His Excellency the Governor, Martyn Roper and the Honourable Premier, Alden McLaughlin today spoke of their sympathy for the people of the Bahamas as they endure the terrible effects of Hurricane Dorian.
As the devastating winds, storm surge and rainfall continue to make their way across the northern islands of the Bahamas, the Governor and Premier pledged to provide humanitarian assistance to the Government of the Bahamas. Cayman’s support will be coordinated with the Government of the Bahamas, regional partners and the UK under the umbrella of the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), which Cayman is in the process of joining.
As an initial response, Cayman has offered to deploy its police helicopter to help with the initial response to the storm. The new RCIPS helicopter is able to carry out search and rescue and medivac operations as well as aerial reconnaissance and the delivery of equipment and personnel to affected areas. RFA Mounts Bay, which is equipped with a helicopter and practiced an amphibious landing of disaster relief equipment and supplies on Cayman’s Seven Mile Beach in June, is also steaming towards the Bahamas.
The Governor said: “The reports coming from Abaco and Grand Bahama are very concerning and Cayman stands ready to help our friends in the Bahamas in the best way that we can. We have made an initial offer to deploy our new helicopter to assist should this be required. Being able to access remote communities after an event like this is crucial and storms like Dorian highlight the importance of the investments that the Government is making in air operations and disaster management. It is important that any assistance to the Bahamas is properly coordinated with our partners in the region and we are in contact with CDEMA and the UK to ensure this is the case.”
The Premier commented: “I would like to express my sympathy to the Government and people of the Bahamas at this very difficult and challenging time. It is important that the countries in the region support each other fully when devastating storms like this threaten the lives, property and livelihoods of our people. Cayman remembers the effects of Hurricane Ivan in 2004 and we will do all we can to provide appropriate assistance to the Bahamas.”
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