Minister Burch: Enhancing Regional Security
Bermuda’s participation in a Caricom adjunct responsible for coordinating regional security in the Caribbean area is “critically important” for the island’s safety, Government’s Leader in the Senate told the Upper House yesterday (Dec.15).
National Security Minister Senator David Burch was reporting to the Senate on his recent participation in the Caribbean Community’s Council of Ministers Responsible for National Security (CONSOLE) meeting held in Antigua on December 1-2.
“CONSOLE is chaired by Sen. L. Errol Cort, Minister of National Security & Labour of Antigua & Barbuda,” he said. “I joined National Security Ministers from Jamaica, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, the Bahamas, Barbados, the Cayman Islands and Trinidad & Tobago to discuss regional matters relating to security, policing and other law enforcement issues.
“There are still those who question Bermuda’s participation in regional organisations and they are likely to continue to do so in spite of this or any report. But I can state that our participation at this level is critically important to the security of our country as evidenced by our enhanced collaboration and interdiction successes by our border protection agencies.”
Sen. Burch said immediately prior to the Caribben-wide 2007 World Cup of Cricket, Caricom formed the regional Implementation Agency for Crime & Security (IMPACS) to oversee and coordinate anti-crime activity in the region.
“Bermuda opted to participate and in fact provided Bermuda Regiment troops to assist with security in Bridgetown, Barbados,” he said. “Additionally, our Commissioner of Police and Commanding Officer of the Bermuda Regiment participate in IMPACS conferences and workshops. Out of that effort IMPACS has evolved into a permanent agency.
Sen. Burch said of particular interest was a report and subsequent discussion on the first meeting of the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CSBI) — a joint initiative between the US and Caribbean countries launched earlier this year.
“CONSOLE also approved the introduction of a Border Security Fee of $5 (not one that Bermuda will participate in),” he said. “However, we shall likely reap some benefit as a portion of the fee will be allocated to fund IMPACS.
“As a result of this, the quota contributions currently made by member states will be reduced and ultimately eliminated.”
The National Security Minister said concurrent with the Antigua meeting he nominated a senior Bermuda Police and Customs officer to attend a major regional conference on fighting organised crime and drug trafficking held in Port of Spain, Trinidad on December 2-3.
“This conference was sponsored and paid for by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNDOC),” he said. “Our two representatives, Superintendant Andre Boyce and Principal Customs Officer of our Joint Intelligence Unity Mr. Steven Perinchief jointly presented on ‘Risks & Threats: Answers That Work In Different Countries’.”
Sen. Burch said attendance at both meetings would benefit Bermuda in coordinating its crime-fighting efforts.
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Amazing how one of the individuals responsible for secretly bringing in 4 Uighurs by cloak of darkness, is the one heading up our national security. Gotta love the irony.
Man, Forget the Uighurs stuff. They are here to stay. We have more pressing issues for Burch to focus on. HMS Customs are useless and have a lousey track record. Police DEA team should take over responsibility for all ports of entry, docks, freight, etc. The HMS Prison Officers are under seige from gang members threatening behavior. NO MORE PAROLE, serve your full term, increase time for bad behavior, send the bastards to CARICOM jails if they are beyond rehabilitation. Pay CARICOM partners to keep them ‘over there’ in exile after doing their time. I’d happily accept a tax increase to accomodate these ideas.
I don’t have to forget anything. Giving in and ‘moving on’ aka ‘this too shall pass’ is part of why we’re in the sh#t-hole we’re in now.
I’m sorry, but no.
“Forget the Uighurs stuff”?
REALLY? What was done to us as Bermudians and you’re saying “Forget it”?
HELL no.
“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”
That kind of mindset is what will kill us. I’m tired of hearing about “what they done to us” in the 60′s, how “they put their dogs on us” etc. etc. I’m not excusing the offense in neither case. But it doesn’t help when we keep harpin on the sins of the past. Same mindset, different group complaining. Shoe is definately on the other foot.
The sins of the past?
It was last year!
Seriously? The leader of our country lied to us and we should just let it go? Get over it?
Seriously?
Wow.
Elvis, shut up really. It’s boring as sh#t now.
Wow Samuel, what a well informed rebuttal. Your wilful ignorance is astoundingly unfortunate.
Now you know how some feel when it comes to to the so called “discussions” (aka. blame game) regarding the atrocities of the past.
Lets never forget them as you need to learn from your past, but when people constantly use it as a basis for attacks and wrongful incinuations on a segment of the population that had nothing to do with these shameful acts, the response is no different than the one Samuel presented above.
Wrongful incinuations being quotes from a particular Senator that all whites inherently seek to oppress because of their inherent slavemaster desires (i.e. incinuations that all whites have post traumatic slavemaster syndrome).
Vote for them is a vote back to the planatation.
They are ALL neo-fascists that want to lock us all up.
That’s why so many people turn off when a sincere discussion is sought.
No difference and no better.
The primary point is that we’ve got someone who’s more than willing to keep the Bermudian public in the dark to push an agenda, which in the Uighurs case, is a national security matter. It’s not a matter of harping on the Uighurs, I’m using their case as an example.
Surely that is Superintendent Boyce not Superintendant Boyce.
He dose not look after buildings.
Does not. Haha.
“But I can state that our participation at this level is critically important to the security of our country as evidenced by our enhanced collaboration and interdiction successes by our border protection agencies.”
- As there are absolutely zero flights and very little cruise ship traffic between Bermuda and our southern neighbors what interdiction successes (exactly) is he referring to?
Interdiction in that the money we spend on illegal drugs goes somewhere. Given that the US, on the whole is a consumer, not a producer of illegal drugs, that somewhere is down south (amongst other places).
That is to say nothing of the drug mules and “pleasure” boat trips that we take from time to time.
Clandestine operations (movement of people no less) using a political smoke and mirrors to prevent any interference from either within or oustide of the Government?
Seems like Mr Burch is perfectly suited to a National Security role…
Back to the same bitch fest.It was’nt me brings up some food for thought and the local bloggers from “Oberdear” shoot the messenger once again.
Gibberish.
And those who have not been taught the past nor have access too it are what.
It will come to you. Just pull up a global map.
Oh dear. Where do I find one and whats a global map.