PM pledges full support

This country is throwing support behind all security initiatives designed to improve regional co-operation within the Caribbean.

Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Freundel Stuart gave that assurance yesterday morning, as he noted that safeguarding people should always remain a major goal on every nation’s list of priorities. His comments came just moments before he officially declared the start of Exercise TRADEWINDS 2017, during the opening ceremony held at the Barbados Defence Force’s Headquarters, St. Ann’s Fort.

“We have a responsibility to lead and invest in initiatives like TRADEWINDS to ensure that, should our countries be faced with crises which require regional response, we are able to quickly mobilise the resources at our disposal to protect our people,” he said.

The PM made it clear that the Government over which he presides, is of the firm belief that every opportunity that presents itself for greater co-operation in the region should not only be seized upon, but expanded, and used as a model for integration in the other areas of the Caribbean community.

“We are not prepared to ask others to do for us what we are not prepared to do for ourselves. It has been proven time and again, that we are stronger as a region when we stand together, especially in times of adversity. Therefore, activities such as TRADEWINDS, which bring us together with a singular purpose, will always qualify for my full support and that of my Government,” he maintained.
The annual exercise, he said which is a focal point for regional preparedness and training, has seen consistent participation from partner nations in the Regional Security System, other CARICOM Member States, the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States. He further noted that within the past ten years, countries such as Mexico, the Netherlands and France have joined the alliance, and their involvement has helped to make TRADEWINDS the largest regional exercise, whose purpose is to enhance our military, law enforcement and disaster management capabilities, as Caribbean countries respond to the wide variety of dangers they face in this region and the wider world.

“This year the presence of close to 800 military, law enforcement and disaster management practitioners, equipped with several maritime and air support assets, is testimony to the commitment of our regional and international partners to the success of TRADEWINDS in helping to secure this region. This success can be hailed as a shining example of what shared values, a shared focus, and a shared mission can achieve in the Caribbean,” PM Stuart added. (JRT)