Young: No more TT troops for Bahamas

National Security Minister Stuart Young said he had no immediate intentions of sending any more military personnel to the Bahamas to assist in aid operations after Hurricane Dorian.

Speaking with Newsday yesterday, Young said the 100-strong contingent of soldiers, sailors, airmen and T&TEC technicians were already on the ground in Nassau and involved in various activities, including food distribution.

"Right now I know the personnel in the Bahamas are assisting as best as they can in various ways," he said.

A media release from the Defence Force yesterday morning said senior officers met with Capt Stephen Russel, head of the Bahamas National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), on Monday, when they helped other relief forces distribute food distribution and assess damage.

The release said senior officers were airlifted by helicopter on Tuesday from their base in Nassau to do reconnaissance of the Grand Bahama Islands to decide on strategic relief operations.

Areas of Freeport and East Grand Bahama were highlighted as the places where the TT task force would focus its damage assessment and food distribution. The task force will be briefed daily by Bahamas NEMA officials for tasks to be assigned and carried out.

The task force is expected to stay for 30 days in the first instance.

In addition to soldiers, TT has donated US$500,000 to the Bahamian government towards the cost of medicine and other emergency supplies.

Areas of Freeport and East Grand Bahama were highlighted as the places the TTDF Task Force would focus on.