GDF, US Coast Guard joint operation commence

Jan 10, 2021 News

Scenes from yesterday’s Joint patrol by the GDF and US Coast Guard in Guyana’s waters.

Kaieteur News – The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) and the United States of America (USA) Coast Guard, yesterday began day one of their first joint operation in Guyana’s waters. The joint patrol is aimed at combating illegal fishing activities in local waters.
Live photos of the exercise which took place off the coast of Guyana were posted on the US Embassy in Guyana’s Facebook page.
The US Coast vessel Guard Cutter Stone was seen patrolling side by side with The Eagle and The Hawk, two of the GDF Coast Guard boats. Ranks for both countries were also seen working together in crews.
The joint operation is the first of a series of activities stemming from the Shiprider Agreement signed in September of last year by US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo and GDF’s Chief of Staff, Brigadier Godfrey Bess.
The agreement allows the US Coast guard to patrol Guyana’s waters alongside the GDF Coast Guard to combat illicit activities. The ongoing patrols will continue as the Guyana-Venezuela border case is engaging the attention of the International Court of Justice in The Hague, The Netherlands.
The case centers on claims by neighbouring Venezuela on large parts of Essequibo, Guyana’s gold rich county, and areas offshore Guyana where ExxonMobil is currently producing oil for Guyana.