TSA Administrator John Pistole accompanied by senior TSA and U.S. Embassy officials, meet with the Minister of Transport and Aviation, The Hon. Glenys Hanna-Martin and senior Bahamian government representatives. (Photo: Bahamas Information Services).

New Providence, Bahamas - On February 12, 2014, Mr. John Pistole, the Administrator for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) in the United States Department of Homeland Security made his first official visit to Nassau, Bahamas to hold high level bilateral discussions with senior Bahamian government officials on international aviation issues. TSA is responsible for identifying and mitigating risks at nearly 300 foreign airports from which U.S. airlines operate or U.S.-bound passengers and cargo depart. When an international aviation-related threat emerges, TSA leads the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s activities in responding to the event.  

During the visit, Administrator Pistole met with the Minister of Transport and Aviation, Glenys Hanna-Martin and participated in an official signing ceremony to mark the loan of critical aviation security equipment from TSA to the Government of The Bahamas. This latest cooperative effort is in conjunction with the TSA Pre-Clearance Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) that was signed in July, 2013 when The Bahamas became the first country in the entire Caribbean and only the second country among all TSA preclearance locations worldwide to implement the program. Administrator Pistole held high -level briefings with the Deputy Prime Minister and Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, The Hon. Philip Davis at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

During the bilateral discussions, Mr. Pistole pledged the United States Government’s continued collaboration on aviation safety, the sharing of best practices related to technology and operational procedures. The U.S. and Bahamian officials also highlighted continued bilateral efforts to upgrade the standards at Family Island airports with direct flights to the United States. The visit by the TSA officials also included a tour of the Lynden Pindling International Airport.

TSA Administrator John Pistole and the Minister of Transport and Aviation, Glenys Hanna-Martin participate in the official signing ceremony to mark the loan of critical aviation security equipment from TSA to the Government of The Bahamas. (Photos: Bahamas Information Services)