BY JULIE CARRINGTON – MAY 22, 2024
Acting Chief of Staff of the Barbados Defence Force, Lieutenant Colonel Carlos Lovell, speaking during the closing ceremony of Exercise Tradewinds 2024 at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre recently. (J. Bishop/BGIS)
Acting Chief of Staff of the Barbados Defence Force, Lieutenant Colonel Carlos Lovell, has expressed deep appreciation to the United States Government, through its Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), for investing just over US$8 million for this year’s Exercise Tradewinds (EXTW24).
Lt. Col. Lovell also thanked SOUTHCOM for the technical and logistical support provided, which helped to make the 39th staging of the exercise a success.
Speaking during the closing ceremony at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre, he said the significant financial investment was a “true testament to the United States’ commitment to hemispheric security”.
The Acting Chief of Staff conveyed “the collective thanks”, on behalf of a grateful region, to United States Ambassador Roger Nyhus and Deputy Director of the United States Southern Command, Vice Admiral Alvin Holsey, for their support.
Lt. Col. Lovell declared that EXTW24, under the theme Tailored for the region, by the region, promoting a secure Caribbean 2024 and beyond, was “an emphatic success”.
He pointed out that it had achieved the aim of ensuring high operational readiness and improved regional interoperability as law enforcers sought meaningful solutions to issues affecting regional stability while preparing to host the International Cricket Council’s T20 Men’s World Cup Finals.
“The lessons and strategies gleaned from this exercise will stand us in good stead. In the context of our dynamic complex on some things on certain hemispheric realities, the selection of relevant exercise themes, such as the enhancements of regional interoperability, the promotion of regional cooperation and the improvement of military capabilities, collaboration, and cohesiveness, were of immense value to the region…
“I am proud to say that the level and scale of training brought to bear during this Tradewinds has never before been experienced in the Eastern Caribbean and has provided participants with the tools needed to face whatever is ahead…. I say to you that our regional networks are stronger. We are stronger now than ever before,” Lt. Col. Lovell emphasised.
He thanked Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley and the Cabinet for readily agreeing to host the EXTW24, participants from the regional forces, and the public for embracing it and making the foreign troops feel welcomed.
Vice Admiral Holsey praised the participants for their cooperation and shared commitment to global stability, peace, and prosperity.
“Together, our allied forces remain ready to respond to today’s dynamic security challenges. The security threats we see today in this region are pervasive. Transnational criminal organisations…cybercrime, natural disasters, environmental degradation, and fuel instability are affecting us all. These challenges are not solely confined to the Caribbean, or the Western Hemisphere, but the scale and complexity, are at the global proportions…,” he said.
The Vice Admiral also thanked Ms. Mottley for welcoming the troops to the island and Ambassador Nyhus and his team at the United States Army for their efforts in maintaining regional security and prosperity across the Caribbean.
