Four months after Cayman Islands Police officials admitted a new police patrol helicopter would face a ‘slight delay’ in arriving on island, the aircraft is still in the United States.
Police Commissioner Stuart Kernohan had previously said the delay was in part due to the tendering process for the helicopter’s maintenance, hangar construction and piloting services.
During a Thursday press briefing, Leader of Government Business Kurt Tibbetts listed none of those issues as reasons for why the aircraft’s arrival has been delayed.
‘(The helicopter) is almost finished refitting,’ Mr. Tibbetts said. ‘There were a few parts it needed because it was being totally reconditioned, so to speak.’
Mr. Tibbetts also said government was working with the Civil Aviation Authority to get all the necessary authorisations to bring the helicopter here from the US.
Government ministers approved the $1.8 million purchase price for the 1999 model Eurocopter in the current year’s budget.
Mr. Tibbetts refuted rumours that the helicopter wasn’t working properly and that it wasn’t fit for use.
‘Up until when the helicopter was purchased, the helicopter was in operation,’ he said. ‘There’s no question about it being able to operate here.’
Mr. Kernohan, who was placed on paid leave along with two other top RCIPS commanders last month, said in December that government tenders were the main reason why the helicopter’s arrival in Cayman was being held up.
The commissioner said bids for the various support services would be advertised locally first. If those efforts were not successful then Mr. Kernohan said international bids would have to be received, which might delay the process further.
‘Until we get this sorted out, we cannot bring the helicopter down to the island,’ he said at the time. (See Caymanian Compass, 12 December)
The aircraft was initially slated to be in the Cayman Islands by September 2007. It is planned for use in police surveillance and patrol operations.
The RCIPS currently uses a private helicopter service, Cayman Helicopters, which is based on island. It pays for that service at an hourly rate as it is needed.
Mr. Kernohan has previously said the police wanted the helicopter pilot for the RCIPS craft to have more than 3,000 hours of flight time. The only Cayman Islands resident known to have accumulated that kind of flight experience is Cayman Helicopters owner and pilot Jerome Begot.
Mr. Kernohan had lobbied government frequently to acquire a helicopter for the sole use of the police service, stating that air support operations are vital to any modern police force. Acting Police Commissioner David George said recently at a community meeting that he fully supported the police helicopter’s use as well.
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