Durrant Pate/Contributor

Vice Admiral Antonette Wemyss-Gorman and other top military officials in the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) engaged in a series of talks with commander of the United States Southern Command (SouthCom), Admiral Alvin Holsey, who is on a Caribbean tour of duty.

Holsey, who departed Jamaica today (May 10) after a two-day official visit, will be heading to Trinidad and Tobago, further underscoring the US commitment to regional security partnerships.

The four-star admiral’s visit to Jamaica is a follow-up to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s high-level meetings with Caribbean leaders Andrew Holness, Mia Mottley and Stuart Young on the island in March. 

Admiral Holsey’s visit is focused on bolstering defence and security cooperation between the two nations and marks his first visit to Jamaica since taking the helm at SouthCom in November 2023. 

Series of high-level engagements 

The US Embassy in Kingston reports that the visit will feature a series of high-level engagements with Jamaica’s defence leadership, including Wemyss-Gorman, the chief of defence staff.

The discussions are expected to focus on reaffirming the robust military partnership between Jamaica and the US, while tackling shared security challenges such as transnational organised crime and illicit trafficking issues that continue to affect stability in the Caribbean region.

The US Embassy in Kingston, in a statement, says the visit, “Is an opportunity to further strengthen our security cooperation with a top ally in the Caribbean…The admiral’s visit comes on the heels of Secretary Marco Rubio’s productive visit in March, and his agenda includes meetings with Vice Admiral Wemyss-Gorman and other key leaders of the Jamaica Defence Force.”

The US Southern Command emphasised Jamaica’s leadership in professional military and security education in the region, noting the country’s longstanding collaboration with US defence forces. 

“The two nations enjoy a historic friendship and strategic partnership… based on trust and mutual interest,” the statement read, highlighting the enduring bond and strong people-to-people connections, including a vibrant Jamaican-American community.