FIVE-YEAR LEASE RENEWED FOR AUTEC FACILITY IN ANDROS

The signing of the AUTEC lease renewal yesterday, as the signed leases are exchanged between Minister of Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell and US Chargé d’Affaires Lisa Johnson of the US Embassy. Photo: Terrel W. Carey/Tribune Staff

As of Tuesday, January 31, 2017

By AVA TURNQUEST

Tribune Chief Reporter

aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

THE government yesterday renewed its five-year lease agreement with the United States for use of the AUTEC facility in Andros.

The new agreement is valued at $11.28m per annum, a four per cent increase over the previous lease, according to Foreign Affairs and Immigration Minister Fred Mitchell.

“This is an agreement between the government of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas and the government of the United States concerning the US defence facilities in The Bahamas and it was originally signed in 1981,” Mr Mitchell said.

“In 2000, an implementing arrangement was signed between our two countries and it has been renewed subsequently every five years. The present agreement ended on the 26th of January 2017 and this new agreement will last until January 25, 2022.

He added: “This is very important not only for the defence arrangements of the Western world and the testing which goes on there, but I think also for the local Andros community which AUTEC supports and we look forward to continued co-operation from the two countries.”

US Embassy Charge d’affaires Lisa Johnson yesterday supported Mr Mitchell’s emphasis on the importance of the facility, particularly noting the role it played in assisting with post-hurricane efforts. The facility sustained more than $50m worth of damage from Hurricane Matthew, a category four storm.

“I visited AUTEC last week,” she said. “I met with the new commander there who arrived just the week before Hurricane Matthew. I heard from him firsthand how during the hurricane they supported the local community in Andros island by providing fresh drinking water that was made on the AUTEC facility as well as supplying fuel to the health clinics and to emergency vehicles so that they could response in the aftermath of the hurricane.

“I also heard about the nearly 200 Bahamian employees who are employed at AUTEC and saw the damage firsthand to AUTEC facilities which I had not heard about previously but was over $50m worth of damage from Hurricane Matthew. They are doing a good job in the rebuilding, and I’m happy to sign the agreement for AUTEC to stay on Andros for another five years.”