JAMAICA | PNP Demands Regional Response to U.S. Military Strikes

Opposition Senator calls for urgent CARICOM action after deadly drone attacks leave dozens dead, including two Trinidadians

KINGSTON, Jamaica. October 18, 2025: The opposition People's National Party has raised the alarm over what it describes as a dangerous escalation of military action in Caribbean waters, following reports that U.S. forces conducted lethal strikes against vessels in the region, resulting in dozens of deaths including two Trinidadian nationals.

Shadow Minister of Foreign, Regional and Diaspora Affairs, Senator Donna Scott-Mottley, issued a strongly-worded statement on Friday expressing grave concern about the reported use of armed drones and lethal force in waters long designated as a Zone of Peace by the Caribbean Community.

"The Caribbean Community has long promoted the vision of this region as a Zone of Peace," Senator Scott-Mottley declared. "That principle is not symbolic. It is a binding commitment to peaceful coexistence, respect for sovereignty, and strict adherence to international law.

The reported use of armed drones and lethal force in our waters without transparency or judicial process represents a direct threat to that commitment."

The strikes, which also resulted in the U.S. Army detaining two individuals of undisclosed nationality, have sent shockwaves through coastal communities across the region.

According to Senator Scott-Mottley, fisherfolk and those who depend on Caribbean waters for their livelihoods are now living in fear of being caught in military crossfire or misidentified as targets.

"Our people are entitled to pursue their livelihoods free from the shadow of militarisation," she stated. "These waters sustain life and commerce; they are not to be transformed into a theatre of war. We cannot remain silent in the face of actions that compromise sovereignty, human rights, and the rule of law."

The Senator's concerns echo those voiced just days earlier by former Prime Minister P.J. Patterson, who issued a sharp rebuke of the U.S. military actions in response to questions from the Jamaica Gleaner.

Patterson characterized the drone strikes as a dangerous erosion of the region's sovereignty and called for urgent collective action by Caribbean leaders—a position now being amplified by the current opposition.

The statement strikes at the heart of longstanding regional concerns about sovereignty and the right of Caribbean nations to control their territorial waters without external military interference.

The region has historically championed non-alignment and diplomatic solutions over military action, positioning itself as a zone committed to peaceful coexistence.

The timing of the strikes adds another layer of complexity to an already tense regional political climate. The incident comes as Caribbean leaders grapple with multiple security challenges, from transnational crime to the impacts of climate change, all while seeking to preserve the region's independence and territorial integrity.

Senator Scott-Mottley emphasized that CARICOM's tradition of choosing diplomacy and cooperation over force represents one of the region's greatest strengths—a tradition now under threat.

She called on Prime Minister Andrew Holness, in his capacity as current CARICOM Chairman, to immediately convene consultations among member states to forge a unified regional response.

Her call to action outlined specific priorities for CARICOM consideration: a clear reaffirmation by all member states of the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace, and full respect for international legal norms, including the right to life, due process, and state sovereignty.

"The Caribbean cannot afford to normalise extrajudicial actions in its waters," Senator Scott-Mottley concluded. "As a region, we must stand together to ensure that the principles of peace, sovereignty, and international law continue to guide our future."

The statement from Jamaica's opposition comes at a critical juncture for regional relations with the United States.

While Caribbean nations have long maintained close ties with Washington, incidents involving military force in regional waters risk undermining decades of diplomatic cooperation built on mutual respect and recognition of sovereignty.

As news of the strikes spreads through fishing villages and coastal towns across the Caribbean, the human cost of militarised security operations is becoming impossible to ignore.

The deaths of the two Trinidadians, whose identities have not yet been publicly released, represent more than statistics—they are citizens of a sovereign nation, killed in waters their government considers its own.

The convergence of criticism from both a revered elder statesman like Patterson and the current opposition suggests growing unease across Jamaica's political spectrum about the implications of unchecked military operations in regional waters.

The question now facing Caribbean leaders is whether they will allow such incidents to become routine, or whether they will assert the region's right to determine its own security arrangements.

Senator Scott-Mottley's call for a unified CARICOM response suggests that at least some political leaders believe the moment for decisive action has arrived.

As Prime Minister Holness weighs his options as CARICOM Chairman, the region watches to see whether words about peace and sovereignty will be backed by collective diplomatic pressure, or whether the Caribbean will accept a new reality of militarised waters and extrajudicial force.

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