The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) has successfully completed a three-day visit to Curaçao, which ultimately strengthened the GDF’s delegation, led by Colonel General Staff, Captain (Coast Guard) Vernon Burnett.
The visit, hosted by Rear Admiral Walter Hansen, Commander of the Netherlands Forces in the Caribbean (NLFORCARIB) and Director of the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard (DCCG), aimed to strengthen defence ties and explore future cooperation.
GDF Ranks alongside Ranks of the Netherlands Forces in the Caribbean (NLFORCARIB)
The team, which included senior officers from the Coast Guard, Air Corps, and Planning Branch, engaged in briefings and discussions focused on shared security priorities, including territorial integrity, transnational crime, and disaster response.
Highlights of the visit included tours of Navy Base Parera, Her Netherlands Majesty’s Ship (HNLMS) Pelikaan, DCCG aviation units, and the Western Atlantic Coastal Operations Area (WACAO) live-firing training area, as well as a high-speed sailing exercise through the port of Willemstad.
The visit reinforced a mutual commitment to regional stability and paved the way for continued collaboration through joint exercises, forums, and bilateral cooperation.
