Soldiers participate in training mission to Haiti

Bahamian and Belize soldiers are now in Jamaica for training for their upcoming mission to Haiti to help local police in the strife-torn French-speaking country restore law and order.

The first to arrive last Friday, March 29, were troops from the Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF), with soldiers from the Belize Defence Force (BDF) arriving on Saturday, March 30, to participate in Exercise Trogon Shield.

Exercise Trogon Shield brings together service personnel from the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF), Jamaica Constabulary Force, RBDF and now the BDF, as they integrate into a CARICOM Joint Task Force (CJTF) construct. The primary focus of the exercise is to train, plan and execute a wide range of scenario-driven security activities. 

Hosted by the Government of Jamaica, in collaboration with the Canadian Government, Trogon Shield aims to enhance regional cooperation and readiness among Caribbean nations.

This pre-deployment training is intended to prepare personnel for a possible peace-keeping mission in Haiti. The Canadian defence ministry announced on the weekend that 70 Canadian Armed Forces members deployed to Jamaica.

They will be providing training to military personnel from CARICOM nations, who are set to be deployed to Haiti as part of the United Nations-authorised, Kenyan-led, Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission.

This Canadian training will prepare CARICOM troops for deployment as part of the Kenyan-led MSS mission and to bolster the Haitian National Police (HNP) in their efforts to restore security for the people of Haiti. This training will take place at the Canadian Armed Forces’ Operational Support Hub in Jamaica.

A 20-man team of coast guard special operators and 31 Belize Defence Force soldiers have been sent to Jamaica as aprt of joint team of soldiers and sailors from Jamaica and The Bahamas to form a Caribbean Joint Task Force.