The Tribune

By CELESTE NIXON

Tribune Staff Reporter

cnixon@tribunemedia.net

GOVERNMENT said it must spend around $200 million to provide the Royal Bahamas Defence Force with resources it needs.

During a tour of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) Coral Harbour base along with Prime Minister Perry Christie yesterday, Minister of National Security Dr Bernard Nottage said the funds will be used to increase manpower, enhance technology, improve facilities and upgrade marine resources.

Dr Nottage said the government is now in the process of evaluating the status of the Coral Harbour base and examining what needs to be done to create an “archipelagic” force that has the tools and resources needed to fully protect the country’s borders.

He said: “What this visit is about is looking at the Defence Force in a futuristic way – to look at whether or not this is going to be the home of the Defence Force for the next 15 to 20 years, because if that is the decision, then there are some things that we obviously have to do.

“I think we are moving in the direction that it will be here (the force headquarters), and that we will need some satellite locations such as the Gun Point location in Ragged Island and Inagua and there is something we will be doing in Grand Bahama fairly soon and perhaps Exuma, and a small unit that is based in Abaco at the present time.

“The Defence Force’s assets are going to be archipelagic, just like the country is.”

Dr Nottage said hundreds of millions will need to be invested in the force to buy vessels, facilitate proper dredging, and other ancillary matters.

He said the Defence Force and the Ministry of National Security are examining the details and hope to get Cabinet approval by the end of the year.

Prime Minister Perry Christie said the mile-long dredging project at the base, needed to facilitate the larger Defence Force vessels currently docked at Prince George Wharf, is expected to cost $20 million and will take between 12 to 18 months.

He said: “We have a real commitment to ensure that the Defence Force is able to function at maximum levels of efficiency. To do that, the first decision that has to be made is what is the condition of the base and that is where we are at now.”

Commending the RBDF for maintaining their current facilities so well, Dr Nottage said it is expected that improvements will begin in early 2013.

Mr Christie said the government is looking into the possibility of expanding the base and transforming a building that was supposed to be a hotel into a major facility that holds a chapel, conference room, technical centres and accommodations.

Prime Minister Christie also invited the Bahamian private sector to assist the RBDF in these improvements.

Dr Nottage is expected to make a communication to the country next week, on the issues that are impacting the RBDF and the government”s commitment to address those issues, he added.