BRIDGETOWN, Barbados - The latest of studies commissioned by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) have underscored the serious negative impact that crime and violence are having on economies of the Caribbean at a time when economic growth with job-creation continues to be elusive for  a number of CARICOM states.
Not just the IDB, but also the World Bank and our own Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) have been pointing to the challenges facing this region.
It’s an area where social and economic development programmes continue to be undermined by spreading gun-related violence, human trafficking and the trade in illegal  drugs, with women and youth being most notable victims.