DAY two of the Tradewinds 2023 took aim at boosting maritime security and ensuring that the military is well prepared for rescue operations and narcotics interception.

The exercise, which was held at the Coast Guard Headquarters and at sea on Tuesday, entailed myriad rescue operations, searches for narcotics and other tactical maritime exercises, as well as engineering lessons.

According to Jonathan Gardner, a lieutenant from the US Coast Guard: “The training we’re conducting here is focusing on the sea portion of the Guyana Defence Force’s Operations,” emphasising that: “This [the exercise] is going to aid [the] Guyana Defence Force and maritime law enforcement in ensuring your security of not only your economic interests, whether it be oil, fisheries, or just the safety of Guyana.”

The lieutenant stressed that as part from those core-focus areas, the security personnel were trained on how to respond swiftly to challenges, regardless of what the call is.

Addressing what was happening and how the boatmen will learn from the detailed techniques, he said: “You’re going to see the small boats underway conducting operations, teaching our basic boat drivers how to properly handle a vessel safely and efficiently.”

One of the main techniques tackled drug smuggling, and security personnel were taught how to measure the ship in order to understand how big it is, and how to document the vessel to locate compartments where hidden objects can be found.

Lieutenant Taylor Tennyson of the US Coast Guard, said: “What we see here is, we have our partner nations working on space accountability.”

He added: “This is just a systematic process they use to make sure that they completely check the vessel.”

Tennyson related that the newly-introduced technique does not mean that the traditional ones are wrong, but instead, it gives military operatives a new perspective on how to conduct operations.

He said: “Honestly, a lot of our partner nations are very good at what they do and what we’re doing is showing them a different way to approach something, that can broaden the horizon and if anything gives them more tools in their repertoire of skills they can use in future events.

“You’re getting 100 per cent accountability from the bow to the stern and all spaces on board. So, really it’s nowhere that something could be hidden, that they won’t be able to find if it’s at sea still.”

Meanwhile, Dexroy McGarell, a member of Guyana’s Coast Guard, deemed the new technique being taught to him as innovative and time-efficient.

According to the local officer, while he and his fellow Coast Guards do not encounter “clever” drug smugglers that often, it is still useful to know this technique for times of need.

McGarell then went on to relate: “So this procedure that they thought us is in case we do meet with a big vessel.”

On the other hand, Brian Sinclair, a Jamaican Able Seaman, referred to the technique as “useful,” and said that he will be utilising it when he returns to Jamaica.

He said: “This is new to me, the measuring technique. So, I’m interested in trying to understand it better and apply it back home.”

Sinclair further related that the technique tackles better time management. He also said that the traditional technique is not foolproof and leaves room for innovative criminals to sneak narcotics in.

Further, a medical-evaluation exercise was conducted at sea in the Mexico Veracruz, where both Guyanese Coast Guards and GDF ranks were taught how to conduct an evacuation of military or other casualties to hospital in a helicopter or airplane.