The Tribune

MINISTER of Foreign Affairs and Immigration, Fred Mitchell blasted the former FNM administration yesterday for failing to fully disclose to the Bahamian public that unmanned drones were operating in the Bahamas.

According to Mr Mitchell, these surveillance aircraft, which were utilised to help in the fight against drug smuggling and illegal immigration, reportedly do not require any specific permission from the Bahamas government under current existing protocols.

"It does not now appear that any violations of policy, law domestic or international took place by the use of unmanned surveillance aircraft which the press has described as drones.

"I am advised that under existing protocols, the Americans take the view that no specific permission is required or requested for a specific act of surveillance; that the use of this equipment is confined to overlooking the movement on the high seas and is restricted to seeking out smuggling and illegal drug activities and does not involve any terrestrial or land based intrusions. The governing instrument appears to be the OPBAT agreement and its subsequent understandings and operational modalities," Mr Mitchell said.

Contrary to the former Minister of National Security, Tommy Turnquest's assertions, Mr Mitchell said that this issue is not about gratefulness or friendliness with the United States.

"That is typical of Tommy Turnquest and the FNM to advance nonsense and seek to pollute the issue. This is about the simple facts being made available to the Bahamian public in response to a legitimate concern that they (the public) are or may be subject to unlawful spying and intrusion. It is necessary then to dispel any such fears.

"The principle then is while we fight crime, it must always be subject to the rule of law. We are certain that the United States supports that position. The two countries work well together and in this matter their cooperation has been complete.

"When Mr Turnquest confirmed that he and his government authorised these missions of unmanned craft, the natural logic gave rise to the suspicion by some that the FNM government may have been complicit in an unlawful spying mission. The public had to be disabused of that as well."

Mr Mitchell said that all this unnecessary speculation could have been avoided had the FNM government given full disclosure before the fact or come clean as soon as this matter became a public issue.

"As usual Mr Turnquest and the FNM resort to blaming the PLP, then the press; everyone but themselves. The PLP government has nothing to do with this except the responsibility now to govern in the best interest of the Bahamian people.

"Bahamians often say: if you don't know what to say, then keep quiet. That is good advice for Mr Turnquest. The government of the Bahamas under the Progressive Liberal Party pledges to continue the fight against drug trafficking and smuggling through our waters.

"Mr Turnquest will not deflect us from that fight. Let there be no doubt about this country's commitment to work together with the United States and other international partners to defeat crime. We pledge to continue our excellent work and cooperation with our American partners in this fight and will continue to fight to eliminate the scourge of crime.

"The US and The Bahamas stand shoulder to shoulder and arm in arm in fighting the evils of drug trafficking and international crime generally. That is our solemn commitment to the Bahamian people. Politicians who have just lost office should not allow defeat to cause them to lose their political right mind, with the use of selective memory, pompous lecturing and sickening obfuscation," he said.