(Jamaica Gleaner) – Thirty local police officers will be part of a regional team to provide security at the Fifth Summit of the Americas in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, from April 17-19.

United States President Barack Obama will be attending the summit.
Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Wayne Cameron will be leading the country’s police delegation. The Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) is also sending a contingent.

The security officers left the country yesterday on a three-week training programme, after which they will provide security support at the summit.

Cameron told The Gleaner that the police are excited about working at the summit.
“The first black president of the United States is coming to the Caribbean and I believe it is enough reason for us to go there and work and the police are eager and ready to go,” Cameron said.

Critical issues pertaining to the Caribbean are expected to be discussed at the summit.
In a ‘New Partnership for the Americas’ document, Obama said, “It is time for a new alliance of the Americas.”

He stated that this should leave behind “eight years of failed policies” and “top-down reforms” and put forward instead an “agenda that advances democracy, security and opportunity from the bottom up”.

Trinidad Prime Minister Patrick Manning has said that while it is not the intention of Caribbean leaders to corner Obama, lifting the embargo on Cuba would be on everybody’s lips.

“I think there is a meeting of minds as to how best the question of Cuba should be handled,” he said.