John Cooper, Robert Scott and John VanOsdol aboard “HMJS Surrey”

The Auxiliary’s International Affairs Directorate has, as one of its principal missions, the enhancement of the security, stability, and safety of life at sea in the Caribbean region.  This mission is being accomplished through the strengthening and establishment of local Coast Guard and non-government volunteer search and rescue organizations. 

These local volunteers can provide their government search and rescue and other non-law enforcement support, thereby freeing their forces to focus on law enforcement and security missions.  The objective is to provide a greater capability, locally, when larger numbers of trained and properly equipped personnel are required to meet the needs caused by natural and/or man-made disasters.

As part of this mission, and at their request, our Directorate provided advice and assistance in the formation of JASAR, the Jamaica Search and Rescue Organization.  JASAR is now up-and-running.

The JASAR team who participated in the training weekend

As part of this assistance, the USCG Auxiliary committed to travel to Jamaica and teach JASAR members some of the techniques used by our Auxiliary.  Those that JASAR felt were most critical to their growth and success in Jamaica.

Consequently, John VanOsdol, Deputy Director, and John Cooper, Caribbean Division Chief, arranged with Robert Scott, JASAR’s Chairman, to travel to Kingston, Jamaica and devote the weekend of 15 & 16 September 2007 to instructing 15 JASAR members. 

Subjects were; ABC (America’s Boating Course); how to organize a program to conduct Vessel Safety Checks; and how to become more effective instructors – all of which are embodied in Auxiliary public education courses.

LT Alistair Stewart, the Jamaica Defence Force-Coast Guard liaison Officer to JASAR, also participated throughout the entire weekend.

Groundwork was laid for the development of a simple boating safety training program for Jamaica’s subsistance fisherman – which might then be exported to other Caribbean nations.

Breakout groups preparing their lesson plans

Preparing a plan to encourage public support of JASAR was also covered over the weekend.  The workshops were held in the facilities of the Royal Jamaica Yacht Club.  Certificates of Completion were awarded to all participants at the conclusion of the program.

Highlights of the weekend for VanOsdol and Cooper, were after-class tours conducted by Chairman Scott.  First, was a visit to the Rae Town Fishing Village.  This provided the opportunity to get a better ‘feel’ for the needs of the subsistence fishermen.   

Secondly, Chairman Scott hosted a reception on a mountaintop, providing a splendid view of Kingston at night.  The reception was preceded by a guided tour of downtown Kingston.

Lt. Stewart led the group in a tour of “HMJS Surrey”, one of Jamaican Defense Force-Coast Guard’s three new “County Class” 43 meter high speed patrol boats and “HMJS Cagway”, the principal JDF-CG station. Transportation to the Coast Guard station was provided by a 600 HP ‘Go-fast’ boat confiscated in a drug bust.