FINAL PLANNING CONFERENCE FOR EXERCISE TRADEWINDS UNDERWAY

March 21, 2007

The Belize Defense Force is hosting a final planning conference on Exercise Tradewinds 2007. The B-D-F in cooperation with the United States Southern Command is finalizing coordination efforts in preparation for the annual regional exercise, to be held in Belize, this coming May. Captain Lionel Cuthkelvin of the Belize Defense Force said the conference began yesterday and will end tomorrow. Participants are making final plans that will be put to practice in May. In May, Belize will host participants from various CARICOM countries, the United States, and the United Kingdom to engage in the Exercise. Captain Lionel Cuthkelvin tells us more.

Captain Lionel Cuthkelvin:

“It is something that is conducted annually it brings together CARICOM countries, besides working together on the different threats that could affect the region it actually gives us training opportunities to see how best we can deal with this threat and as a unit and for that it prepares us for our assistance to other countries should if the needs arise. This year we will be looking at two different areas ground security and maritime security and we have the Belize National Coast Guard who will be working closely with us along with personnel from the U-S Coast Guard and other Coast Guard Organization within the Caribbean and they will be looking at responding to the different threats that could affect the waters and the seas and stuff like that and they will be looking at drug counter measure and that. The land aspect of it deals mostly with response to disaster relief and you have members of NEMO who will be taking part in the exercise.” 

Captain Lionel Cuthkelvin of the Belize Defense Force. Exercise Tradewinds 2007, will commence on May 5 and run until May 18.The Exercise will be held at the Price Barracks compound in Ladyville.

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