As a part of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force mission to provide disaster relief assistance, auxiliary craft Her Majesty’s Bahamian Ship LAWRENCE MAJOR departed the Commonwealth of the Bahamas to assist in delivering relief supplies to St. Vincent and the Grenadines who are continuing to cope with the erupting of La Soufriere volcano.
HMBS LAWRENCE MAJOR, which departed on Saturday, April 17, 2021, under the command of Lieutenant Commander Omarv Saunders, traveled to Kingston, Jamaica to assist with the transport of more than $20 million worth of supplies for St. Vincent and the Grenadines as part of Jamaica’s disaster relief aid.
The coordinated effort of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management in Jamaica was easy, however, the challenge arose when it came to transportation. The Jamaica Defence Force reached out and secured the support of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force to bridge this gap who responded favorably in the spirit of Caribbean unity.
According to Lieutenant Commander Saunders, the Royal Bahamas Defence Force is always prepared to assist partnering nations when called upon. It was not so long ago that the Jamaica Defence Force and the Government of Jamaica assisted The Bahamas following the passage of Hurricane Dorian, so the organization is pleased to assist in delivering the much-needed supplies.
On completion of this mission, HMBS LAWRENCE MAJOR proceeded to Surinam, South America, to commence dry docking and repairs. This exercise also includes the replacement of both its generators, which have been operating constantly since the vessel has been in operation due to the lack of shore power supply.
This latest humanitarian deployment by HMBS LAWRENCE MAJOR follows the relief mission to assist the hurricane-ravaged island of Dominica in 2017. Commodore Dr. Raymond King and the Officers and Marines of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force stand ready to assist in times of disaster.
