Minister for Labour, Home Affairs and Housing David Burch said that recent meetings in Washington DC advanced the Island's efforts to get vessels for search and rescue.

Speaking at the Senate yesterday, Senator Burch said the meetings held last week produced "positive results" that would be announced shortly.

Sen. Burch went with Premier Ewart Brown and Deputy Premier Paula Cox on a brief trip to Washington to meet with US Congressmen, Pentagon officials and the assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counter Terrorism.

Before leaving on the trip, Dr. Brown had said that he was looking for a final answer on if the US would pay for the clean-up of the former US baselands, but Sen. Burch did not mention the issue in his statement.

However, Sen. Burch said the face-to-face discussions, which dealt with both joint drug interdiction between the two countries and the gifting of vessels, were helpful.

"It is my belief that our efforts in DC last week will bear fruit for the benefit of Bermuda in the securing of some vessels to assist us in our crime fighting efforts," Sen. Burch said.