It is expected that Dominica’s border security will be improved by a near US$1million investment by the United States of America.
Recently, work on one of two vessels for Dominica was completed and handed over to the Dominica Marine Unit’s whilst the other is said to be completed and presented in the coming weeks.
The two nearshore intercept vessels, which form part of the US$800,000 modernization initiative, are expected to upgrade the Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force’s fleet.
Larry Socha, Public Affairs Officer at the U.S Embassy in Bridgetown Barbados with responsibility for Dominica, told a small handing ceremony on February 19, that these vessels will strengthen Dominica’s ability to conduct maritime patrols and protect its coastal waters.
“What we’re here today to mark is an investment in the security of Dominica by the United States of America. This month, February 1st, we completed the sea trials of the first of two near-shore intercept vessels that were originally donated by the United States in 2012 and now have received an $800,000 upgrade by something called the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI). It’s a U.S State Department program and what it does is it invests in the security in countries like Dominica and here we have nearly a one million dollar investment,” he stated.
Socha further made known that the SAFE Boat Mid-Life Upgrade included a complete vessel overhaul, new engines, and a spare parts package to ensure continued operability.
He added that as part of the U.S. Embassy’s commitment to regional security cooperation in the Eastern Caribbean, further projects such as this will be continued in Dominica.
The Technical Assistance Field Team (TAFT) has been on island for three months working on these vessels which Inspector John Carbon, Commander of the Coast Guard expressed gratitude to the United States government for its generosity with the renovation of the vessels.
“We must say that it has done us very well and thanks to the US government for assisting us and we will continue to work collaboratively with them. We thank them very much for this because we know that these vessels are very expensive even to maintain and throughout the lifetime of these vessels the United States government they have been 100 percent in terms of maintenance for these vessels so for this we are grateful.”
Also conveying his thanks, Acting Police Commissioner of the Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force, Lincoln Corbette said, “These vessels have contributed significantly in the policing of our maritime borders, search and rescue missions, more so during Tropical Storm Erika and Hurricane Maria. Sincere appreciation must be extended to the engineering team of the Dominica Marine Unit and CBSI TAFT for ensuring that the vessels were well maintained. We are very grateful for the support of the United States government over the years and look forward to our continued partnership.”
The United States originally provided the two SAFE boats to Dominica as part of the CBSI FMF grant in 2012. Following the current efforts in Dominica, the SAFE technicians will travel to St. Kitts & Nevis and St. Vincent & the Grenadines to conduct similar upgrades throughout 2021. It is part of the U.S. Embassy’s U.S.-Caribbean Strategy, which focuses on cooperation in the areas of security, health, energy, education, economic prosperity, and diplomacy.
So why not three boats each with one new engine instead of one boat with three engines???
China is having its way in Dominica so America is watching closely which is a good thing.
Recently, work on one of two vessels for Dominica was completed and handed over to the Dominica Marine Unit’s whilst the other is said to be completed and presented in the coming weeks.
This month, February 1st, we completed the sea trials of the first of two near-shore intercept vessels that were originally donated by the United States in 2012 and now have received an $800,000 upgrade by something called the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI).
The chronology was a bit difficult to follow, but I think I got it, finally.
So now the US is on you all trail, you accepting their help? You give them a bottle of Bwa Bande, when they donated a base in North as an insult. Now you seems to be in hot water you complying. Hope you foolish supporters you brainwashed seeing. Both of you must answer to the US, you and the so called minister of security. Just a matter of time. Where is Venezuela. Hmm!
So the US can help Dominica secure its borders but somehow it’s wrong for them to police their own borders? What kind of upside-down world we living in?
Was that brain fart or you’re referencing U.S politics?
U.S coast guard is alive and kicking butts, the few that they find. But but if you talking about building walls to keep Mexicans and Canadians out and passing stinking policies to keep Black people from s-hole countries out, then that’s for another episode. Don’t get it upside-down.
We need 5 more of these boats from the USA.
Thanks to the US for the assistance re: the boats.
But all you, tell me something nuh……why it seems like for ‘nearly everything’, we need some outsider to finance us or provide technical resources? But how the OECS islands claim they independent dere nuh?
So you telling me the Dominica government that paying $32,000 rent per month for it’s leader to be able to flush a toilet in a certain Morne Daniel house cannot take full charge of financing & equipping its own Coast Guard?
By the way, can DNO’s Investigative journalists please ask the Americans whether they inquired as to why the government of Skerrit has not yet built the Northern Coast Guard base which the US provided a $1.7 million grant for back in 2012. Skerrit even had shovel in his hand breaking ground for the base eh.
Reminder y’all – https://dominicanewsonline.com/news/homepage/news/economy-development/ground-breaking-for-northern-coast-guard-base-new-vessels-commissioned/
A double ceremony took place at the Cabrits in the north of Dominica on Thursday morning associated with the expansion and strengthening of the Coast Guard facilities here.
The first was the ground breaking ceremony at a 1.77 acre site at Bell Hall for the construction of a Coast Guard base for Dominica to control the north of the island.
The second was the commissioning of two 38 foot “Secure Seas Interceptor Vessels” donated by the government of the United States of America.
The vessels are high speed Defender Class, all aluminum, patrol boats.
The boats are named after two former police officers who died while in active service in the force and coast guard.
Participating at both ceremonies was the new US Ambassador to Dominica and the Eastern Caribbean, Larry Leon Palmer.
Where were these boats when a boat was dropping off people illegally? What happened to these high speed chase boats?
So they installed a shack on a ten-year-old dinghy and expect us to be grateful ? Wow. Thanks so much.
It’s bether than Notting Dominica can even not afford it so independent as thy are .
If every Dominican would pay tax thy would have money to pay for it 👍
You should be grateful. You neither had dinghy nor shack!