(CARICOM Secretariat, Georgetown, Guyana) As the Caribbean prepares to host thousands of visitors expected to flock to the Region for its Cricket World Cup 2007, security concerns are high on the CARICOM agenda. This is in light of the drastic changes in travel requirements that have taken place in the post “9/11” world.

Saint Lucia’s Minister of National Security the Honorable Calitxe George says CARICOM Ministers of National Security are building a stronger relationship with the organisers of Cricket World Cup 2007, “because the efficient and seamless operation of the security elements of CWC 2007, are vital to our survival as a Region.”

He was speaking to Journalists in Saint Lucia, at a CARICOM Media Clinic staged to outline issues for deliberation at the upcoming Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), scheduled to take place in Saint Lucia from 3-6 July 2005.

Minister George said several meetings have already been held with the organisers of “CWC 2007,” and a Regional Crime and Security Architecture Plan has been drafted upon which there has been areas of agreement by CARICOM Security Ministers.

Among the areas of agreement is the need for a good relationship between Customs and Immigration Departments; unified standard of visa arrangement among CARICOM Member States; unified standards for immigration clearance; the electronic transfer of information among countries; the development of a unified policy of structured movement of equipment; access to the data base of sister countries to monitor movement of persons; and the need for the implementation of a Regional Intelligence System among others.

Minister George said there was also the need for the harmonisation of a Risk Assessment System between CARICOM Member States and the CWC 2007 management and pointed to the need for the setting up of a Regional Clearing House to coordinate risk assessment among CARICOM Member States countries, as well as Cricket World Cup 2007 organisers.

In terms of the Sunset Legislation, which is being developed specifically for Cricket World Cup 2007, he explained that these are laws to be enacted to ensure among other things, the protection of Rights for CWC 2007. He said there were certain constitutional concerns in some areas, which needed to be fleshed out, but noted that there was nothing to be feared, as these laws would become null and void at the end of the cricket tournament.