Bermuda is developing its capabilities to deal with “major cruise ship incidents” aboard a vessel in local waters, Wayne Caines, the Minister of National Security, told Parliament.

Mr Caines was delivering an update to MPs on the island's disaster risk reduction and mitigation team, which at present comprises staff seconded from other departments in the ministry.

The team is also drawing up plans for Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences, the Co-Ed Facility prison and the residential homes on Ferry Reach Road, in St George's, in case of an incident at the nearby oil docks and storage facility.

The island is scheduled to conduct a counter-terrorism exercise next year at the airport, after being approached by both the US Department of State and US Northern Command.

In addition, the team will send a member to the British Virgin Islands this month to learn from its hurricane experience.

Questioned by the Opposition about the team's budgeting, Mr Caines said the move has been “thrust on this government in the middle of the fiscal year” after the Foreign and Commonwealth Office requested for British Overseas Territories to update their disaster preparations. He called it “ad hoc”, but assured the House there would be no supplementary budget matters arising.

In the meantime, the Emergency Measures Organisation remains in existence, Mr Caines said.

• To read Wayne Caines's statement in full, click on the PDF under “Related Media”

Download PDF File

Wayne Caines statement