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Crime is down, but there's still 100,000 square miles of ocean to defend Prime Minister Davis said at RBDF Fast Patrol Boats Commissioning

Fri, Mar 13th 2026, 11:25 AM
Crime Politics

At his inspection of the fleet of Fast Patrol Boats commissioned by the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, March 11, 2026 at Prince George Wharf, Prime Minister Davis said, while crime is down (homicide, armed robbery, housebreaking), and the police are to be commended for this -- keeping the country safe does not end at our streets: "We have 100,000 square miles of ocean to defend.  That is why I am standing here today at Prince George Wharf.

"Take a look behind me, he said.  "That is a 41-foot high-speed interceptor Safe Boat.  It does 40 knots. It can operate in shallow water across our archipelago. And it is out there, patrolling our borders, chasing down smugglers, protecting our fisheries."

Taking stock, he continued: "Since we took office, we have put over 260 new marines into the Defence Force.  We commissioned four of these Safe Boats and new jet skis.  We are currently overhauling three major vessels in the Netherlands.  We expanded our coastal radar to Ragged Island and Inagua.  We stood up a drone programme.  And in January, we promoted 310 officers and marines because the people doing this work deserve to know their country values them."

Prime Minister Davis revealed the fruit of the investment, saying: "Now let me tell you what that investment has produced. The RBDF has interdicted 344 smuggling vessels and apprehended close to 12,000 migrants over the past five years.  Last year, migrant apprehensions fell 78 percent.  We passed the Smuggling of Migrants Bill so for the first time in our history, human smuggling carries real criminal penalties. Up to $200,000 in fines. Up to 10 years in prison.  If you endanger a child, 15 years.  Our Maritime Revenue Task Force has put $20 million back into the public treasury.  Money that was being lost. Money that belongs to the Bahamian people."

He said the nation is "done tolerating foreign operators who treat our waters like their personal fishing ground."

Initiatives like Operation Red Dawn, Operation Dragnet have resulted in vessels seized, hundreds of thousands in fines, Americans charged, Dominicans put on notice.  "If you come into Bahamian waters illegally, we will catch you, we will take your boat, and you will answer to Bahamian law."

"Yesterday was about our streets; today is about our seas."

Overall, he said: "That is the 5 Pillars working together. Policing.  Community investment.  Youth programmes.  Border security.  Law reform. One strategy. One direction.

"I want to thank Commodore Moxey and every marine in this force.  What they do out on that water, often unseen, often unrecognised, keeps this country standing. I see it. This government sees it. And we will keep backing them."

Also delivering remarks were Minister of National Security the Hon. Wayne Munroe; Minister of Agriculture and Marine Resources the Hon. Jomo Campbell; and Commander of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, Commodore Floyd Moxey. 

At his inspection of the fleet of Fast Patrol Boats commissioned by the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, March 11, 2026 at Prince George Wharf, Prime Minister Davis said, while crime is down (homicide, armed robbery, housebreaking), and the police are to be commended for this -- keeping the country safe does not end at our streets: "We have 100,000 square miles of ocean to defend.  That is why I am standing here today at Prince George Wharf.
"Take a look behind me, he said.  "That is a 41-foot high-speed interceptor Safe Boat.  It does 40 knots. It can operate in shallow water across our archipelago. And it is out there, patrolling our borders, chasing down smugglers, protecting our fisheries."
Taking stock, he continued: "Since we took office, we have put over 260 new marines into the Defence Force.  We commissioned four of these Safe Boats and new jet skis.  We are currently overhauling three major vessels in the Netherlands.  We expanded our coastal radar to Ragged Island and Inagua.  We stood up a drone programme.  And in January, we promoted 310 officers and marines because the people doing this work deserve to know their country values them."
Prime Minister Davis revealed the fruit of the investment, saying: "Now let me tell you what that investment has produced. The RBDF has interdicted 344 smuggling vessels and apprehended close to 12,000 migrants over the past five years.  Last year, migrant apprehensions fell 78 percent.  We passed the Smuggling of Migrants Bill so for the first time in our history, human smuggling carries real criminal penalties. Up to $200,000 in fines. Up to 10 years in prison.  If you endanger a child, 15 years.  Our Maritime Revenue Task Force has put $20 million back into the public treasury.  Money that was being lost. Money that belongs to the Bahamian people."
He said the nation is "done tolerating foreign operators who treat our waters like their personal fishing ground."
Initiatives like Operation Red Dawn, Operation Dragnet have resulted in vessels seized, hundreds of thousands in fines, Americans charged, Dominicans put on notice.  "If you come into Bahamian waters illegally, we will catch you, we will take your boat, and you will answer to Bahamian law."
"Yesterday was about our streets; today is about our seas."
Overall, he said: "That is the 5 Pillars working together. Policing.  Community investment.  Youth programmes.  Border security.  Law reform. One strategy. One direction.
"I want to thank Commodore Moxey and every marine in this force.  What they do out on that water, often unseen, often unrecognised, keeps this country standing. I see it. This government sees it. And we will keep backing them."
Also delivering remarks were Minister of National Security the Hon. Wayne Munroe; Minister of Agriculture and Marine Resources the Hon. Jomo Campbell; and Commander of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, Commodore Floyd Moxey. 
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