Royal Navy’s International Maritime Training Team has recently delivered navigation and small craft courses at Long Bay, Providenciales, in the Caribbean.
Over four weeks, 22 marine police officers from the UK Caribbean Overseas Territories developed and improved their knowledge of handling small vessels, learning a variety of tactics, techniques and procedures to help with maritime security patrols.
A further 12 officers from the Royal Turks and Caicos Police Force Marine Unit were taught engineering and maintenance procedures and practices.
The courses were delivered by the Royal Navy International Maritime Training Team (IMTT) as part of a project between the Royal Turks and Caicos Police and the UK Defence Section in Jamaica.
WO2 Martin Power , officer in charge of the five-strong IMTT, said: “This training is very important in the global challenge of securing international maritime borders and for enhancing relations between the UK and UK Overseas Territories.
“These opportunities allow the maritime defence community like RTCIPF to develop skills on their own equipment, realise their potential and thus improve understanding in their operating areas. Ultimately it results in greater efficiency and effectiveness.”
The training, which operated out of the marine branch headquarters at Long Bay, Providenciales – an island in the northwest – included personnel from Anguilla, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, Montserrat and the Turks and Caicos Islands.
The project was jointly funded by the UK’s Conflict, Security and Stability Fund, as well as the UK MOD’s Defence Assistance Fund.
Turks and Caicos is an archipelago of 40 low-lying coral islands, southeast of the Bahamas.