HMS Argyll Completes Grand Turk Visit
HMS Argyll departed Grand Turk on 14 July following a successful two-day disaster management and community outreach visit.
During a busy and diverse programme members of the ship’s crew worked alongside local disaster management officials to review emergency preparedness levels for the ongoing hurricane season in the Turks and Caicos Islands. This included visits to the island’s power and water plants, a tour of the emergency medical facilities and a flyover of vulnerable coastal areas in the ship’s helicopter. They also undertook the clean-up and restoration of a community park, and challenged local teams at football and golf.
“The visit of HMS Argyll has been of great value to the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands,” commented His Excellency the Governor, Peter Beckingham. “The expertise of her hard-working crew is a fantastic resource to be able to draw on, and I know from my many conversations with the disaster management team here that the assistance and guidance they provide is highly valued.”
Added Deputy Head of Mission and Governor’s Office Disaster Management Coordinator, Patrick Boyle, “In this part of the world we are all too aware of the immense damage a hurricane can cause, and it is reassuring to know that HMS Argyll will be in the region should any of the Caribbean Overseas Territories need her assistance. And while we all hope we have a quiet hurricane season in 2014, the hard work of the Department of Disaster Management and Emergencies, strongly supported by the UK Government, has ensured that we are as well prepared as possible.”
HMS Argyll is in the Caribbean region as part of the Royal Navy’s Atlantic Patrol Task (North.) This provides a UK maritime presence in the region all year round, and during hurricane season the ships are on standby to assist with post-incident recovery in the event of a severe weather event in the region’s Overseas Territories (Anguilla, Bermuda, BVI, Cayman, Montserrat and the Turks and Caicos Islands.) During her time in the Caribbean, Argyll will also work with regional navies and coastguards to combat illegal activities on the high seas.