The Dutch naval vessel, HNLMS Pelikaan and the Tobago Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) have agreed to collaborate on disaster relief initiatives on the island and other parts of the region.

The vessel’s Lieutenant Commander Marc Jereskes told reporters on Saturday he has already spoken to TEMA director Allan Stewart about working together on future humanitarian missions.

The vessel, specially designed for the Caribbean Sea, docked in Tobago for the past three days is part of a mission to strengthen ties between Netherlands and TT, particularly in the area of disaster risk reduction.

Speaking to reporters on Saturday shortly before a tour of the vessel, Dutch ambassador to TT Raphael Varga van Kibed said: “The Dutch marine is here because we are working together with TT and other islands in the region on disaster risk reduction and whenever there is a need we are ready to help out with emergency aid.”

He said in the past the Dutch marine has done significant work in assisting territories in the region that have experienced disasters, such as Haiti and Dominica.

Varga van Kibed said he was pleased that Dutch carrier KLM has resumed flights to Tobago after the country’s borders were shut down in March 2020 as one of the measures to prevent the spread of covid19.

“Luckily the tourism is back now. We have the KLM flight three times a week to Tobago. So I am very happy about that.”

He said TT and the Netherlands were also collaborated in other fields, including exploration of oil and gas and eco-tourism.

Varga van Kibed said the embassy is active on the island, which he described as being rich in Dutch history.

[caption id="attachment_940570" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Lt Commander Marc Jereskes, captain of the Dutch naval vessel HNLMS Pelikaan, explains how the fast raiding intercept craft is used for drug raids and other emergency operations when deployed on Saturday. - David Reid[/caption]

“We have had several projects. It is also a historical place because in 1677 there was the battle of Scarborough and a lot of Dutch shipwrecks are here in the harbour of Scarborough. So, we have some projects in that field.

“We have supported also the lectures on the projects between November and January online about the history of the Dutch in Tobago.”

Varga van Kibed said the embassy is also involved with the Buccoo-based, non-governmental organisation, Healing with Horses Foundation.

The ship's commander said the vessel assisted islands that have experienced disasters by way of hurricanes, earthquakes and other natural phenomena.

The vessel docked at the Scarborough Port on Thursday and is expected to leave the island tomorrow.

Saying the crew has already been to Tobago twice – the last time being in 2004 - Jereskes said, “I am glad we made it a third time this weekend. It is a beautiful island.”

He said on this occasion, only 24 crew members made the voyage.

“We are stationed in Curacao so when the ship is there, we are there with our families when we have time off. But at sea, we work