Col. Richard Slater (right), Assistant Chief of Staff, Operation and Plans, Marine Force South, United States, on Wednesday in discussion with Lt. Col. Garfield Prendergast, Intelligence, Operation and Training at the Jamaica Defence Force. - NORMAN GRINDLEY/DEPUTY CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
THE JAMAICA Defence Force (JDF) is confident that Exercise Tradewinds will help ensure a safe Cricket World Cup (CWC) 2007.
The annual exercise, between Caribbean security forces, is now in the second year of a three-year programme designed to increase regional security cooperation ahead of the tournament. The exercise, which runs from Saturday until Friday, April 7, involves 16 countries and is being sponsored by the United States and the United Kingdom.
INTER-REGIONAL COOPERATION
"Firstly, it will aid inter-regional cooperation, it will give us an opportunities to work out each other's idiosyncrasies. We will be able to synchronise our systems so we can function as a team," explained officer in charge, Colonel Stewart Saunders, following a press conference Wednesday at the JDF Up Park headquarters in Kingston.
Colonel Richard Slater of the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) said the U.S. valued Tradewinds as a regional partner, given its Caribbean coastline. The United States has committed 450 of the total troop complement of 1,400; the total value of its contribution is between US$5 million and US$6 million.
The training will focus on counter-terrorism response, crowd and riot control, mass casualty evacuation, personnel, key point/venue protection and internal security. The exercise will involve air, sea and land manoeuvres to be supported by U.S. military helicopters and ships from other participating countries.
The main training areas will be Moneague Training Camp in St. Ann, the Twickenham Park Range in St. Catherine, HMJS Cagway in Port Royal and Up Park Camp, and the National Stadium. The exercise command headquarters will be located at Up Park Camp.
Participating countries
Antigua and Barbuda
Bahamas
Barbados
Belize
Bermuda
Dominica
Dominican Republic
Grenada
Guyana
Haiti
Jamaica
St. Lucia
St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Suriname
Trinidad and Tobago
United Kingdom
United States
