TCI Regiment undergoes military training in Guyana

Nineteen marines from the Turks and Caicos Islands Regiment, recently departed the Islands to participate in the Caribbean Military Training Exercise in Guyana.

The Caribbean-focused exercise, Tradewinds 2023, or TW23, officially commenced with an opening ceremony on July 15 at Camp Ayanganna, Guyana.

The troop from the TCI Regiment joined counterparts from 24 countries around the region to participate in the exercise, designed to strengthen partnerships and interoperability, promote human rights, as well as increase all participants' training capacity and capability to mitigate, plan for and respond to regional crises and security threat.

TW23 is the 38th iteration of the exercise which will see participants training in the ground, air, sea, and cyber domains in various locations across the South American country from July 15-28.

The training is intended to sharpen elements of the TCI Regiment and supporting personnel in high-intensity operations and training over a protracted period of time, as part of a multi-national force, on a scale not possible in TCI, in order to enhance overall operational effectiveness and interoperability, a statement from the Regiment said.

Along with a contingent comprising over 100 soldiers from Royal Bermuda Regiment, Jamaica Defence Force, and the Suriname Defence Force, the TCI Regiment covered various areas during the training including; Close Quarter Combat, Public Order Casualty evaluation, treatment, and evacuation, Ordinance Disposal, Radio Communication, Specialist Operations, Marksmanship Squad, Platoon and Company Patrol Techniques, Helicopter Embarkation and Disembarkation.

HE Governor Dileeni DanielSelvaratnam and the Commanding

Officer of the Regiment, Lieutenant Colonel Ennis Grant met with the troops to wish them well on the exercise.

In her remarks, Governor Selvaratam encouraged the marines to maximise the opportunity of the training, while acknowledging their commitment and personal sacrifice.

She impressed upon them her confidence and full support.

Tradewinds, a US Southern Command-sponsored annual exercise has been held annually since 1984, only missing one year in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.