CARICOM Chair Calls for Regional Unity to Disrupt Criminal Networks
“I am on record as saying that we need to launch a war on gangs of a similar magnitude and nature to the war on terror.”
“I am on record as saying that we need to launch a war on gangs of a similar magnitude and nature to the war on terror.”
“We must take a very strong approach to it from a legislative perspective to create the laws that will enable us to have surveillance to detain them - of course, within the accepted rules of human rights and the treatment of citizens - but certainly, there needs to be what we call in Jamaica enhanced measures to treat with this new and emerging threat to our democracy.”
“We also expect that these acts – using the tools of trade of the criminals at large in our communities from The Bahamas to Suriname, Saint Lucia to Trinidad and Tobago – that they be deemed to be acts of terrorism and allow us to view them, not only the executive, but by our judiciary and allow us to fashion the appropriate legislation."
“…Heads sourced and obtained the services of a former [Attorney General] of Belize, Godfrey Smith, who has been tasked to review our legislative templates and to come up with new legislative proposals for consideration by the Heads for changes to be made on the legislative side to treat with what we are experiencing as against what we are surprised by.”
As the Region seeks to consolidate integration in the year ahead, we look forward to continued collaboration with our stakeholders and partners, including the CARICOM Committee of Ambassadors and CARICOM Youth Ambassadors, as well as the guidance of the Bureau of the Conference, which will comprise Barbados, Grenada and Jamaica effective 1 January 2025.
“This initiative is both critical and timely, given the importance of electricity in improving lives and livelihoods. It is well-positioned to benefit rural populations, support CDB’s mission to provide affordable, clean, sustainable, reliable, and renewable energy to our client countries, and contribute to the broader goal of promoting sustainable development and climate resilience in the Region.”
“CARICOM Ministers with responsibility for National Security, representatives from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (CARICOM-IMPACS), Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), Regional Security System (RSS) and the CARICOM Secretariat are in attendance.
Following the inaugural symposium on Crime and Violence as a Public Health Safety Issue and the Declaration of the Heads of Government in Trinidad and Tobago on 17-18 April 2023, CARICOM Heads of Government met in caucus in Georgetown, Guyana, on 27 February 2024 to discuss the prevailing dire state of crime, violence, and public safety amongst its Member States.
Recognising the need for a multi-faceted approach to address various crime and security challenges in Barbados and across the region, a number of institutions will be working to implement the 10th EDF CARIFORUM Crime and Security Cooperation Programme.
Myrna Bernard, Director of Human Development at the CARICOM Secretariat revealed the above recently, as the programme was launched in Barbados.
St. Kitts and Nevis’ chief diplomat to the United States will join other diplomats from regional countries in lobbying the US government to continue its support of youth at-risk programmes in the Caribbean.