US Navy ship in Trinidad and Tobago to aid medical teams

THE US Navy expeditionary fast transport USNS Burlington docked at the Port of Port of Spain on Saturday.

The visit is part of US Naval Forces Southern Command/US 4th Fleet’s Continuing Promise 2023 mission, the US Embassy’s public affairs section said in a release.

It said during the mission, US Navy medical teams will work alongside a Ministry of Health medical team to provide care in community clinics to increase medical readiness, strengthen partnerships and enhance the combined capabilities of the US Navy and Trinidad and Tobago (TT) to respond to public health disasters and humanitarian crises.

The team includes veterinarians, biomedical technicians, Navy Seabees, who will conduct small engineering projects, and the US Fleet Forces Navy band detachment, the release added.

The mission, the release said, will conduct training and subject matter expert exchanges on various medical and humanitarian assistance/disaster relief topics and lead seminars on Women, Peace and Security (WPS) with the TT Defence Force (TTDF) and the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management.

It added the Navy band will perform at a public concert with the TT Defence Force brass band at C3 Centre in San Fernando on September 4 from 4 pm and with Hadco Phase II Pan Groove on September 8 from 7 pm at the band’s panyard in Woodbook. Both engagements are open to the public free of charge.

The release quoted United States Ambassador Candace Bond as saying, “The Continuing Promise 2023 mission stop in TT is another example of the strong and lasting partnership between the United States’ US Southern Command and TT.

“This visit will build capacity and resilience during times of crisis, enhance interoperability, and build enduring partnerships to enhance regional security and promote peace, stability, and prosperity in the Caribbean.”

Continuing Promise 2023 marks the US Naval Forces Southern Command/US 4th Fleet’s 13th mission to the region since 2007.

TT is the third stop as part of a two-month deployment to the US Southern Command area of operations in Panama, Colombia, TT and Grenada. The Burlington previously visited TT in 2022.