Canadian Armed Forces deployed to Jamaica to help train CARICOM troops

OTTAWA — A few dozen Canadian Armed Forces members have been deployed to Jamaica to train Caribbean Community troops for a mission intended to restore order in Haiti.

A news release from the Department of National Defence says 70 Canadian Forces members were deployed on Friday at the request of the Jamaican government.

It says the month-long assignment will see the CAF members help prepare CARICOM troops for deployment in Haiti, where the Caribbean soldiers will bolster the Haitian National Police as part of a United Nations authorized mission to restore security in the country.

The Canadian personnel, who will train soldiers in skills including combat first aid and peacekeeping, are drawn primarily from the 1st Battalion, Royal 22nd Regiment from Valcartier, Que., while the Caribbean Community troops are from Jamaica, Belize and the Bahamas.

Gangs in Haiti have overwhelmed local police forces and taken control of key infrastructure in the nation, triggering a violent turf war that has led to the collapse of the island society. 

In January, the Canadian Armed Forces led training courses for nearly 300 defence personnel from Jamaica, Belize, and Bahamas.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 30, 2024.

The Canadian Press