Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09NASSAU753
2009-12-18 16:26:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Nassau
Cable title:  

Pirates, Projects and Wish Lists: NORTHCOM Visit to The

Tags:  SNAR PGOV PREL BF 
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VZCZCXYZ0009
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBH #0753/01 3521626
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 181626Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY NASSAU
TO RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RHMFISS/CCGDSEVEN MIAMI FL
RHMFISS/COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC
RHMFISS/COMLANTAREA COGARD PORTSMOUTH VA
RHMFISS/DIRJIATF SOUTH
RHMFISS/HQ USNORTHCOM
RHMFISS/HQ USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL
RUEABND/DEA FORT LAUDERDALE FL
RUEABND/DEA HQS WASHINGTON DC
RUEABND/DEA MIAMI FL
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0095
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUWDQAC/US INTERDICTION COORD WASHINGTON DC
INFO RUEHBH/AMEMBASSY NASSAU
C O N F I D E N T I A L NASSAU 000753 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 2019/12/18
TAGS: SNAR PGOV PREL BF
SUBJECT: Pirates, Projects and Wish Lists: NORTHCOM Visit to The
Bahamas Constructive

REF: NASSAU 139

CLASSIFIED BY: Timothy Zuniga-Brown, Deputy Chief of Mission; REASON:
1.4(B),(D)

C O N F I D E N T I A L NASSAU 000753

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 2019/12/18
TAGS: SNAR PGOV PREL BF
SUBJECT: Pirates, Projects and Wish Lists: NORTHCOM Visit to The
Bahamas Constructive

REF: NASSAU 139

CLASSIFIED BY: Timothy Zuniga-Brown, Deputy Chief of Mission; REASON:
1.4(B),(D)


1. (C) SUMMARY: NORTHCOM officials representing 12 different
sub-units visited Nassau from November 17-19 to discuss NORTHCOM
engagement. The delegation's activities consisted of a one-day
Piracy conference, meetings with Royal Bahamas Defense Force (RBDF)
and with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA). GCOB
officials warmly welcomed NORTHCOM's engagement with The Bahamas,
stressed desire to take advantage of training opportunities and
requested resources to boost its maritime, air, intelligence and
drug interdiction capabilities. END SUMMARY.



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Piracy: A Growing Threat To Bahamian Trade

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2. (SBU) The Bahamas maintains the third largest ship registry in
the world. Bahamian-flagged vessels suffered 12 pirate attacks
between January and December 2008. NORTHCOM discussed various
prevention techniques that could protect Bahamian vessels from
becoming victims of pirate attacks, stressing improved
communication between merchants and the Navy. NORTHCOM advised
mariners not to discuss ship routes while in port and provided
guidance the GCOB can pass on to ship registrants to distinguish
between pirate vessels and Yemeni fishing vessels, which are very
similar in appearance. They recommended use of the Internationally
Recognized Trade Corridor for travel through the Gulf of Aden, and
presented effective maneuvers mariners can use if under attack.
NORTHCOM officials conveyed their desire to conduct regional and
tabletop exercises on piracy with the GCOB.




3. (SBU) NORTHCOM encouraged The Bahamas to review its laws on
piracy and explore whether the GCOB had the capacity to prosecute
pirates in criminal courts. NORTHCOM noted countries such as the
Seychelles who have had to release known pirates because they had
no capacity to prosecute them. GCOB Participants were asked to
consider their existing immigration laws as well. As international
laws become more codified on piracy issues, the GCOB was told that
Bahamians may need to travel back to countries where the crimes

occurred in order to testify. The Bahamians requested a
recommendation for companies that provide on-board ship protection
and inquired on the cost of tower receivers and Automated
Identification System equipment.



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A Wish List from the RBDF: Naval Assets and Intelligence Gathering

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4. (C) The delegation, including representatives from the Center
for Naval Analysis, met with RBDF Commander Samuel Evans and his
staff to discuss The Bahamas' existing communications and
surveillance architecture. The RBDF said while their
"insufficient" naval and air assets were equipped with satellite
telephone technology, they lacked a centralized, secure system in
which to communicate intelligence to the GCOB or other Caribbean
nations. They noted that their nine ships were unable to cover the
2,000 square miles of Bahamian ocean on a twenty-four hour basis;
this limited the RBDF's capabilities to respond to poachers and
migrant vessels. The GCOB, they complained, does "not appreciate


what it takes to protect an archipelago" and provides minimal
funding to expand and maintain the surface fleet. Evans also
remarked that the RBDF does not receive adequate intelligence
information for counter-narcotic operations through Operation
Bahamas, Turks and Caicos (OPBAT) and the Royal Bahamas Police
Force. He cited a historical lack of trust due to problems
associated with particular RBDF personnel in the past. He made
clear to the delegation that the Commodore has worked hard to
restore the RBDF image and that any impropriety would not be
tolerated under the current command. He attributed some of the
lack of information flow to a lack of intelligence officers in
other countries.




5. (C) Evans requested NORTHCOM assistance to a) increase the
number of naval assets; b) to provide resources and technical
assistance that would improve intelligence gathering and c) provide
resources and technical assistance to communicate (in real time)
with the Royal Bahamas Police Force, OPBAT, and the defense forces
of other CARICOM nations. He and other RBDF officers expressed
some interest in conducting table-top exercises with NORTHCOM and
noted that officers found the TRADEWINDS exercise very useful. A
representative from Coast Guard acquisitions then gave a brief on
naval assets available to the RBDF for discounted prices through
the Coast Guard Acquisition program.



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NORTHCOM Observations: Training and Equipment Needed

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6. (C) The delegation held several individual meetings and
breakout sessions with GCOB and RBDF officials to assess
opportunities for NORTHCOM engagement. Officials identified
additional training opportunities in the areas of public affairs,
air support (maintenance and flight training),anti-terrorism
planning and tactical intelligence, military police support
(through the existing partnership with the Rhode Island National
Guard) and medical technician training. The RBDF and GCOB were
receptive to NORTHCOM's offer to make available excess defense
articles to The Bahamas, particularly cameras, binoculars and night
vision devices. NORTHCOM officials further recommended
professional development opportunities, participation in
counter-terrorism planning and maritime conferences and exchange
programs through the Rhode Island National Guard.



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Long-standing Civil-Military Projects Revived

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7. (SBU) Representatives from the Defense Support of Civil
Authorities (DSCA) unit at NORTHCOM met with representatives from
the GCOB National Emergency Management Agency to discuss
outstanding, SOUTHCOM-initiated humanitarian assistance projects.
These projects include an emergency operations center (EOC) and
disaster warehouses located on Great Inagua and Grand Bahama. NEMA
Director Captain Russell noted that the GCOB was prepared to
provide up to USD 600,000 in matching funds to begin construction
of an EOC in the Spring of 2010. In addition, Russell said that he
would facilitate the land acquisition process in Great Inagua and
Grand Bahama in order to begin construction of the two warehouses.


NORTHCOM engineers are expected to arrive in The Bahamas in January
2010 to do land assessments.




8. (SBU) DSCA officials also requested Embassy support to
facilitate two NORTHCOM-funded projects operated by the U.S.
Geological Survey (USGS): a Satellite and Geo-spatial Imagery
System Flood Mapping and Workshop project totaling approximately
USD 147,000 as well as a Freshwater Monitoring and Management
program on North Andros Island totaling approximately USD 477,000.
Post is working with the Ministry of Environment to develop letters
of intent for both projects.




9. (C) COMMENT: The RBDF and the GCOB warmly received the
NORTHCOM delegation and used the opportunity to restate requests
previously made to SOUTHCOM for additional resources and technical
support. The RBDF's single greatest need is capacity building, and
the visit served as a constructive opportunity for NORTHCOM to
assess needs and offer ample training and resource opportunities to
fulfill the Defense Force's requirements.
AVANT