Coral Harbour Base …20 April 2016 (RBDF)– The Royal Bahamas Defence Force’s recently acquired landing craft HMBS Lawrence Major under the command of Lieutenant Commander Milton Munroe recently departed the John Alfred Wharf enroute to Crooked Island to transport the Royal Bahamas Police Force’s Fire Truck and additional firefighting equipment to Crooked Island. This partnership between the two entities seeks to provide support to residents of Crooked Island who have been battling fires on the Island for several weeks. Captain Tellis Bethel, Commander Defence Force (Acting) stated that Defence Force Marines currently engaged with recovery efforts on the Island following Hurricane Joaquin will also assist local officials with firefighting.
HMBS Lawrence Major, one of the nine vessels purchased under the Sandy Bottom Project, was procured to be used primarily in efforts like these, providing sustenance and relief to our far flung islands during disasters. The vessel is also useful in replenishing necessary supplies of its own RBDF fleet that are stationed in areas around the Bahamas, extending the time the patrol vessels can continue monitoring waters of The Bahamas.
Prior to the vessel’s commissioning held last month, HMBS Lawrence Major transported the Defence Force’s ‘Mobile Base City’ back to New Providence. The Container City was stationed on Crooked Island for several months along with the deployment of Defence Force Marines to render much needed support to those residents during Hurricane Joaquin’s aftermath last October.
