The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Senior Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

NATIONAL Security Minister Wayne Munroe says he has concerns about the $17m drone system project his predecessor executed.

He spoke to reporters in Inagua on Friday as more than 500 migrants were repatriated to Haiti.

Former Minister of National Security Marvin Dames led the execution of a contract with California-based Swift Systems for a drone programme that he said should lead to “record level” crime reduction.

Asked about the matter in Inagua, Mr Munroe said: “A technology that’s on the horizon and would be very useful if we had it at this time certainly is the long range drone capacity. I did have a briefing on that together with our coastal radar that would permit us to put in place a blockade, a cordon perhaps with the deployment of fewer vessels.

“What I am prepared to say at this moment is that I have some concerns about the – from what I was briefed – identity of the successful bidder, the formalisation and conclusion of the actual contract and the actual products being delivered.

“Any product, any technology we give to our security forces, firstly we need to know if it is safe because we have a responsibility for the safety of persons within the security forces. We need to be certain that other people around them are safe. I’ve had a report that two of the drones, because we have drones in country that were operated by police, crashed; fortunately in uninhabited forest areas but certainly if a drone could crash in an uninhabited forest area it could crash in a populated area.

“Certainly if it runs out of control in an uninhabited area it could run out of control when it is around security personnel. So for myself I have to be very concerned about the safety of any equipment that we are giving security forces. While they signed up to put their lives on the line for us it is our responsibility not to call for them to do it unnecessarily and willy-nilly and that is something I am supposed to receive further briefings on, read further papers and if the provider is able to allay all my fears by delivering quality products at the time they agree to deliver them and so that’s still a work in progress.”

Mr Munroe also read a joint statement in Inagua from him and Immigration Minister Keith Bell in which they reiterated the Davis administration’s commitment to defending the sovereignty of the Bahamas against an influx of migrants. Mr Munroe and Mr Bell toured areas where migrants are being kept.

“We have expedited the reparation process so that the migrants who are currently here can be processed and returned to their country in record time,” Mr Munroe said. “Resources deployed for the benefit of this operation include the HMBS Rolly Gray, HMBS Lingum Vitae, HMBS Lawrence Major, an RBDF safe boat, RBDF air support, and their respective crews. The officers of the Department of Immigration have contributed their efforts to the safe detainment of migrants and the Royal Bahamas Police force has provided a safe boat, as well as the support of its officers. The United States Coast Guard has provided the support of five USCG Cutters, three helicopters and fixed wing support.”

To protect the country’s borders, the RBDF executed Operation Blue Thump, a maritime blockade strategy with several layers, according to Captain Glenn McPhee, commanding officer of the RBDF’s southern command.

He said: “The first layer of the operation is the southern border, complete blocking of the southern border; the second layer is the Central Bahamas, ensuring that by any chance something slips through the first layer we are able to capture them in the second layer; to date, we have interdicted or apprehended in excess of 1,000 irregular or illegal migrants coming to our shores. This was a result of Operation Blue Thumb in collaboration with all of our regional and international partners.”

Mr Bell confirmed that one apprehended migrant has died. Officials, however, gave no further details on the death, with basic details about the person and their death remaining unclear.

The migrants were transported on several Bahamasair charter flights on Friday.