THE playing field at Queen’s College became a helicopter landing pad for a day last month when the primary

school received a visit from American and Bahamian law enforcement officers.

Excited students and staff lined the perimeter of the playing field and cheered the arrival of a US Coast Guard helicopter, which circled the school a few times before landing at the campus on Village Road.

After disembarking the four member US Coast Guard team, led by Lt Cmdr Richie Walsh, were welcomed by Andrea Gibson, Principal at Queen’s College, Sylvia Beneby, head of the primary school department, and sixth graders

Kyla Bethel, Jodie Ritchie and Joseph Lynch. US Embassy officials, Lt Cmdr Tom Gill, US Coast Guard Liaison Officer, and Neda Brown, Public Affairs Officer, also participated in the two-hour helicopter demonstration.

A special assembly was held in the school’s auditorium that gave the American and Bahamian law enforcement

officers - representatives from the US Coast Guard, US Drug Enforcement Administration and the Royal Bahamas Police Force’s Drug Enforcement Unit - an opportunity to participate in a question and answer period with the students. They used the interactive session to highlight the efforts of Operation Bahamas Turks and Caicos (OPBAT) on the subjects of search and rescue missions, illegal migrant interdiction and combatting drug trafficking in Bahamian waters.

The guests were presented with Queen’s College Comets caps to commemorate their visit and the students accompanied the OPBAT officers onto the field for a chance to get a close-up view of the helicopter and greet the law enforcement team.