Plans to work more closely with the US Coast Guard do not include establishing a base in Bermuda, according to US Consul General Grace Shelton.

She shared further details about the initiative after Premier Ewart Brown mooted the subject in his national television address last week.

Dr. Brown said: "Government has been working on at least two initiatives with the new Obama administration that would have a tremendous positive impact on Bermuda. We want Bermuda to be a beneficiary of one of the US Coast Guard programmes, where as a partner country, we would be provided with high-speed interceptor boats, special communication equipment and, importantly, training of Bermudian public safety officers in drug interdiction and maritime law enforcement."

The prospect of bringing a US Coast Guard base to the Island has been raised ever since the US baselands closed down. It has been discussed by Dr. Brown and his predecessor Alex Scott during their annual summits in Washington DC. And Democratic Congressman GK Butterfield said in his speech at the 2008 annual PLP banquet that Bermuda needs a US Coast Guard presence and that might happen "very soon".

Asked for the latest yesterday, Ms Shelton said: "Discussions surrounding Bermuda's partnership with the US Coast Guard on broadening cooperation are still in the planning stages. We are not aware of any plans for the establishment of a Coast Guard base in Bermuda."

She said any partnership programme will likely focus on helping Bermuda augment its capacity-building and training capacities adding: "The US Coast Guard currently collaborates with Bermuda on search and rescue operations as well as other training exercises, which helps us share information and hones professional skills in our respective search and rescue services."