The new Police Patrol Boat – Nafanua II was commissioned in a brief ceremony, Wednesday.
The ceremony was officiated by the Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi who in his remarks expressed Samoa’s gratitude to the Government of Australia, for their generous contribution to the Pacific Region and Samoa.
“On behalf of the Samoan Government, I wish to extend our most sincere appreciation to the Government of Australia for its ongoing contribution to the Pacific Region and especially to Samoa,” said the Prime Minister.
“The welcoming of the new $30million tala “Guardian Class Patrol Boat – Nafanua II” is essential to the protection of our blue Pacific,” continued Tuilaepa.
“Blue Pacific, a sentiment that not only, us here in Samoa but also the Pacific holds dearly, because the Pacific Ocean is a place we call home. We must be vigilant in the protection of our oceans, our borders and our people from external threats such as illegal fishing and transnational crimes.”
“As such, the Samoan Government values Australia’s ongoing contribution in the Pacific region and especially to Samoa. This is just one of the many assistance programs that the Government of Australia has contributed to the Samoan Government.”
The Nafanua II is part of Australia’s AUD$2 billion Pacific Maritime Security Program which provides the Pacific and Samoa with;
• New region-wide contracted aerial surveillance; Samoa being the second country hosting one of the two airplanes and
• Enhancement to regional coordination for Maritime patrol surveillance through the Regional Coordination Centre in the Solomon Islands
The Nafanua II will provide opportunities for the Samoa Police Service through the Maritime Wing in enhancing the various capacities and expertise of the crew in detecting, disrupting and preventing criminal activities from operating in the Pacific especially in Samoa’s Exclusive Economic Zones.