The Bahamas has proposed that governments in the region work with the private sector to leverage the economic and innovative power of the private sector for counterterrorism efforts in the Western Hemisphere.


The Bahamas, which serves as Vice Chair of the Inter-American Committee Against Terrorism (CICTE), was on Monday elected to chair the Working Group responsible for the preparation of the Tenth Regular Session of the antiterrorism group.


The Bahamas proposed as the theme for the upcoming CICTE meeting ?public-private partnerships in the fight against terrorism,? a theme the country?s spokesman said would ?engender lively and productive discussion and further the dialogue on this potentially critical tool in our hemispheric counter terrorism arsenal.?


The election occurred at the first of three scheduled preparatory meetings designed to smooth the path to the CICTE meeting scheduled for March 17 ? 19, 2010. The Bahamas will serve as Vice Chair of the CICTE until March 2010, and then take over chairmanship of the committee.


The working group now chaired by The Bahamas is responsible for drafting of the documents that will be presented and approved at the CICTE meeting next March.


Undersecretary in the Ministry of National Security Peter Deveaux Isaacs, who is The Bahamas? point of contact for the CICTE, proposed the topic of ?Public-Private Partnerships in The Fight Against Terrorism? for the upcoming committee session.


Mr. Isaacs said that terrorism was among the greatest threats to civilisation, destroying life, fostering conflict, weakening economies and undermining progress.


?However it is defined, there is global consensus that acts of terrorism should not be accepted under any circumstances,? he said, citing the Organisation of American States counterterrorism regime, which is ?to promote and develop cooperation among member states to prevent, combat and eliminate terrorism.?


Mr. Isaacs noted that the traditional model of combating terrorism is based fundamentally, and almost exclusively on the policies and actions of states. He said this was understandable since security is fundamentally the responsibility of the state.


?However, recent terrorist events, including the bombing of commercial centres, tourism facilities, and critical transportation and utilities infrastructures, have made it clear that in order to reduce both the threat of terrorism and our vulnerability to it, joint efforts between governments, businesses and civil society should be advanced,? he urged.


He added that ?the cost of combating terrorism and the substantial resources that must be mobilised to wage an effective counterterrorism strategy place a tremendous burden on states, particularly during the present global economic crisis. This is especially true for the small developing states in the hemisphere, as it is for larger states.?


?Further, there is recognition that the traditional model mentioned above, in the main, excludes the vital information, intelligence, and creative and innovative capacities of the private sector and civil society, which could be brought to bear to combat terrorism,? he said.


Mr. Isaacs told the group that a deliberate effort to involve the business community and civil actors in the formulation of policy is underway in several countries around the globe including countries in the Western Hemisphere. HE explained that the idea is to encourage the private sector and civil society to assume, in partnership with the government, ownership of the fight against terrorism.


?Through mutual and effective sharing of information, knowledge and experience and through joint coordinated actions, governments and businesses can develop, improve and implement measures to prevent and counter terrorism,? he said. ?Such voluntary partnerships, made in a spirit of cooperation and based on the respectives roles, responsibilities and interests of the partners, can be of great value in a broad range of sectors.?


Mr. Isaacs said the theme, while consistent with the CICTE?s mission and considered by the United Nations and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe for example, is relatively new to the OAS.


In response to questions, Mr. Isaacs stressed that the theme recognizes that sole responsibility for preventing and countering terrorism, as well as for managing the consequences of terrorist acts, rests with states.


?Nonetheless,? he said, ?we believe that we must now allow that given the nature and scale of today's constantly evolving terrorist threat, and just as governments and businesses cooperate to build prosperity, so too they should consider collaborating their efforts to counter terrorism.?


?Our hope is that the forum of CICTE X will permit us an opportunity to consider the possibilities and the parameters of cooperation between the public and private sectors in combating terrorism.?


In addition to proposing the theme for CICTE X, the Working Group also proposed a draft agenda and draft calendar for the meeting, as well as a list of potential invitees and a draft workplan for 2010.


The Inter-American Committee Against Terrorism (CICTE) serves as the major OAS institution tasked with coordination of efforts to protect the citizens of the member nations from the scourges of terrorism. Functioning through the exchange of information amongst the preeminent leaders, subject matter experts and decision-makers work together to strengthen hemispheric solidarity and security.


CICTE is composed of all Member States of the OAS and holds one regular session each year as a forum for discussion and decision-making on counterterrorism issues, measures, and cooperation. Member States designate a competent national authority, a principal representative, alternate representatives, and advisors.


Member States also appoint one or more National Points of Contact with competence in the field of prevention and elimination of terrorism to serve as the principal liaison among governments of the Member States and with the CICTE Secretariat for developing cooperation programs between them and the CICTE Secretariat.

Second Secretary Charisse Rolle, CICTE Point of Concact Peter Deveaux Isaacs, Ambassador Cornelius A Smith, and Shevaun Culmer, who will be The Bahamas' representative at the CICTE Secretariat.