Bahamas News
BAHAMAS: Minister Dames Explains why Bill is not a ‘Spy Bill’
#Bahamas, April 30, 2018 – Nassau – While giving his contribution to the Interception of Communications Bill 2017, Minister of National Security the Hon. Marvin Dames termed it a comprehensive contemporary law to fight “sophisticated technologically savvy criminals and dismantle their criminal networks.”
“From the outset, let me dispel this ridiculousness of the Interception of Communications Bill being referred to as a ‘Spy Bill’,” Minister Dames said in the House of Assembly, on April 25, 2018. “For all within hearing distance of my voice, it is not and I will explain in my Contribution this morning.
“The word ‘spy’ connotes breaking the law and impinging upon the constitutional rights of an individual. The mere fact that we are in honourable House debating this very important Bill, represents an urgent need to send a clear message that this Government, is committed to adhering to the Constitution of The Commonwealth of The Bahamas and the rule of law and in no case assuming the posture of politics of disrespect and arrogance.”
Minister Dames pointed out that a responsible Government does not come to Parliament to inform its citizens and pass legislation only to ignore the very legislation it was responsible for bringing to Parliament.
“This does not make sense,” he stated. “The entire absurdity of the Interception of Communication Bill being referred to as a ‘Spy Bill’ needs to be put to a perpetual rest.”
Minister Dames said that the Interception of Communication Bill was timely and pertinent to The Bahamas’ national security and well-being as a nation. He added that the foremost aim of the Bill was to thwart any and all national security threats to Bahamian citizens, residents and visitors.
“This Bill is a vital tool to assist in our crime fighting strategies, particularly in combating drug, human, and gun trafficking, gang violence, cyber crimes and other forms of transnational organised crimes,” Minister Dames said. “Without legislation such as this one, law enforcement agencies will be severely handicapped and disadvantaged in their attempts to detect, collect, analyse, investigate and prosecute associated crimes in a world where technology related platforms have become the preferred means of communications across the globe especially for organised crime organisations.
“Therefore, the question, we must now ask ourselves, ‘Who do we prefer to have the upper hand, organised crime groups or the men and women in law enforcement who have taken an oath to protect us all?’.”
Minister Dames noted that the Bill sought to provide a single legal framework within which the interception of all communications on public and private systems would be authorized inclusive of public telecommunication operators and Internet providers. The Bill, he added, provides for the interception of communication carried wholly or partly by wireless telegraphy and also covers all mail handling systems including parcel and courier services.
“This Bill further provides for the use of certain devices for listening to private conversations,” he said. The Bill, once passed, will come into operation on a day decided by the National Security Minister and it will be publicly announced.”
Minister Dames noted that the word communication, as defined in Section 2 of the Bill, included anything transmitted by means of a postal service, including a postal article; anything comprising speech, music, sounds, visual images or data of any description; and signals serving either for [impart] of anything between persons, between a person and a thing or between things or for the actuation or control of any apparatus.
Intercept or Interception, as defined in the same section of the Bill Section, he added, included aural or other acquisition of the contents of any communication through the use of any means, including an interception device, so as to make some or all of the contents of a communication available to a person other than the sender or recipient or intended recipient of that communication; monitoring of a communication by means of a monitoring device; viewing, examining or inspecting of the contents of any communication and diverting of any communication from its intended destination to any other destination.
Minister Dames stated that, in the last two decades, information and communication technologies (ICTs) have continued to advance, thus highlighting the critical need for the collection of data to be used as a fuel to protect and enhance national security interests.
“The smartphone, which can be referred to as one’s most personal computer, is owned by approximately 2.5 billion of the world’s population, according to Statista, a leading provider of consumer data,” he said. “The Pew Research Center, a nonpartisan fact tank, found in a recent study an estimated 95 percent of all Americans owned cellphones; nearly three quarters of American adults own desktops or laptops; half of the adult population own tablets and around one in five own e-readers.
“I suspect that the use of ICTs in The Bahamas is widespread,” he added. “With this ever increasing use of communication gadgets and its rapid evolution, it is imperative that legislation allow law enforcement to keep pace with changing technology and prevent criminals from abusing communication devices to commit offences.”
That, Minister Dames said, was the crux of the Bill: the necessity for law enforcement to address dangers posed by criminals using advanced technologies such as newer encrypted forms of Internet-based communications,inclusive of computers, Ipads, smartphones and other similar instruments.
“I can speak of personal experiences in which police acting on intelligence pursued criminal networks in this country and in doing so, it was not uncommon for criminal groups to have had multiple disposable prepaid phones which they were able to quickly discard so as to evade detection,” Minister Dames said. “This ‘modus operandi’ is nothing new and will only increase in occurrences.”
“As such, we have to equip our law enforcement agencies with the applicable legislative tools to remain relevant and collect the necessary investigative information by way of modern platforms for the sole purpose of protecting the local as well national security interests of the people they have sworn to protect,” he added.
By Eric Rose
Bahamas News
Next U.S. Ambassador? Walker Pledges Business-Driven Approach as U.S. Looks to Counter China in The Bahamas
Deandrea Hamilton | Editor
The Bahamas, September 16, 2025 – For the first time since 2011, the United States is on the cusp of sending an ambassador to The Bahamas — and the nominee, former football star turned entrepreneur Herschel Walker, is promising to bring his business instincts to the diplomatic table.
Speaking before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee last week, Walker underscored that his background in food-service companies and small business leadership has prepared him to think practically about investment. “I know how to run a business, how to create jobs, how to make payroll. Those lessons translate into building relationships and building trust,” Walker said.
Walker, who was nominated by President Trump in December 2024, faced the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on September 11. As of now, he has not yet been confirmed; his nomination remains under review, pending a committee vote before it can move to the full Senate. If approved, he would become the first U.S. ambassador to The Bahamas since 2011.
For years, U.S. officials have stressed security and counternarcotics cooperation with The Bahamas, including through “Operation Bahamas, Turks and Caicos.” But in areas like infrastructure, medical care, and long-term investment, Washington has often been absent.
Hospitals and clinics remain under-resourced, and hurricane recovery has been slow in many islands. Chinese state-backed firms, by contrast, have shown up with financing packages and construction deals — a presence that has raised alarms on Capitol Hill.
“Only 50 miles off our shore, The Bahamas is too important for us to ignore,” warned Senate Foreign Relations Committee leaders during Walker’s hearing. They called China’s inroads “strategic, not charitable,” suggesting Beijing’s long game is about ports, proximity, and political leverage.
Walker positioned himself as a nontraditional but pragmatic envoy. He argued that his business career, rooted in private sector success, equips him to champion American investment in The Bahamas.
He pledged to:
- Promote U.S. companies interested in medical and infrastructure projects.
- Support an environment that encourages American investors to see The Bahamas as more than just a beach destination.
- Highlight opportunities for partnerships that improve public services, healthcare, and resilience against hurricanes.
“I’ve built businesses. I know what it takes to attract investors and create opportunity. That is exactly what I intend to bring to our relationship with The Bahamas,” Walker said.
The Bahamas is not just a tourist paradise. It’s a frontline state in migration, drug interdiction, and hurricane response. More than six
million U.S. visitors travel there annually, making stability and safety a U.S. domestic concern as much as a foreign policy one.
And yet, with the ambassador post vacant for 14 years, the U.S. has often looked detached — opening space for China’s ambitious Belt and Road agenda. The fear is that infrastructure deals signed today could give Beijing leverage in the region tomorrow. Walker’s confirmation would symbolize a course correction, signaling Washington’s intent to re-engage not only in security but in the economic future of The Bahamas. Not everyone is convinced Herschel Walker is the right man for the job. His nomination revived controversies from his 2022 Senate run, including past allegations, public gaffes, and doubts about whether he has the diplomatic polish the post demands. Some senators and analysts questioned whether celebrity and business experience were enough for a role requiring nuance in foreign policy and geopolitics.
Critics argued that The Bahamas, sitting just 50 miles from Florida and facing intense Chinese interest, deserves a seasoned diplomat rather than a political ally.
Walker confronted those doubts head-on. “People have underestimated me all my life — in academics, athletics, and business,” he told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “And I have always proven them wrong, through discipline, determination, and by outworking everyone.”
He admitted he had never served as an ambassador but countered that his career prepared him in other ways: building businesses, managing payrolls, and connecting with people from all walks of life. He framed his business background as a strength, promising to use it to encourage U.S. investment in healthcare, infrastructure, and hurricane resilience projects in The Bahamas.
Rather than sparring with critics, Walker leaned on confidence and persistence: “I know how to build trust and find common ground. That’s what this relationship needs.”
If confirmed, Walker would have to balance his role as diplomat with expectations of being a commercial cheerleader for U.S. firms. His emphasis on entrepreneurship suggests a willingness to push U.S. businesses toward opportunities in healthcare, ports, and post-storm reconstruction — areas where Bahamians say they need the most support.
For Bahamian officials, the question will be whether Washington is prepared to back words with financing. U.S. private sector dollars, paired with aid and development partnerships, could help shift the tide against Chinese influence.
For Walker, the test will be whether his business acumen can translate into diplomatic wins — giving Bahamians alternatives to Beijing, while deepening the U.S. role in the Caribbean.
Analysis: If Walker delivers, this appointment could mark a turning point: a U.S. strategy that recognizes that in the Caribbean, investment is diplomacy.
The Bahamas, September 10, 2025 – Rescue swimmers from the United States Coast Guard (USCG) Aviation Training Center in
Mobile, Alabama visited Nassau to train Royal Bahamas Defense Force (RBDF) and Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) members in water survival skills as part of Operation Bahamas Turks and Caicos (OPBAT) earlier this week.
“Training alongside our USCG partners ensures our personnel are best prepared for the unique challenges of joint operations” said Superintendent Wendy Pearson, Commander Drug Enforcement Unit.
The multi-day exercise, centered on the USCG’s Shallow Water Egress Training (SWET), enhanced the safety and preparedness of Bahamian partners who routinely operate aboard USCG helicopters during OPBAT missions. The exercise provided hands-on instruction for 31 participants and strengthened interoperability between U.S. and Bahamian agencies engaged in counter-drug, search and rescue, and maritime security operations throughout the region.
“We were excited and proud to have the opportunity to share our expertise with our Bahamian partners. Not only did RBDF and RBPF
perform exceptionally well, they exceeded the standards we set for the event,” said Petty Officer Second Class Cole Johnson, USCG.
OPBAT is a cooperative multi-agency international operation supporting The Bahamas and Turks & Caicos Islands to stop illicit drug smuggling through the region. U.S. Embassy Nassau Chargé d’affaires Kimberly Furnish stated, “Since 1982, OPBAT has worked to stop the flow of illicit narcotics through the Caribbean, destined for the United States or other jurisdictions. This is international cooperation at its best.”
