For the second time in three years, Guyana will be hosting the regional military training programme, Exercise Tradewinds.
This year’s training programme which is fully sponsored by the US Military Southern Command, will bring together military troops from across the region and the United States for training and various exercises in a number of critical areas, related to military life and security.
Guyana last hosted the event in 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This year, the exercise will makes its way across Regions Three, Four, Six and Ten.
The areas of training will cover ground and maritime operations, humanitarian assistance relief, public relations training, the CARICOM Task Force and it will also see the hosting of a Women Peace and Security Conference.
A total of 21 countries will be sending more than 1500 participants to the two-week exercise, which begins on the 14th July.
In presenting an overview of the training exercise this morning, Major Jaime Castillo explained that the objectives of the training programme are broad, and are centered around critical areas.
He explained that “the training objectives for Exercise Tradewinds 2023 are to expand the Caribbean region’s capability to mitigate, plan for, and respond to crisis, strengthen partnerships and counter influences, increase regional training capacity and readiness for all participating courses; increase inter agency integration in the Caribbean specifically with special operation forces; regional organisations and co-ordination courses…and to promote human rights, women and peace in security and principles and adhere to shared international norms and values”.
A number of specialized training equipment including vessels, military vehicles and Black Hawk helicopters, have been flown into Guyana for the event.
Major Castillo said members of the public should not be alarmed by the movement of heavy duty vehicles across the country during the exercise.
It was also noted that a big part of the training programme will examine a response to an oil spill, and the major players in the local oil and gas industry will participate in that leg of the training programme.
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