During a press conference following the 50th CARICOM heads of government meeting, Prime Minister Dr. Godwin Friday and Foreign Minister Dwight Fitzgerald Bramble addressed concerns regarding U.S. drone strikes against narcotic trafficking in the waters of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Prime Minister Friday stated that the government did not give the United States authority to carry out these strikes in its waters and noted that the government learned about the incidents through social media and regional reports rather than direct communication from U.S. authorities.
Friday characterized the strikes as a “very serious matter” due to the risks they pose to citizens, particularly fisher folk going about their normal business. There is a recognized fear among the local fishing community following these incidents.
Despite reaching out to the Regional Security System (RSS) and the U.S. embassy in Barbados, the government reported a significant lack of direct information or confirmation from the U.S. regarding the specifics of the strikes, Friday noted.
The issue was discussed among CARICOM and OECS heads of government, who agreed that it is a serious regional concern that will be pursued collectively with relevant U.S. authorities.
While the government is pursuing the matter at a diplomatic level, the Friday urged citizens and fisher folk to continue their normal activities but advised them to be “alert for things that don’t look normal” to avoid unnecessary risks.
Foreign Minister Fitz Bramble reiterated that the safety and security of the people remain the government’s “utmost importance,” though he acknowledged that as a small developing nation, some international developments are “completely out of our control”.