NASSAU, Bahamas, May 23, 2024 –MP for Yamacraw Zane Lightbourne, Minister of State for the Environment, headed The Bahamas’ delegation to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) International conferece currently being held in Vienna, Austria, from May 20 — 24.
In a post on Facebook today, Mr. Lightbourn said, “It was a pleasure to spend the last few days leading The Bahamas delegation to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) International Conference on Nuclear Security!
“I was accompanied by Ms. Launa Williams, Acting Director of the Department of Environmental Health Services (DEHS); Ms. Ruth Munnings, Public Analyst of the Department of Environmental Health Services; and Ms. Marjorie Julien, Head of the Multilateral and Political Affairs Bureau and National Liaison Officer to the IAEA, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.:
Mr. Lightbourne said that in his address to the assembly, he “touched on developing and strengthening our national legal and regulatory framework, focusing on building human and technical capacity in radiation medicine and control of radioactive sources.”
“The Bahamas’ deep commitment to protecting our territory and people has implemented robust measures to secure the transit and trans-shipment of radioactive material through our beautiful waters,” Mr. Lightbourne said in his Facebook post. “The question that continues to resonate is: Can small island developing states survive with this rapidly advancing world? We resoundingly say, ‘Yes, of course, we can!’ The IAEA is evidence that with the proper tools and support, every state, large or small, can keep pace with the ever-changing, ever-advancing world.”
Mr. Lightbourne expressed his “gratitude to the Agency for its support in assisting The Bahamas in building national capacity in utilizing nuclear techniques to combat and mitigate climate change.”.
“We are especially excited and encouraged by Atoms4NetZero, an IAEA initiative which sup.ports countries to harness the power of nuclear energy in the transition to net zero,” Mr. Lightbourn said.
BAHAMAS CHRONICLE EDITOR’S NOTE: Fifty-four delegations supported Ukraine’s statement that Russia is jeopardizing global nuclear and radiation security at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Conference on Nuclear Security in Vienna on May 22, Ukraine’s Energy Ministry reported.
Over 2,000 participants from more than 130 IAEA member states are meeting in Vienna for the conference. The event covers topics on policy, law, and regulations for nuclear security, as well as technology and infrastructure for nuclear security prevention, among other issues.
Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, an article claimed that Russia “has repeatedly violated the Seven Indispensable Pillars of Nuclear Safety and Security, additional safety standards developed in March 2022 in accordance with the acting IAEA’s regulations.
