorism has been that it is a critical security matter, and is therefore the responsibility of the state.”  

“Recent attacks by terrorists, however, show that their willful and wanton destruction is intended to inflect maximum damage in terms of lives and property, and they are not concerned about whether what they destroy is public or private,” he said.  

“There is, consequently, a growing appreciation that the traditional approach to countering terrorism does not create a sufficient space for the business community and other civil actors, whose interests can be devastated by acts of terrorism. It also does not take into account the information, knowledge, experience and resources that the private sector can bring to bear on efforts to counter terrorism, and the potential threat from terrorist activities.”  

Mr Turnquest said an increasing awareness of the significant value in public-private sector partnership is encouraging governments to establish such partnerships “as a critical countermeasure from which states and the private sector can mutually benefit in the fight against terrorism and to guard against potential terrorist threats.”

Minister Turnquest with OAS Secretary General Jose Miguel Insulza.

“Such partnerships,” he said, “heighten public interest, raise awareness, build mutual understanding, and allows for private sector input in government’s antiterrorism policies and programmes. Public-private sector partnership also helps to broaden the resource base, both financial and human, in the fight against terrorism.”  

The Minister stressed that under the leadership of the state, public-private sector partnerships could have a positive impact in many areas including security for major events, crisis management, capacity building, and protection of infrastructure, including critical economic infrastructure.  

Prior to taking the chair, Mr Turnquest had meetings in Washington with OAS Secretary General Jose Miguel Insulza; George Gallegos, head of the CICTE Secretariat, and his deputy, and the Defense Minister from Uruguay, Luis Barilla.  

After the session, he met with the Permanent Representative of Grenada, which was elected Vice Chair of CICTE X.  

On Thursday, the Minister is expected to meet with Canada, and on Friday, The Bahamas will host a luncheon for the heads of delegations to the OAS.  

The CICTE was founded in 2002 to promote and develop cooperation among OAS Member-States in order to prevent, combat and eliminate terrorism in accordance with the principles of the OAS Convention against Terrorism, and with full respect of the sovereignty of states, the rule of international law, including humanitarian, international human rights and international refugee laws.   

The committee also provides technical assistance and training for Member States in response to their needs and requests, and coordinates with other international, regional and sub-regional organizations. It hosts one Regular Session each year as a forum for discussion and decision-making on counter-terrorism issues, measures and cooperation.   

Bahamas Permanent Representative to the OAS and Ambassador to the US Cornelius A Smith; Second Secretary at the Bahamas Permanent Mission to the OAS Charice Rolle; CICTE Secretary George Gallegos; Minister Turnquest and Bahamas National Point of Contact for the CICTE Peter Deveaux-Isaacs shared a moment before the meeting began