“CARICOM Heads of Governments expressed deep concern about the high levels of crime and violence in the Region, driven in part by firearms and ammunition trafficking, transnational criminal networks, and a breakdown of social structures, and the impact of crime and violence on young people and children.”
CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana - Thursday, 12 September 2024: Crime and violence as a public health issue, regional health security, human resources for health, disease surveillance, and matters pertaining to the Port-of-Spain Declaration on Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs) were among the priority issues discussed at the Meeting of Officials preparatory to the Forty-Seventh Meeting of the Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD) – Health, held virtually on 11 September 2024.
Hon. Dr Terrence Drew, Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, continues to raise the alarm about the increased instances of violent crime involving the use of illegal firearms in the Region. Dr Drew underscored this during the four-day Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS) meeting, which began in St. Kitts and Nevis on Monday.
Addressing the CARICOM Crime Gun Intelligence Unit (CGIU) Sensitization and Awareness meeting, the Prime Minister noted:
CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana - Friday, 8 March 2024: Officials from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) met from 4-6 March at the Community’s Headquarters in Georgetown, Guyana, to finalise a joint action plan for their cooperation.
The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago will hold a Regional Symposium addressing Crime and Violence as a Public Health Issue, 17-18 April 2023, at the Hyatt Regency, Trinidad and Tobago.
A Regional Symposium on “Violence as a Public Health Issue – The Crime Challenge” will be held at the Hyatt Regency, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago on the 17-18 April, 2023.
The Symposium will be hosted by the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Dr the Hon. Keith Rowley and will be attended by CARICOM Heads of Government.
(Joint Press Release by CARICOM Secretariat and the United Nations Caribbean) On Tuesday, 12 July 2022, Her Excellency Dr. Carla Barnett, Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) received Mr. Roberto Valent, Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean for the Development Coordination Office (DCO) of the United Nations.
The importance of investing in youth, including treatment and rehabilitation for those who are using and addicted to alcohol and other drugs, was underscored at the Official Opening of the Regional Adolescent Training Workshops on 4 February 2019 in Trinidad and Tobago. To this end, partnerships, relevant policies and adolescents’ prevention programmes, among others, were emphasised by speakers who represented the CARICOM Secretariat, Delegation of the European Union, Organisation of the American States (OAS) and the Government of Trinidad and Tobago.
Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat Assistant Secretary-General (ASG), Dr. Douglas Slater, emphasised the critical link between human resource development and economic development and, in this regard, the importance of treatment and rehabilitation for persons with problematic drug use and misuse. The ASG was speaking at the Opening of the Regional Adolescent Training Workshop earlier today, in Trinidad and Tobago.
More than 20 representatives from government ministries and non-governmental organisations in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) are attending a regional workshop to develop a draft Model School Drug Policy. The workshop opened on 21 January 2019, in Castries.
The use of licit and illicit substances, including alcohol; inhalants; and marijuana has been increasing, particularly by students across the Region.