The United States warship, ‘USS Gravely’ arrived here on Sunday even as Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar sought to down play threats of military aggression in the region and the Bishops of the Antilles Episcopal Conference (AEC) saying that ‘we stand in solidarity with all the peoples of the Caribbean, especially those most directly affected by this situation’.
In addition, Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley, addressing the 86th annual conference of her ruling Barbados Labour Party (BLP) on Saturday night, expressed concern as the ‘menacing military’ US vessels across the Caribbean Sea, urging dialogue to prevent war from starting.
Mottley said if ever there is a need to remind how unstable and dangerous the world is ‘and how vulnerable our Caribbean region is, it is now with us facing a multiplicity of threats.
‘We don’t have to look any further than the menacing military vessels from the United States across the Caribbean Sea, including what is reputed to be the world’s largest warship. These are not times of pirates anymore, this is 2025 and we have cause to be duly concerned,’ she said.
Last week, the Donald Trump administration announced that it is intensifying its military build-up in the Caribbean with Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth ordering the deployment of the world’s largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, and its carrier air wing, to the Caribbean in aid of what the administration says is its counter-drug initiative.