Commander of U.S. SOUTHCOM to visit Barbados and Eastern Caribbean countries

From 10-13 August, U.S. Navy Adm. Craig S. Faller, also the commander of US Southern Command, would be visiting Barbados and other East Caribbean countries. This visit has the main motive to meet with the security leaders of the countries in this region and discuss to fight against the regional threats and many other difficulties.

Adm Faller would be meeting the Executive Director of the Caribbean Community Implementation Agency for Crime and Security, Lt. Col. Michael Jones. During the meeting, they both would be focusing on improving the sources of information and disorder of the transnational criminal organization.

Faller would also be joining the meeting with the leaders of the Regional Security System that has been the Caribbean partner, which always remains in support of the international efforts to fight with narcotics trafficking and other criminal movements in the region.

Through the US$74.8 million regional Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI), the United States supports the RSS Air Wing, which conducts maritime air patrols to detect illicit trafficking in Caribbean and Atlantic waters in close cooperation with SOUTHCOM’s Joint Interagency Task Force South. Additionally, Admiral Faller will host a security roundtable with security chiefs from across the Eastern Caribbean to discuss partnerships in addressing regional threats and enhancing resiliency to natural disasters and response capabilities.

US- Barbados defence partnership would be discussed during the meeting between Adm Faller and Chief of Barbados Defence Force Staff. The conference will take place at BDF headquarters at St. Ann’s Fort.

The Admiral would be focusing on security and humanitarian assistance with the senior officials of the Barbados government. The main areas of focus would include the US$45,000 that SOUTHCOM granted to support Barbados response against COVID-19. This COVID-19 assistance had PPE and medical equipment to restock the US$1.7M field hospital that SOUTHCOM has donated in 2019, used in Barbados’ management of the pandemic.

He will also visit the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency headquarters and meet with Executive Director Elizabeth Riley. They will discuss SOUTHCOM’s support for disaster preparedness in the Caribbean and the region’s capacity to rapidly respond in the aftermath of natural disasters and humanitarian emergencies.