On Thursday, February 13, General Charles H. Jacoby, Jr., Commander of the North American Aerospace Defense Command and United States Northern Command (NORAD and USNORTHCOM) made his first official visit to Grand Bahama to take part in the official donation ceremony of the new Disaster Relief Warehouse in Freeport, Grand Bahama.
U.S. Charge d’Affaires John Dinkelman and other senior U.S. officials were also on hand for the event. Prime Minister of The Bahamas The Rt. Hon. Perry Christie led a Bahamian delegation attending the handover ceremony that included the Minister for Grand Bahama Michael Darville, Minister of Social Services Melanie Griffin, Commodore of the Royal Bahamas Defense Force Roderic Bowe and Captain Stephen Russell, Director of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
This latest donation, valued at approximately $895,500 USD is a significant part of the continuing humanitarian assistance cooperation between the Government of The Commonwealth of The Bahamas, NEMA and USNORTHCOM. The donation included the warehouse, disaster relief supplies, equipment and training to facilitate the National Emergency Management Agency’s response to future disasters.
In his remarks, General Jacoby highlighted that it is a privilege for the United States to have such a proven and reliable partnership with a country that prioritizes the safety and security of its citizens and visitors.
“This warehouse is a tangible testament to that partnership. It is an example of our shared safety and security concerns and illustrates how fundamentally important citizen safety is to our two nations.” General Jacoby added, “You are USNORTHCOM’s most relied-upon partner in the Caribbean for many defense and security related issues, but it is a true honor for us to play a part in supporting you in a most sacred endeavor – to never be late in helping your citizens when disaster strikes.”
Prime Minister Perry Christie thanked General Jacoby and USNORTHCOM for the state-of the art facility, one of two warehouses donated by USNORTHCOM to the people of The Bahamas. The other facility is located in Coral Harbour on New Providence. The Prime Minister noted that the donation goes along in helping The Bahamas’ emergency relief efforts and ensures that The Bahamas is better equipped to proactively address preventative measures for disaster mitigation.
The official handover included the melodious sounds of the Royal Bahamas Police Force Pop Band, the ceremonial ribbon-cutting followed by a tour of the new facility.
