Jamaica Opposition raises security concerns over US military agreement

Jamaica’s Parliamentary Opposition is seeking a full briefing from the Government on the newly signed Status of Forces Agreement between Jamaica and the United States, citing national security considerations and the need for clarity on safeguards protecting the country’s interests.

Opposition Spokesperson on National Security Fitz Jackson has written to National Security and Peace Minister Dr. Horace Chang requesting details of the agreement at the earliest opportunity.

The Opposition said it wants to ascertain the key provisions of the agreement, the safeguards established to protect Jamaica’s national interests and security, and other matters arising from its implementation.

Jackson acknowledged the sensitive nature of national security matters and said the Opposition would observe the customary parliamentary confidentiality applicable to such issues.

However, he said that given the execution of the agreement, it is important for the Parliamentary Opposition to be properly briefed on its provisions and the measures in place to safeguard Jamaica’s interests.

The Opposition said it is awaiting the requested briefing.

The Status of Forces Agreement, or SOFA, was announced in a joint statement by the Jamaican and U.S. governments on Thursday.

The agreement, signed Aug. 20, formalises the terms governing the presence of U.S. military personnel in Jamaica while conducting mutually agreed activities, including military training exercises and joint operations.

It followed discussions between U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Chang, who is also Jamaica’s deputy prime minister, during a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the Americas Counter Cartels Coalition Forum in Panama on Aug. 12.

A SOFA establishes the terms under which members of one country’s armed forces may temporarily operate in another country for agreed activities. More than 120 countries have similar agreements with the United States.

In their joint statement, the Jamaican and U.S. governments said the agreement signals to criminal organisations operating in the region that both countries are committed to expanding cooperation against groups involved in trafficking guns, drugs and people.

The agreement also provides a framework for further cooperation in regional security, defence and disaster response.