The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE fight against illegal immigration and other migration challenges was enhanced yesterday with the commissioning of a $2.1m long-range radar in Inagua, the first of several radars that will be installed around the country.

The radar, a gift from the United States, is the government’s latest acquisition to strengthen the country’s border defences, with $133m projected to be spent over the next three budget cycles in this regard, according to National Security Minister Marvin Dames.

“The installation of technically-advanced long-range coastal radars are an essential component in enhancing the monitoring and better protection of the borders of our far-flung island-chain,” Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis said.

“Great Inagua is the first island in our archipelago to receive the state-of-the art coastal radar system. A second radar will be erected on New Providence. And there are plans for two more of these radar systems.”

General Terrence J O’Shaughnessy, the commander of the North American Aerospace Defence Command, said Exuma is among the islands that will get a radar.

Decentralising operations has been a major goal of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force in recent years and Dr Minnis said a new base will be constructed on Ragged Island in the near future.

“Just last week the Cabinet approved a proposal to implement a Bahamas Unmanned Aerial System that resides under the leadership of the RBDF,” he said.

The drone programme will involve surveillance, drone training and the development of a drone academy and workshop, he added.

For his part, Mr Dames said a host of improvements have been made to the RBDF’s Inagua base to complement the emergence of the new radar.

“Contracts were signed totaling some $573,000 with three construction companies on the island for rebuilding of new units,” he said. “The new structures will include a sick bay, detention centre and a mechanical building.”

Lieutenant Commander Carlon Bethel, operations officer for the RBDF and project lead for the radar system, said the radar is a part of a bigger puzzle.

“It allows us to save time patrolling, being able to identify something and then being able to investigate only what we need to investigate,” he said. He declined to reveal the specific range of the radar.