Planned as a critical preparedness drill for an upcoming major national event, the first day of Exercise Stronghold, a multi-agency security simulation organized by Antigua and Barbuda’s national security apparatus, wrapped up two hours ahead of its scheduled end time around 10 a.m. Wednesday and has already been hailed as a successful first step by top security leaders. The closing briefing for Day One was held at the National Performing Arts Centre located on High Street in St. John’s, bringing together all participating units and key planning stakeholders.
The exercise is led jointly by the Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda and the Antigua and Barbuda Defense Force (ABDF), with additional support from other national security agencies. As part of Day One activities, organizers implemented a soft lockdown of a designated security perimeter, referred to in operational plans as the Red Zone. The bounded area spans from Corn Alley on the western edge to Parliament Street on the east, with New Street marking its southern boundary and the stretch connecting Upper Newgate Street to Old Parham Road forming its northern limit. Under the drill’s security protocols, all vehicle access was restricted within the zone, and full pedestrian movement was prohibited along Upper High Street.
Prior to the closing briefing, security leadership gathered with members of the National CHOGM Task Force and other relevant stakeholders at the top of High Street to walk through operational details and outline the core purpose of the simulation. Speaking to attendees, ABDF Brigadier Telbert Benjamin emphasized that the drill eliminates room for uncertainty as preparations for the main event enter their final stages.
He referenced a phrase popularized by High Commissioner Karen-Mae Hill to frame the current phase of planning: “The days for ‘I don’t know’, ‘I am not sure’; those things are gone. We are at the stage in preparation where we either say ‘yes’ or ‘no’. You either say ‘yes’ to the things that you ought to know or ‘no’ if you don’t. This is not an opportunity for guessing, there is no such thing.”
Beyond clarifying individual responsibilities, Benjamin noted the drill provides an invaluable opportunity for cross-agency alignment. “Secondly, and most importantly, this is an opportunity for us to learn what everyone else is doing and how what we do fits into the overall plan,” he added. The ABDF chief stressed that the upcoming event Antigua and Barbuda is preparing to host is unlike any large-scale gathering the country’s security forces have managed in the past, requiring a new level of coordinated readiness. “It is beyond anything we have done before, but we have passed the stage when we can say ‘we can’t do it’; we are at the stage where we have to do it,” he declared.
Royal Police Force Commissioner Everton Jeffers echoed Benjamin’s remarks, highlighting that full stakeholder participation in every preparatory exercise is non-negotiable for successful operational delivery. “We have to operate today as how we would operate on Friday (Day 2) or on the actual day of the event. This means if you are supposed to be here, I expect that you would be here because if you are here you would know what will happen on the day of the event and would not need to be asking, what’s next?” Jeffers said.
Throughout the Day One simulation, security personnel also outlined long-term security arrangements for the main event, confirming that multiple areas and buildings surrounding the primary venue will be locked down for the official ceremony. They urged all personnel assigned to specific time slots to adhere strictly to arrival schedules to avoid operational disruptions.
After the concluding briefing at the new National Performing Arts Centre, where security teams reviewed the full sequence of activities planned for the main event day, Day One of Exercise Stronghold officially wrapped up. Barriers were dismantled shortly after, and normal vehicular and pedestrian activity resumed across downtown St. John’s as scheduled.