BAHAMAS: Megaports Tabletop Exercise Postponed to July 2010

UNCLAS NASSAU 000025 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ENRG KNNP PGOV BF SUBJECT: BAHAMAS: Megaports Tabletop Exercise Postponed to July 2010 REF: 09 NASSAU 525; 08 NASSAU 897; 08 STATE 22875 ¶1. (SBU) January 20, David Kostorowski of Pacific Northwest Labs and EMBOFF met with GCOB officials in Nassau to discuss plans for the joint Megaports Table Top Exercise (TTX) scheduled for FY 2010. Picking up from the last meeting in August 2009 (REF A),Mr. Kostorowski and EMBOFF briefed GCOB representatives on the scenarios and logistics for the TTX. While GCOB interlocutors were enthusiastic about exercising the Megaports response protocols, scheduling delays forced the postponement of the TTX to mid-July ¶2010. The next TTX planning meeting is scheduled for mid-April ¶2010. ¶2. (U) The meeting was chaired my Ministry of Foreign Affairs Deputy Permanent Secretary Donna Lowe and was attended by representatives of the Ministries of National Security, Finance, Environment, Aviation and Tourism, as well as Bahamas Customs, the Port Department, the National Emergency Management Agency, and the Royal Bahamas Police Force. ¶3. (U) Embassy Nassau's POC for Megaports is Narcotics Affairs Officer John Moppert (moppertjp@state.gov). AVANT