A commitment to strengthening ties in national security matters between the United States and Trinidad and Tobago was made this week, during a meeting between Minister of National Security, Fitzgerald Hinds MP and the Commander of the United States Southern Command (US SOUTHCOM), Admiral Craig S. Faller.
Admiral Faller paid an official visit to this country, this week.
At a meeting at the Ministry’s offices on Tuesday, Minister Hinds and Admiral Faller took the opportunity to discuss areas of mutual interest with respect to security cooperation, capacity building in civil-defence partnership and the professionalizing of the Defence Force, in particular the Women, Peace and Security Initiative.
“Both Minister Hinds and Admiral Faller emphasised the importance for the continued strengthening of the longstanding relationship between Trinidad and Tobago and the United States of America,” an official statement from the Ministry noted.
Present at the meeting were Shante Moore, Charge d’Affaires, US Embassy, Port of Spain; Francisco Palmieri, Civilian Deputy to the Commander and Foreign Policy Advisor, US SOUTHCOM; Colonel Claudia Carrizales, Chief Military Liaison Officer, US Embassy, Port of Spain; Megan Kelly, Deputy Head of Mission (Ag.); and Command Sergeant Major Benjamin Jones, Command Senior Enlisted Leader, US SOUTHCOM.
Also in attendance were Permanent Secretaries, Ministry of National Security, Gary Joseph and Nataki Atiba-Dilchan; Chief of Defence Staff, Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force (TTDF), Air Vice Marshal Darryl Daniel; and Deputy Director, International Affairs Unit, Major (Ret’d) Richard Lynch.
