Cross-border organised crime and instability in Venezuela affect the work of the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard. The Coast Guard therefore needs more personnel and is working to replace equipment. This is stated in the Annual Plan 2025 Caribbean Coast Guard that Dutch Defence Minister Brekelmans sent to the House of Representatives.

In terms of equipment, this includes the replacement of cutters and shore-based radar units on the Windward Islands. In addition, the Coast Guard is expanding considerably and new positions need to be filled in the coming months. This is immediately one of the biggest challenges because of the specialist skills required. New personnel will be recruited as much as possible in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom.

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Troubled environment

The annual plan also lists the main environmental factors that help shape the Coast Guard’s work. The Caribbean part of the Kingdom is a dynamic region with geopolitical, socio-economic and climatic challenges. For instance, the ongoing crisis in Venezuela has destabilising consequences for the entire region. Irregular immigration from the South American country is one example.

In addition, the Caribbean is struggling with cross-border organised crime. Especially drug and human smuggling. Periodic (extreme) climatic conditions, such as hurricanes, also occur. These environmental factors directly affect the work of the Netherlands Coast Guard in the Caribbean.

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Broad range of tasks

The Netherlands Coast Guard is the maritime link in the law enforcement chain of the Caribbean part of the Netherlands. For Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten and the public entities of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba, the Coast Guard performs investigative and supervisory tasks in addition to service tasks, such as search and rescue. These include not only combating drugs, general police duties, counter-terrorism and border control, but also enforcing environmental regulations and combating human smuggling and trafficking.

The annual plan builds on the Long-Term Plan Personnel 2021-2028 and the Long-Term Plan Equipment 2019-2028.

Picture: Netherlands Coast Guard cutter Jaguar (by the Dutch Ministry of Defence).

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