CST GENTIAN COMPLETES OUTSTANDING TRAINING AND

UNCLAS PARAMARIBO 000098

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL MASS MARR KPAO NS
SUBJECT: CST GENTIAN COMPLETES OUTSTANDING TRAINING AND
PUBLIC DIPLOMACY VISIT TO SURINAME

REF: GEORGETOWN 91


1. FOLLOWING ITS SUCCESSFUL VISIT TO GUYANA (REFTEL),CST
GENTIAN SAILED INTO PARAMARIBO JANUARY 21 AND COMPLETED A
HIGHLY PRAISED PROGRAM OF TRAINING AND PUBLIC RELATIONS. THE
AMBASSADOR MET THE GENTIAN AT SEA ON A SURINAMESE PILOT
VESSEL AND SAILED INTO PORT WITH THE GENTIAN'S CREW TO BEGIN
THE VISIT. THE AMBASSADOR ALSO HOSTED A PORT-SIDE RECEPTION
JANUARY 24 THAT WAS WELL ATTENDED BY MEMBERS OF THE LOCAL
ARMED FORCES, PROMINENT BUSINESSMEN, AND LEADING POLITICIANS.
THE GENTIAN GARNERED EXCELLENT AND EXTENSIVE MEDIA COVERAGE,
INCLUDING AN IN-DEPTH INTERVIEW WITH THE SURINAMESE CREW
MEMBER THAT APPEARED IN A LOCAL WEEKLY.


2. DURING THE GENTIAN'S VISIT, 35 SURINAMESE SAILORS, SIX
MEMBERS OF SURINAME'S PORT SECURITY DEPARTMENT AND FIVE
MEMBERS OF SURINAME'S MARITIME AUTHORITY'S EMERGENCY REACTION
TEAM RECEIVED 20 HOURS OF TRAINING IN FIVE CORE AREAS:

-- MARITIME LAW ENFORCEMENT;
-- FIRE FIGHTING AND AREA DAMAGE CONTROL;
-- NAVIGATIONAL RADAR/GPS;
-- BASIC LIFE SAVER MEDICAL ASSISTANCE;
-- MAINTENANCE ASSISTANCE.

FOLLOWING THE TRAINING, THE CST GENTIAN DONATED USD 23,800
WORTH OF EQUIPMENT TO THE SURINAMESE NAVY.


3. IN AN LAST-MINUTE TWIST, THE GENTIAN AGREED TO TRANSPORT
THREE SURINAMESE SAILORS TO TRINIDAD TO PARTICIPATE IN THE
CARIBBEAN ROUND-UP. THE DECISION WAS MADE TO BILLET THE
THREE SAILORS ON THE GENTIAN WHEN IT BECAME APPARENT THAT THE
GENTIAN'S ENGINEERING STAFF WAS UNABLE TO REPAIR ENGINE
COMPUTER PROBLEMS ON A SURINAMESE PATROL BOAT THAT WAS TO
TAKE PART IN THE ROUND-UP. SURINAMESE AUTHORITIES EXPRESSED
DEEP APPRECIATION FOR THE OPPORTUNITY GIVEN THEIR SAILORS TO
SAIL ABOARD THE GENTIAN TO TRINIDAD, ENABLING SURINAME TO
PARTICIPATE IN THE CARIBBEAN ROUND-UP.


4. COMMENT. THE GENTIAN VISIT UNDERLINED THE IMPORTANCE OF
THE CST PROGRAM TO SURINAME. IN ADDITION TO THE OUTSTANDING
TRAINING AND PUBLIC RELATIONS VALUES IT OFFERED, THE
GENTIAN'S VISIT HELPED ADVANCE SEVERAL EMBASSY PRIORITIES.
IN PARTICULAR, THE VISIT CAME AT A TIME WHEN SURINAME IS
MOVING TOWARD ESTABLISHING A COAST GUARD THAT WOULD TAKE OVER
MANY OF THE MISSIONS CURRENTLY ASSIGNED TO ITS SMALL NAVY, A
MOVE THAT THE US AND THE NETHERLANDS HAVE ADVOCATED FOR
SEVERAL YEARS. POST EXPRESSES ITS APPRECIATION FOR THE CST
PROGRAM AND REGISTERS ITS STRONG SUPPORT FOR ITS CONTINUATION.
BARNES

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2004PARAMA00098 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED



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