As TT hosted the Caribbean Nations Security Conference (Cansec) for the first time in six years, US Navy Admiral Alvin Holsey, commander of US Southern Command (Southcom), highlighted the growing shared threats faced by the region and emphasised the added challenges posed by natural disasters and environmental degradation and affirmed the commitment to collaborate, co-operate and partner in addressing the issues.
Holsey spoke at the opening ceremony of Cansec at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Port of Spain on December 11.
Cansec is a conference at which
defence and security leaders from the Caribbean exchange ideas, experiences and perspectives on regional collaborative efforts to address security challenges in the 21st century.
This year's theme is
Strengthening Bonds, Securing Futures: United for Regional Security.
It will include plenary sessions on countering threats across multiple domains, as well as enabling a regional approach to respond to natural disasters and crises.
Holsey said the threats had grown since last year's Cansec, held in Jamaica, with democratic governance being attacked by authoritarian and communist governments.
"Under the guise of investment, (they) have come to the Western Hemisphere to extract, while championing the virtues of autocracy.
"Their influence and presence have far-reaching consequences across all domains - including the maritime (marine) domain where we are collectively committed to keeping the region's waterways, including the Panama Canal, free, open and prosperous."
Holsey also spoke about irregular migration, which he said intruded on the independence of democratic societies.
"Authoritarianism is already here in our shared neighbourhood and is having devastating effects... as is the case in Guyana, with the Maduro regime's unlawful claim to the Essequibo region."
He said transnational criminal organisations and violent gangs have also created and capitalised on the instability of some countries.
"Just 900 miles to the north of us today, vicious gang violence continues to impede our Haitian partners from realising the earnest promise of their proud nation.
"We must redouble our support for Haiti, the ongoing UN-authorised multinational security support mission and efforts to transition to a UN peacekeeping operation."
He said the transnational criminal organisations were undermining the social contract between citizens and their governments, as they enrich themselves by trafficking in drugs, humans, weapons, counterfeit goods and wildlife.
Holsey urged his partners and allies to continue working together.
"It is imperative that we continue our efforts across all domains to increase readiness, build capacity and develop the resiliency necessary to overcome enduring threats.
"Change takes time, but the commitment to change starts the moment we all decide to act. It is our collective responsibility to act!
The power of our partnership will prove the strength of democracy to people of this region."
Holsey arrived in TT on December 9. Th
