MINISTER of Foreign Affairs Senator Kamina Johnson Smith has rubbished claims that the American aircraft carrier USS Nimitz docked in Kingston Harbour is part of a larger plot by the United States of America to intimidate, or launch military action on Cuba.

Speaking at a post-Cabinet media briefing at Jamaica House in St Andrew on Wednesday, Johnson Smith acknowledged that she was aware of the growing speculation surrounding the warship in Jamaican waters, and argued that the United States (US) would not mount a tour across South America and the Caribbean merely to threaten Cuba.

“I want to place on record, and state once more, that this is a scheduled port visit under an established programme of maritime cooperation and goodwill. They have been at sea for about two-and-a-half months since they left port in the US and I ask our public to think logically.

“The US has not been shy about demonstrating power and the possibility of force where they have wished to do. There would be no need to burden themselves with receptions and school paintings and community football and to use resources in this way in order to send a message of menace or threat. They have not been shy,” said Johnson Smith.

She told the media briefing that the Jamaican Government was told of the ship’s arrival ahead of its docking on June 1, and argued that, had the mission been for US national interests or possible warfare, no such correspondence would have occurred.

“We know what the programmes are. We are engaged as between our governments and as between our defence forces [which is] unlike in any circumstance where they would be on their own national mission which would be of any greater sensitivity. They would not need to stop in 10 countries to preface a visit in Jamaica if they wanted to send a message, other than the message which we have received, which is that of goodwill and friendship,” added Johnson Smith.

The USS Nimitz (CVN-68) is an aircraft carrier of the United States Navy, and the lead ship of its class. It is one of the largest warships in the world, known for its nuclear powered engines and its significant size, spanning 1,092 feet.

According to the US Embassy — and several Jamaican Government officials — the arrival of the vessel highlights the strength of expanded US-Jamaica security cooperation under President Donald Trump, particularly the partnership in maritime security.

It was also explained that the vessel is on its 11th iteration of the Southern Seas tour, which is known for fostering goodwill and strengthening maritime partnerships throughout the region.

However, upon the warship’s arrival on Monday, where it will remain until June 5, many Jamaicans expressed concern about its presence, especially when US-Cuba relations are at their lowest point in decades, following intensified sanctions including a fuel blockade; the US indictment of former Cuban leader, Raúl Castro; and US officials calling Cuba a failed state.

These developments, coupled with the strategic geographical location of Jamaica — with the closest points of the Cuban coastline only 195 to 200 nautical miles away — have caused many to brand the ship’s arrival as a show of force.

But Johnson Smith was adamant that the visit from 4,000 US navy sailors aboard the USS Nimitz, was only representative of the lasting partnership between the two states.

“Diplomacy is embodied in many ways: Economic, health, sports, education and among the most impactful and possibly present, quite present and relevant nowadays are defence diplomacy; and humanitarian assistance; and disaster relief. So while the vessel is a warship, it is also very much a vessel of peace which has the capacity to deliver water and food supplies and to provide humanitarian assistance and disaster relief at very short notice in the event of a disaster and has done so over its lifetime,” she said.

Pointing to the fact that Jamaica has the seventh-largest natural harbour in the world, Johnson Smith also stated that the visit of the ship was economically significant, noting that it acted as a promotion of the island’s ports capability to handle large vessels, and the boost it will provide to the country’s tourism industry.

Johnson Smith added that the goodwill of the mission was also evident in the 19 Jamaican-American sailors aboard the ship, who she says, continue to reflect positively on the relationship between both nations.

“One of the exciting things about being on this vessel was of course recognising that there are several members of our diaspora who serve in specialised and generalised areas and again demonstrating that Jamaicans are everywhere doing the best representation of our country and of our excellence and abilities and that they are aboard the Nimitz and happy to be home and having the opportunity to come ashore to rekindle connections and experience their heritage,” she said.