Guyanese Coast Guards benefit from Brazil training, ship assessment

 

By Kurt Campbell

[www.inewsguyana.com] – A Brazilian Naval Task Group arrived in Guyana on Monday, April 22 and is currently at the Defence Force Coast Guard Headquarters as part of Operation CARIBEX 2014.

The exercise is an annual one and will see the Brazilians helping their Guyanese counterparts in training aboard their vessels (2) that are also docked at the Headquarters.

Training will be focused on help and rescue operations, river operations, mining operations, naval inspections and coast guard and fluvial patrol.

Commander Gary Beaton explained that the visiting crew will also be examining GDF Essequibo, which is the flag ship of Guyana to determine its state of readiness and the integrity of its machinery.

He told reporters that Brazil has four of the same ship, as he vouched for their expertise in this regard.

Meanwhile, Captain Jackson Sales DaSilva, who is the Commander of the visiting Task Force, said the exchange seeks to strengthen relations with the navy of various countries, as he noted the crew’s plans to move from Guyana to Paramaribo and then French Guyana to conduct similar exchanges.

The Crew will depart Guyana on Thursday, April 24.

But before that, the group Commander and the commanders of the vessel will be paying courtesy calls on the Mayor of Georgetown and the Chief of staff of the Guyana Defence Force.

According to a release, the Brazilian Navy has an unblemished history of cooperation with the Guyana Defence Force’s Coast Guard.

Over the years many Guyanese Naval Officers have been trained at the Admiral Graca Aranha Instruction Centre in Rio de Jameiro and the Admiral Braz de Aguiar Instruction Centre in Belem.