JDF Coast Guard increases manpower to fight illicit trade

THE JAMAICA Defence Force (JDF) Coast Guard has stepped up its presence in the maritime space, with the formation of the Second District Jamaica Defence Force Coast Guard as it seeks to repel the trafficking of drugs and weapons, and illicit fishing in Jamaican waters.

A formation ceremony on Tuesday at the JDF Coast Guard base in Discovery Bay, St Ann, signalled an addition of over 20 soldiers to the Coast Guard wing of the JDF.

Brigadier Roderick Williams, Brigade Commander for the Maritime Air and Cyber Command, told The Gleaner that the aim is to double to the numbers, even though he was unable to give precise figures.

“Today, we had the opportunity to commemorate the formation, or the standing up, of another naval unit,” Williams told The Gleaner after the ceremony.

“Since the JDF’s formation in 1962, we eventually built out a single naval unit which was known as the JDF Coast Guard. What happened on the first of November is that we were able to essentially double that and so we were able to add another naval unit to expand the coast guard.”

Williams said the members of the new unit will be headquartered in Discovery Bay as the coast guard begins to expand its bases on the coastline, to enable more strategic deployment, effectiveness and efficiency.

EFFECTIVENESS

“These are members of the new unit that’s going to be headquartered here as an interim step and we’re hoping over time we will begin to expand our coastal basing so we can be even more strategic in how we deploy, for what we want is effectiveness and efficiency,” he added.

The brigadier underscored the importance of the JDF Coast Guard controlling Jamaica’s maritime space as this will allow the force to sever the link between domestic criminal organisations and their transnational counterparts.

This would stem the illicit flow of guns, ammunition, drugs and other items into the country.

He said the guns-for-drugs trade between Jamaica and Haiti, estimated by www.insightcrime.org at US$1.3 million to US$1.7 million, and which fuels Jamaica’s murder rate which stood in 2020 stood at 1,323, will be impacted. But this is not the only target.

“Guns-for-drugs (trade) between us and Haiti is one of those threats that these new capabilities will help us to address, yes. Everything you can imagine that is illicit is flowing through this space given our geo-strategic location between major producers, major markets, major consumers; so that is why it’s important that we’re investing and building out our maritime capabilities,” Williams noted.

This investment is part of millions of dollars spent by the Government over the past few years to buy airplanes, helicopters, and ships for use by the JDF.

Since 2017, the Government has invested over US$92 million in border security to purchase a range of helicopters and surveillance aircraft.