The Regional Security System (RSS) must continue to evolve to meet emerging security challenges, its executive director, Rear Admiral Errington Shurland, said as the organisation marked its 44th anniversary on Thursday.
In an anniversary message, Shurland said the RSS had adapted over more than four decades to safeguard the Caribbean through cooperation in national defence, law enforcement, maritime and aviation security, disaster response and intelligence sharing.
He said the organisation, established in 1982, demonstrated the benefits of Caribbean solidarity and coordinated action in protecting the region.
Shurland also recognised the contributions of personnel serving within the RSS and security institutions across its member states, as well as the support of regional governments and international partners.
Looking ahead, he said the organisation must embrace innovation, strengthen regional interoperability, invest in human capital, use emerging technologies responsibly and deepen partnerships.
“The strength of the RSS has never rested solely in its operational capabilities or institutional structures,” Shurland said. “It resides in the shared conviction of our Member States that cooperation is not simply an option, but a necessity for securing our common Caribbean space.”
He called on member states to reaffirm their responsibility to protect communities, secure borders, uphold the rule of law and preserve regional peace and stability.
Shurland said the RSS’s mission remained as relevant as it was at its inception 44 years ago. (PR)