A critical meeting of Civil Aviation top executives from Member States of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) began today at the Georgetown-Based CARICOM Secretariat, aimed at crafting a regional initiative to tighten aviation security across the Region.

The Ninth Meeting of Technical Directors/Directors of Civil Aviation is convened against the background of the challenging events of 11 September, 2001, where for the first time civil aircraft were misused as weapons of destruction, presenting a significant new threat to the safety, efficiency and regularity to international and domestic civil aviation.

The two-day meeting, a major development from the Special Summit of CARICOM leaders held in the Bahamas in October, 2001 following the tragic events of 11 September, 2001 in the United States of America, is expected to assess the integrity of airport security systems of Member States as well as consider the status of implementation of key international legal instruments concerning aviation security and liability for death and injury of passengers and damage to baggage and cargo.

The Aviation executives will be looking at possible areas and measures in which they can mount joint action to boost those systems. Delegates are also expected to discuss a special regional aviation security fund.

The regional Civil Aviation forum will also undertake preparatory work for the Region's contribution to the proposed International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) High Level Ministerial Conference on aviation security which is expected to be convened during the first quarter of 2002.