Bahamas News
The Bahamas Strengthens Cybersecurity with National Cybersecurity Strategy Launch and Multi-day Workshop
NASSAU, The Bahamas – The country took a significant leap forward in safeguarding its digital infrastructure with the official launch of the National Cybersecurity Strategy (NCS) for The Bahamas. The Cabinet-approved strategy outlines the plan for The Bahamas to fortify its cybersecurity framework amid the rising global threat of cyber attacks.
The launch of the NCS marked the beginning of the National Cybersecurity Strategy Workshop that took place from 3 to 6 December 2024, at the British Colonial Hotel in Nassau, The Bahamas.
The workshop acted as the second phase of the NCS lifecycle, bringing together local stakeholders and international partners with the support of the U.S. Embassy and the U.S. Department of State. The partners included representatives from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Research and Engineering (MITRE), along with government agencies, critical infrastructure providers, and private sector leaders, to collaborate on prioritising strategic objectives and developing an actionable implementation roadmap for the NCS.
Chargé d’Affairs Kimberly Furnish highlighted the United States’ commitment to international collaboration in the fight against cybercrime, emphasizing the importance of partnerships and shared responsibilities. She stated, “The United States has long supported a collaborative approach to combating cybercrime. That is why we’re pleased to galvanize support from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Research and Engineering (MITRE) to support such important efforts led by the CIRT-BS.”
She also affirmed The United States’ endorsement of digital solidarity, sharing, “Digital solidarity is when we stand together to combat bad actors in cyberspace. We are all vulnerable to bad actors, especially government-funded bad actors, who carry out these acts for either financial gain or to undermine world peace and security. We will continue to support Bahamian efforts to fight these bad actors, which includes the implementation of The Bahamas National Cybersecurity Strategy (NCS)”.
Strengthening Digital Defences with the National Cybersecurity Strategy
CIRT-BS’ National Cybersecurity Strategy provides a comprehensive framework to address the growing cybersecurity challenges the country faces in an interconnected world.
At the core of the strategy are five key pillars:
- Strengthening Governance Frameworks: Establishing clear roles and responsibilities for cybersecurity management;
- Enhancing Incident Response: Improving the nation’s ability to detect, prevent, and respond to cyber incidents;
- Protecting Critical Infrastructure: Securing essential services such as banking, healthcare, and utilities from potential cyberattacks;
- Raising Public Awareness: Educating businesses and individuals on best practices to safeguard their information; and,
- Improving Law Enforcement: Strengthening legal frameworks and enforcement to combat cybercrime effectively.
This strategy positions The Bahamas as a regional leader in cybersecurity, ensuring citizens, businesses, and the government can operate safely in an increasingly digital world.
CIRT-BS Director Sametria McKinney, CISSP, emphasised the importance of the NCS in advancing the security posture of The Bahamas, stating, “This strategy empowers us to tackle both immediate and long-term cybersecurity challenges, outlining critical objectives to enhance our national resilience and safeguard the digital future of our nation. Its success depends on the collective commitment of both the public and private sectors, uniting efforts to strengthen defenses, protect vital infrastructure, and secure a resilient digital economy for generations to come.”
CIRT-BS at the Helm of National Cybersecurity Efforts
Since its launch in December 2023, the National Computer Incident Response Team of The Bahamas (CIRT-BS) has served as the national frontline authority responsible for driving the implementation of the NCS, the focal point for coordinating incident response efforts and providing real-time monitoring of cyber risks. The organisation offers various services including, awareness training, incident management support, event monitoring, and vulnerability assessments.
Because of these efforts, The Bahamas is the first English-speaking Caribbean country to secure membership in the Forum of Incident Response and Security Teams (FIRST), reflecting its growing reputation as a regional cybersecurity leader. It also has affiliation with several
other premier international cybersecurity organisations, including CSIRT Americas of the Organization of American States and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) of the United States, a key collaborator in the National Cybersecurity Strategy Workshop.
A Look Ahead
As it continues to develop the cybersecurity capacity within The Bahamas, CIRT-BS will continue its relationship-building efforts among its constituency, engaging them in various public and private conferences, workshops, and meetings throughout the first quarter of 2025. Organisations interested in engaging CIRT-BS may do so by submitting a request for meeting at https://www.cirt.bs/request/. These meetings will allow CIRT-BS to better understand the needs of its constituency and establish communication channels for information sharing and incident reporting.
CIRT-BS is a component of the $30 million Digital Transformation to Strengthen Competitiveness project, financed by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) in 2019. This project falls under the Ministry of Economic Affairs’ Digital Transformation Unit. For additional information on CIRT-BS or to report an incident, please visit www.cirt.bs. Connect with CIRT-BS on social media using the handle, cirt_bs.
PHOTO CAPTION
Header: From left to right: Ana Monterroso, Economic Infrastructure Officer at the U.S. Embassy, Nassau; Chuck Bennett, Economic and Commercial Counselor at the U.S. Embassy, Nassau; Sametria McKinney, CISSP, Director of the National Computer Incident Response Team of The Bahamas (CIRT-BS); Kimberly Furnish, Chargé d’Affairs at the U.S. Embassy, Nassau; Patrick Davis, National Coordinator for Information Technology/Program Manager (NCIT) for the Ministry of Economic Affairs; and Sadiria Hall, Economic Specialist at the U.S. Embassy, Nassau.
1st insert: From left to right: Adrian Garcia Gonzalez, Mitre; Madison Harnett, CISA; Sandiria Hall, U.S. Embassy; Sametria McKinney, CIRT-BS, Zaynub Jarbu, DOS; Terence Check, CISA, Donnalee Beach, CISA; Suhayla Sibaai, CISA.
2nd insert: Kimberly Furnish, Chargé d’Affairs at the U.S. Embassy, Nassau, The Bahamas, on stage speaking at the National Cybersecurity Strategy Workshop.
3rd insert: From left to right: Sametria McKinney, CISSP, Director of the National Computer Incident Response Team of The Bahamas (CIRT-BS) and Kimberly Furnish, Chargé d’Affairs at the U.S. Embassy, Nassau, pictured together at the National Cybersecurity Strategy Workshop held from 3 to 6 December 2024, at the British Colonial Hotel in Nassau, Bahamas.
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.”
