FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MEDIA RELEASE
FOOD FOR THE POOR ASSIST IN BOOSTING THE FLEET OF THE JAMAICAN MARINE POLICE
Food For The Poor Fishing Villages To Benefit From Improved Marine Police Fleet
Newport East, Kingston – December 28, 2012: Food For The Poor today boosted the capabilities of the Marine Division of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) with the presentation to the Force of a refurbished 32-foot Contender Police Boat. The boat will play a critical role in the search and rescue, and crime fighting efforts of the JCF Marine Division.
The refurbished boat will redound to the benefit of the Food For The Poor (FFP) Fishing Villages. The charity has 17 Fishing Villages across the island as part of its FFP Fishing Villages Project, to empower the poor to be independent and self-sufficient. FFP equips the Fishing Villages with boats, gear sheds, engines and other necessary fishing paraphernalia.
Andrew Mahfood, Chairman, FFP Jamaica, explained that the repairs to the police boat were prompted by the vested interest which his organization has in the sustainability of the Fishing Villages: “The primary reason to refurbish the vessel is to ensure our villages get help when we need help. Our Fishing Villages depend on the police to be able to recover our boats if stolen and in an emergency we will require the services of the Marine Police if our fishermen go missing.” The refurbished boat brings to 16, the number of boats which the Marine Police Division now has at its disposal.
Nakhle Hado, Fishing Technical Manager, FFP, today made the presentation of the refurbished boat to Assistant Commissioner of Police Wray Palmer and Superintendent Terrence Sanko, Head of the Marine Police Division, at the Newport East Headquarters of the Marine Police. Mr. Hado pointed out that FFP saw that the boat which was being used by the Marine Police in St. Thomas was defective and in dire need of repairs and offered to undertake the refurbishing.
“I recognised the urgent need and offered to assist them,” Mr. Hado disclosed. “We tried to finish the repairs as quickly as possible. It took us at FFP some eight weeks to undertake the refurbishing.” Mr. Hado pointed out that it costs FFP over $400,000 to effect the repairs. The improvement included body repair and spray painting of the boat, installation of a bimini top as a roofing for the boat, and replacement of all gauges which included two tachometers, two voltmeters, a main control switch as well as three (3) gas gauges. There were also replacement of fuel leads, gas valves and filters, and rewiring of the console and all instruments.
The FFP Fishing Technical Manager reiterated that his charity is delighted to refurbish the boat which will assist the Marine Police with strengthening its search and rescue and enforcement initiatives.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Wray Palmer expressed gratitude to Food For The Poor. “On behalf of the JCF, we thank Food For The Poor for assisting us and collaborating with us. We are quite grateful for the help,” declared ACP Palmer. He indicated that the boat will operate out of the Bowden Marina in St. Thomas and will serve the Marine Police monitoring the south east coast of Jamaica, particularly the St. Thomas coastal waters.
“It will benefit us significantly. This addition to our fleet will increase the police presence in our maritime space, as well as our drug intervention and interdiction capabilities,” stated ACP Palmer. He pointed out that the new canopy on the boat will be important in shielding the Marine Police on duty, from the elements of the weather.
The boat has the capacity to comfortably transport four to eight crew members. In search and rescue efforts, it can carry up to 20 persons.
During today’s hand-over ceremony, ACP Palmer, Nakhle Hado, Superintendent Sanko and other representatives of the Marine Police, and members of the media were taken on a test ride of the refurbished boat.
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Contact:
Erica James-King, PROComm, T: 564-5277
Nakhle Hado, Food For The Poor, T: 434-9922
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