By Val Matthias. Updated 11:01 a.m., Friday, October 30, 2026, Atlantic Standard Time (GMT-4).
Approximately 20 police officers from different sections of the Royal Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (RSVGPF) have been deployed to Antigua and Barbuda to support regional security preparations for the 2026 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).
The Vincentian contingent is working alongside the Regional Security System (RSS) ahead of the four-day meeting, which runs from November 1 to 4.
The deployment brings together officers from different sections of the RSVGPF as part of a wider regional effort to provide security for the gathering of Commonwealth leaders, government officials and international delegates.
The RSVGPF says the deployment reflects the Force’s commitment to regional cooperation, professional policing and the collective responsibility of Caribbean countries to maintain a safe and secure environment for major international events.
The Force has not outlined the specific operational duties assigned to the Vincentian officers.
The participation of Vincentian police in the Antigua security operation is not without precedent.
In May 2024, members of the RSVGPF and the SVG Coast Guard joined an RSS Joint Task Force deployed to Antigua and Barbuda ahead of the Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS4).
That operation involved security personnel from five countries, including Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and featured maritime assets, drones, tactical response teams, infantry personnel and close-protection officers.
The deployment was intended to support Antigua and Barbuda’s security agencies during the international conference, which brought together representatives from governments and organisations around the world.
Regional security assistance has also been provided to Barbados. In November 2025, RSS personnel from several member countries supported security arrangements for the installation of the country’s second president and its Independence celebrations.
The Regional Security System was established through an agreement signed in October 1982 by Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
Grenada and St Kitts and Nevis subsequently joined, while Guyana acceded to the treaty in 2022.
The organisation provides a framework for member states to assist one another with security threats and coordinate responses to regional challenges. Its work includes cooperation in law enforcement, maritime security, counter-narcotics operations, transnational crime and disaster response.
The current deployment places Vincentian officers within that regional security framework as Antigua and Barbuda prepares to host one of the Commonwealth’s most significant political gatherings.
CHOGM is held every two years and brings together leaders of the Commonwealth’s 56 member countries to discuss issues affecting their nations and the wider international community.
The 2026 meeting in Antigua and Barbuda follows the previous gathering in Samoa in 2024.
While the RSVGPF has confirmed the participation of approximately 20 officers, further details about their individual assignments and the duration of the deployment have not been disclosed.
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About the Author: This story was written and submitted by freelance journalist Mr. Val Matthias, a trained communicator with more than two decades in the media sector. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Media and Communication (UWI Mona), a Master of Science in Tourism and Hospitality Management (UWI Cave Hill), a Certificate in Digital Marketing, and has years of broadcast journalism experience rising to ranks of a programme manager. All supporting materials for this story have been presented, vetted, and verified. Mr Matthias can be reached at valmatthias188@gmail.com
