PM Phillips heads Guyana’s team to tripartite Shield talks

PRIME MINISTER MARK PHILLIPS HEADED A HIGH-LEVEL GUYANESE
DELEGATION to the inaugural three-day edition of the Guiana Shield Strategic Dialogue
from August 25-27 in Cayenne, French Guiana.

Former British and Dutch colonies, Guyana, and Suriname respectively and the territory of France, French
Guiana, formed the trilateral grouping which examined the joint security threats the three countries.

During the three-day talks representatives of the countries shared individual perspectives on
the regional strategic defence and security environment and how they can collaborate and
structure their operational and technical pacts to overcome security challenges facing them.

At the just-concluded three-way dialogue, representatives developed a common security masterplan, an
agreed to:
1. exchange views and work closely on technical and operational areas, including
increased joined land, and sea patrol missions;
2. develop a coordinated global approach on illicit trafficking and serious crimes,
including drugs trafficking, illegal gold mining, environmental crimes and
irregular immigration with a focus on anticipation, threat assessment,
prevention;
3. increasing joint attention on environment and climate change, including
security and defence impact on climate change, and to help safeguard essential
conditions for peace and sustainable development.

The Guiana Shield is a 1.7-billion-year-old Precambrian geological formation in
northeast South America forming a portion of its northern coast. The Guiana Highlands are
also the source of some of the world's most spectacular waterfalls such as Angel and
Kuquean Falls in Venezuela and the world-renowned Kaieteur Falls in Guyana.
Venezuela, parts of Colombia and Brazil also comprise the Guiana Shield.
Suriname’s delegation was led by Defense Minister, Krishna Mathoera, while the French
were headed by Brigadier General, Régis Colcombet.

Home Affairs Minister, Robeson Benn; Chief-of-Staff of the Guyana Defence Force,
Brigadier Godfrey Bess; National Security Advisor to the President, Captain Gerry Gouveia;
Director of the National Intelligence and Security Agency, Colonel Omar Khan; Director of
Customs Anti-Narcotic Agency, Mr James Singh; Staff Officer of the Guyana Defence Force
Lieutenant Colonel Andy Pompey; Aide to the Chief of Staff, Captain Rondell Douglas and
Aide to the Prime Minister Captain Godwin Cameron comprise the local team.