To consolidate gains made over the past decade with regard to RSS competence, inter-operability and usefulness for the region, U.S. support will focus on maintaining and improving RSS equipment, capabilities and training. With this support, the RSS can continue to play a key role in supporting U.S. policy in the sub-region and with proper training, can provide effective interdiction of illegal drugs and immigrants. The willingness of the RSS to provide troops to their neighbors reduces the need for unilateral U.S. intervention to restore stability at a government’s request.

Past funding of IMET programs for eastern Caribbean militaries and coast guards has contributed significantly to their professionalism. Although all RSS countries are functioning democracies, IMET funding reinforces and strengthens this professionalism. FY 1999 IMET funding will be used to train RSS military personnel in counter-narcotics. disaster relief, resource management and peacekeeping.

IMET courses taken by St. Vincent and Grenadines personnel, 2000:²

Funding amounts and numbers of students may not match the numbers indicated in the table on the main IMET page. This owes to (1) discrepancies between two Department of Defense source documents, and/or (2) the possibility that some students took more than one course.

IMET courses taken by St. Vincent and Grenadines personnel, 1999:³

Funding amounts and numbers of students may not match the numbers indicated in the table on the main IMET page. This owes to (1) discrepancies between two Department of Defense source documents, and/or (2) the possibility that some students took more than one course.

IMET courses taken by St. Vincent and Grenadines personnel, 1998:⁴

The total number of students may not match the number indicated in the table on the main IMET page. This owes to either (1) discrepancies between two Department of Defense source documents, or (2) the possibility that some students took more than one course.

IMET recipient units, 1998:

Expanded IMET courses

Source:

¹ United States, Department of State, Office of Resources, Plans and Policy, Congressional Presentation for Foreign Operations, Fiscal Year 1999 (Washington: March 1998): 422.

²United States, Department of Defense, Department of State, Foreign Military Training and DoD Engagement Activities of Interest (Washington: March 2001) <http://www.state.gov/t/pm/rls/rpt/2001/fmtrpt/>.

³United States, Department of Defense, Department of State, Foreign Military Training and DoD Engagement Activities of Interest in Fiscal Years 1999 and 2000: A Report to Congress (Washington: March 2000) <http://www.state.gov/www/global/arms/fmtrain/toc.html>.

⁴United States, Department of Defense, Department of State, Foreign Military Training and DoD Engagement Activities of Interest in Fiscal Years 1998 and 1999: A Report to Congress (Washington: March 1999).