Narsarsuaq has previously been home to an American military base. Now the Americans can again have a bigger life in the settlement. The museum director sees both opportunities and challenges in the development.
At Narsarsuaq’s museum fills the history of the US military base in the 1940s and 1950s. But history may not just be in the past anymore. With the new agreement between the USA, Denmark and Greenland, Narsarsuaq can once again have a significant American military presence.
– The identity changes from being such an airport settlement, tourist settlement and so on to becoming a more military area, says Ole Guldager, who is the museum manager in Narsarsuaq.
A new US base could bring with it more activity in Narsarsuaq. According to the museum manager, there may be a need for contractors and service companies, just as an increased presence from the Arctic Command can help to expand the local community.
Narsarsuaq may have more people and businesses than today – but at the same time the settlement will also be different from what it has been.
– So we are probably looking into a bigger Narsarsuaq than today, but a different Narsarsuaq compared to before, says Ole Guldager.
The agreement has been signed but there are still concerns for the local community
However, the development also causes concern in Narsarsuaq.
Ole Guldager emphasizes that it is not yet known how large the American base will be, or exactly how the area will be arranged.
One of the concerns is about how much space a possible military presence will require. If security zones or defense areas are established around the base, it could have an impact on the people and private companies who already have their everyday lives and activities in Narsarsuaq.
For the museum director, the question is therefore not only whether the Americans will come to Narsarsuaq, but also how their presence will work together with the existing local community.
– If it is the case that they only want to be here themselves, the Americans, then of course it is worrying for us who are house owners and private companies, because then we cannot continue our shared accommodation here, he says.
Awaiting more specific messages
At the same time, he points out that it is still too early to say exactly what the development will look like. Therefore, according to the museum director, more concrete information is still awaited about the plans for the base and the settlement itself.
Ole Guldager has also been reassured from the political side, where the chairman of Naalakkersuisut, Jens-Frederik Nielsen (D), has stated that a military base in Narsarsuaq must not have negative consequences for the community that is close to the base.
– We hope on the spot that Narsarsuaq can continue both with Americans and with us privates and the Arctic Command. It will be ideal for us, concludes Ole Guldager
