BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS – St. Kitts and Nevis’ Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas says the Barack Obama Administration in the United States is committed to boost the Caribbean’s maritime capabilities.
Speaking during his weekly radio call in programme “Ask the Prime Minister on Tuesday, Prime Minister Douglas said he decision of the United Kingdom to halt certain naval implications as a cost-cutting measure “has caused the region great concern due to the negative implications regarding our anti-drug-trafficking efforts.”
“Inquiries are therefore being made as to whether this decision might be reversed,” said Prime Minister Douglas.
He said while the results of these efforts are being awaited “the Government of the United States has committed to boost our maritime capabilities with interceptor vessels that will greatly assist us with our anti-narcotic trafficking operations. This is a definite plus and I wanted to share this with you. So, then, our work continues. We forge ahead.”
Britain recently announced plans to pull out its warships from the Caribbean for the first time in over 65 years.
The Royal Navy has been associated with several major seizures in Caribbean waters over the last ten years.
Back in 2002, the HMS Grafton busted a fishing vessel of Venezuela and netted nearly $400 million. However, the biggest haul of illicit drugs ever, by a British warship, worth close to $4 billion, occurred back in 1999.
Closer to home, in 2006 the RFA Wave Ruler intercepted the Venezuelan registered fishing boat Oliana 1 carrying over $700 million in cocaine. The following year the warship RFA Largs Bay seized over $160 million worth in cocaine from a small fishing boat off the coast of Barbados.
