A two-week workshop on security and other issues for those individuals who are involved in planning all aspects of the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) opens today at the headquarters of the Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force at Camp Blizzard.
Captain Travis Pennyfeather, who is assisting with coordinating the training, said more than forty persons are expected to attend the training which will focus on operational planning.
“The training will emphasise how each sub-committee involved with the planning and implementation of those plans interface with each other and the role of security in all of this. Essentially, we want to ensure that security is central to all planning in every aspect of the preparations for CHOGM,” he declared.
He noted that security will be a top priority for all those delegates who intend to travel to Antigua and Barbuda for CHOGM and this will be a main factor on whether or not they attend. “Nobody will come to Antigua and Barbuda unless they are reassured that in coming here that they will be safe,” Capt. Pennyfeather stated.
Against this background, the security apparatus of the country is taking the proactive steps to ensure that from the outset, everyone thinks security as part of their overall planning.
The ABDF is serving as coordinators of the event, but the actual training will be conducted by a team of experts from Canada.
