On Tuesday, Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness announced that the government will send 24 military and police personnel to Haiti to support an international mission aimed at combating powerful gangs.
The first group will deploy on Thursday to help establish the command structure in preparation for additional deployments.
In March, Jamaica committed 200 personnel to the U.N.-backed mission. However, delays in deploying the security force have raised concerns, with its mandate set to expire in less than a month if not renewed.
Antonette Wemyss-Gorman, a senior defense official, stated that Jamaica’s team will serve under senior military officer Kevron Henry, who will act as deputy commander to Kenya’s Godfrey Otunge.
“This is just the beginning of our efforts,” Holness said. “We are focused on ensuring a successful operation, and proper planning will prevent any shortcomings.”
Kenya leads the mission in Haiti, already deploying 400 officers out of its pledged 1,000. Alongside Kenya, Benin, Jamaica, the Bahamas, and Belize have committed to sending over 2,900 troops.
Belize recently announced plans to send two senior officers to Jamaica as part of the mission. Several other countries have also pledged personnel, although specific numbers remain unclear.
