The Chief of the Defence Staff of the Jamaica Defence Force, Vice Admiral Antonette Wemyss-Gorman, conducted an operational visit to the military base at Luana in St. Elizabeth Parish on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, to assess ongoing reconstruction efforts.
The visit was intended to provide the military leadership with firsthand information regarding the scope and impact of works being executed by a multinational coalition.
During her time at the base, Vice Admiral Wemyss-Gorman interacted directly with troops from the Jamaica Defence Force, the Ghana Armed Forces, and the Guyana Defence Force to discuss the progress of their collective mission.
As part of the operational review, the Commander of the Ghana Engineering Reconstruction Team, Colonel Emmanuel Asia, provided a comprehensive briefing detailing the mandate and the specific projects completed by the joint team.
Colonel Asia highlighted the successful collaboration between the Ghanaian, Jamaican, and Guyanese forces, emphasizing their shared commitment to restoring infrastructure and supporting local communities affected by recent challenges. To commemorate the visit and acknowledge the CDS’s leadership,
Colonel Asia presented Vice Admiral Wemyss-Gorman with a plaque on behalf of the engineering team.
The high-level visit was attended by several senior officers, including the Brigade Commander of the Support Brigade, Brigadier O’Neil Bogle, and the Commanding Officer of the 1 Engineer Regiment, Lieutenant Colonel Haughton-James.
The presence of key staff officers from all participating forces underscored the unified nature of the reconstruction mission. The visit concluded with a reaffirmed focus on the upcoming phases of the project, which aim to further stabilize and rebuild the region through continued tri-national military cooperation.
Ruth Abla ADJORLOLO
