The main opposition People’s National Party (PNP) says it is still awaiting a respnse from the Andrew Holness government to its request for a full briefing regarding the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) agreement Jamaica signed with the United States aimed at strengthening military and security cooperation between the two countries.
Opposition spokesperson on national security, Fitz Jackson, said he has written to National Security and Peace Minister, Dr Horace Chang, requesting details on the agreement that was signed earlier this month at the earliest opportunity.
The agreement was signed on August 20, following discussions between U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Chang during a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the Americas Counter Cartels Coalition Forum in Panama on August 12.
A SOFA establishes the terms under which members of one country’s armed forces may temporarily operate in another country for mutually agreed activities, including military training exercises and joint operations. Jamaica joins more than 120 countries that have similar agreements with the United States.
Jackson said the agreement raises important national security considerations and that its implications for Jamaica, as well as safeguards to protect the country’s interests, should be clearly understood.
He said the PNP wants to ascertain the key provisions of the agreement, the safeguards established to protect Jamaica’s national interests and security, and other matters arising from the agreement.
Jackson, who said that the opposition is still awaiting a response to its request, said that while the PNP recognises the sensitive nature of national security matters it will observe the customary parliamentary confidentiality applicable to such issues.
But he said given the reported execution of the agreement, it is important for the Parliamentary Opposition to be properly briefed on its provisions and the safeguards in place to protect Jamaica’s interests.
In a joint statement last week, Washington and Kingston said the agreement sends a message to criminal organizations in the region that the two countries are committed to expanding their cooperation in the fight against groups involved in trafficking guns, drugs and people.
The agreement provides a framework for further cooperation in areas including regional security, defense and disaster response, according to the statement.