loading of vehicles in Fort-de-France, Martinique.
.MARIGOT—As announced by the Préfecture on Saturday, the French Armed Forces in the Caribbean are fully involved in “Operation Resilience” to provide the best response to the coronavirus COVID-19 crisis in anticipating and preventing the spread of the pandemic through the French West Indies islands.
President of the Collectivité Daniel Gibbs was on hand for the arrival of the first reinforcements at the Galisbay commercial pier on Sunday morning.
A detachment of 70 soldiers, made up of two units of the 33rd Marine Infantry Regiment (RIMA), boarded the Overseas Support and Assistance Vessel Dumont d' Urville in Martinique for the island of St. Martin where they are to be deployed in the fight against the Covid-19 epidemic.
Particularly qualified, the soldiers of the 33rd RIMA will be able to provide additional logistical support and mobility for the Préfecture and government services in St. Martin and St. Barths.
They will be able to complete the territorial network and inform the population by reinforcing the island's administrations and health structures.
President Daniel Gibbs on the pier in Galisbay for the arrival of the Dumont d’Urville
Equipped with logistical skills and adapted vehicles, the detachment will be able to respond to requests for transporting equipment and support the population and the civil authorities. It is also able to coordinate the distribution of local production of hydro-alcoholic sanitizer gel, from its distribution to stock management, for example.
These reinforcements will also prepare the organization of disembarkation and transport of cargo currently on board the amphibious helicopter carrier Dixmude. They will be able to set up the medical evacuation post, coming from metropolitan France, which would be installed near the ospital in the event of a worsening of the health situation.
The departure of soldiers in Fort-de-France, Martinique.
