NASSAU, The Bahamas – Minister of National Security, Tommy Turnquest welcomed United States Secretary for Homeland Security Janet Napolitano to New Providence late yesterday afternoon (pictured) ahead of the Second Caribbean-US Security Cooperation Dialogue, which opens in New Providence this morning.

The dialogue is a high-level meeting that will involve Ministers of National Security from several Caribbean Community (CARICOM) nations, Secretary Napolitano, senior government officials from the Dominican Republic, and heads of delegates from CARICOM nations.

The dialogue initiative was launched under the auspices of US President Barak Obama in 2009 in Trinidad and Tobago at the Fifth Summit of the Americas.

An initial $46 million was allocated to the Caribbean region for regional security initiatives. That amount was subsequently increased to more than $70 million.