JAMAICA is to assign a senior officer of the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) to the Key West, Florida, home base of the Joint Interagency Task Force South, in order to improve communications between the US-led coast guard unit and the JDF.

Chief of defence staff of the JDF, Major General Rocky Meade, told the Jamaica Observer that the event is significant, as it is symbolic of the relationship between the United States and its Caribbean partners in creating a network to fight the criminal networks in the region.

“If you have to depend on phone calls to make things work, it is not as effective. So, on their invitation, we will put one of our senior officers there in Key West where the Atlantic South is based, to coordinate exercises and the operations that we do jointly,” Major General Meade said.

The agreement was signed last week by Major General Meade and US charges d’affaires in Kingston, Eric Kant, on board the US Coast Guard cutter Resolute, which had docked at Kingston Wharves on the Kingston waterfront for the event.

Guests at the function included Jamaica’s Minister of National Security, Robert Montague; Minister of State in the Ministry of National Security, Pearnel Charles Jnr, Commissioner of Police, Major General Antony Anderson, and several key personnel in the US Coast Guard and the District of Colombia (Washington DC) National Guard, including Brigadier General Aaron Dean, the adjutant general.

The agreement signed by the two stated:

“We the undersign hereby confirm that the Jamaica Defence Force will assign a liaison officer to the Joint Interagency task Force as outlined in the 2018 Memorandum of Understanding, for the purpose of increasing cooperation between the United States and Jamaica against transnational crime and illicit trafficking.”

Kant noted that the visit to Jamaica for the event on the Resolute and Brigadier General Dean, symbolises the “deep ties” between the two nations and their militaries, especially the 20-year relationship between the Washington DC National Guard and the JDF in the US State Partnership Programme

“They highlight the strong partnership we share with Jamaica in disrupting and dismantling transnational criminal activities in the region that negatively impact both our nations,” Kant said.

“This partnership will be on full display soon, with the upcoming joint patrol of US Coast Guard and JDF Coast Guard vessels,” he noted.

Kant also explained that it would formalise the agreement between the US and Jamaica for the posting of the JDF liaison officer to Key West, to increase information sharing between the two countries and enhance their ability to combat illicit activities in the region

He said that the US government also look forward to working with the JDF on disaster preparedness and humanitarian responses within the region.

“We must never lose sight of the fact that this region is prone to disasters that can undo progress for decades. We hope to accomplish this by sharing expertise, knowledge and information,” he added

Major General Meade noted that the current exercise involves vessels and personnel from the Jamaica, and the United States as well as the Dutch islands in the Caribbean.

“Criminal organisations have no borders but they can only succeed if we don’t work together, and in this exercise we will be working together,” he told the Sunday Observer, He confirmed that even on the Resolute’s journey to Jamaica for the event last week, there was a successful encounter with two go-fast boats believed to be involved in illicit trafficking in the region.

“We are hoping for more and it is symbolic of the relationship we have, not withstanding our differences in size, as we work together to deal with the challenges that we both face — Challenges that are equally detrimental to us irrespective of size,” Meade stated.

“We are increasing our maritime domain awareness capability, and while we are waiting for that capability to come on board, we work very closely with each other to do as much as we can – until we get our resources up,” Meade added.

He also noted that the JDF is currently seeking to have a liaison officer stationed at the US Embassy in Kingston as well, to make interactions even more seamless.

Meade welcomed the presence of Brigadier Dean, pointing out that the JDF has enjoyed a long and fruitful relationship with the District of Colombia National Guard.

“In fact it is the best State relationship, as far as I understand, and that is what is being said from the DC Guard’s side,” he said.

Meade pointed out that Brigadier General Dean is actually a graduate of a Jamaican military strategy seminar, which he attended in Kingston several years ago.

“It just shows the depth of the mutually beneficial relationship. Certainly during my tenure (as chief of defence staff) I intend to continue to grow, if possible, this very fruitful relationship that we have with the American armed Forces,” Meade remarked.

In a brief speech, Brigadier General Dean said that the agreement would ensure that the “professionalism and effectiveness” of the partnership would continue in the region.

‘The Caribbean is our third border, and Jamaica is at the centre. Knowing that Jamaica has our back, we feel better about our own border security. We would also like to say to Jamaica, we also have your back,” he added.

However, he said that there were still challenges for the partnership to overcome, but he had no doubt that working together both countries would overcome them.