The Marine Police Unit yesterday reached another milestone with the handing over and commissioning of two specialised boats donated by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and with main sponsors the Japanese government.
The boats –made of H/D UV resistant material and equipped with trailers to offload, VHF radio, VHF marine antenna, marine compasses, GPS/echo-sounder, among others – were handed over to the Marine Police Unit by the Minister for Home Affairs Charles Bastienne and deputy Ambassador of Japan to Seychelles, Mikio Mori.
The hand-over ceremony took place at the ex-Seychelles Coast Guard jetty on Bois de Rose Avenue.
Built in Sri Lanka, the boats were funded through the Trust Fund Contact Group and in particular the government of Japan which donated through the Trust Fund.
Also present at the ceremony were the Programme Officer for Maritime Crime of Indian Ocean (UNODC) Shanaka Jayasekara, high officials of the Seychelles Police Force, UNODC and the Japanese government.
It was the Commissioner of Police Ernest Quatre and Mr Jayasekara who officially signed the hand-over documents.
Mr Mori described the commissioning of the two new police boats as a clear testament that Japan and Seychelles are resolute in tackling maritime crimes with the support of UNDOC.
“Seychelles and Japan have common features of being a maritime island nation surrounded by the vast ocean and enjoying the prosperity because of the abundant of marine resources from our blue sea. The sustainable use of maritime resources is vital for both countries. Japan therefore is collaborating with the Seychelles in upholding the concept of Blue economy. We thrive with the ocean and our prosperity hinges on how well we protect our oceans,” said Mr Mori.
He said the commissioning means the newly established Marine Police Unit is significant and Japan is looking to extending its cooperation in this particular field in the future.
He assured the Marine Police Unit that it will also benefit from his country’s law enforcement agency called Japan Maritime Agency and its abundant resources as well as knowledge.
Mr Mori also announced a grant of US $500,000 for maritime law enforcement training for officers from maritime Indian Ocean island states at the newly established training academy for Maritime Law Enforcement in Seychelles.
Minister Bastienne said the commissioning marks a milestone in the Maritime Police Unit and that the two new specialised boats will further boost the work of that unit in ensuring that there is a professional and visible presence of the marine police unit around the coastline to curb down the increasing criminal activities such as thefts on yachts and boats, movement of illicit drugs, poaching of protected sea species and negligent conducts on boats and watercrafts such as jet skis on the shorelines.
“Until the establishment of the maritime police unit about two years ago, Seychelles waters were patrolled by the coastguards providing a security presence and a degree of deterrence to people committing crimes on our shorelines,” he said.
The minister also announced that the unit will have to expand due to demands in various sectors like the boating industry, tourism and fisheries and due to illegal activities taking place at sea.
He added the unit will also be setting up a base on Praslin and La Digue to ensure surveillance and patrols are also done on the shorelines of the other islands.
In his short address, Mr Jayasekara said when the global community was having a major problem in terms of maritime piracy, one small nation in the Indian Ocean stood steadfastly strong and developed what is known as the piracy prosecution model which is unique in its application for this crime, and UNODC has been with Seychelles on this long journey. Even if there has been a decline in piracy, the organisation has not forgotten Seychelles.
“We continue to support Seychelles in its law enforcement, in its judiciary prosecution and correctional services,” said Mr Jayasekara.
He added the two brand new boats will add value to the maritime law enforcement capacity in Seychelles.
Deacon Louis Agathine blessed the two boats before guests were taken on a tour by the skippers.
