His Excellency, President Dr Irfaan Ali, today, observed a tactical exercise of Operation Tradewinds 2021 at the Yarrowkabra Range on the Linden/Soesdyke Highway. Prior to arriving at Yarrowkabra, President Ali was briefed on the two-week event at the Ramada Hotel in Providence. The US Southern Command (USSOCOM) sponsored event is a multinational military exercise being hosted in Guyana. As hosts, ranks from the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) trained in various military skills, including close-quarters combat. GDF ranks have also been trained in marksmanship, emergency medical evacuation, search, rescue and recovery responses and mechanical and engineering repairs for both air and water transportation, among other areas.
Operation Tradewinds 2021, which started on June 12 and is scheduled to run until later this week, has had military officials from over a dozen other countries participate, including the United State of America, the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Netherlands, Brazil, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago. The Head of State was accompanied by GDF Chief of Staff, Brigadier Godfrey Bess and National Security Advisor, Captain Gerry Gouveia.
