Gewry Northwood (second from right), the commanding officer of the HMJS Liverpool, the British war ship which sailed into Kingston Harbour two days ago, has the attention of, from left, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Glenmore Hinds; Deputy British High Commissioner to Jamaica, Phil Sinkinson and Chief of Staff of the Jamaica Defence Force, Rear Admiral Hardley Lewin. - Ian Allen/Staff Photographer
THE BRITISH Government has temporarily deployed one of its vessels, the HMS Liverpool, to assist Operation Kingfish in its continued fight against the illicit drug trade.
Logistics officer aboard the vessel, Bruce Finch, said the ship which was used by British forces in the 2003 American led invasion of Iraq, cruised into the Kingston Harbour three days ago and has been assisting the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) with a number of exercises.
"We have been patrolling areas such as Black River," Mr. Finch told journalists yesterday, during a brief tour of the ship.
The vessel, which is fully equipped, is expected to patrol Caribbean waters for the next
12 days.
Before coming to Jamaica, the ship visited St. Vincent and the Grenadines and will next sail
to Curaçao.
"We are also here to provide security for the British territories," said Gewry Northwood, the commanding officer of the vessel.
The Deputy British High Commissioner to Jamaica, Phil Sinkinson, said the presence of the ship in the Caribbean waters is a manifestation of his country's commitment to support the Jamaican government in its effort to eradicate the drug trade.
