CARICOM Heads agree on crime crackdown measures
By Stanford Conway
Editor-in-Chief-SKNVibes.com
~~Adz:Left~~ BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – CARICOM Heads of Government have agreed on a number of measures to be taken in order to crack down on crime and boost the region’s security system.
Reports coming out of Port-of-Spain, Trinidad inform that CARICOM Heads of Government are to sign a regional Maritime and Airspace Security Cooperation Agreement and the CARICOM Arrest Warrant Treaty by July this year.
They have also agreed to explore the establishment of a Rapid Deployment Regional Joint Force and to enact legislation to allow the security forces to conduct wiretapping as well as to establish a CARICOM polygraphing facility.
These decisions were made when the region’s leaders met last Friday and Saturday at the Hilton Trinidad Conference Centre for the 13th Special Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government to discuss Crime and Security.
A statement issued at the conclusion of the meeting noted that CAICOM Heads also agreed to engage international partners, particularly the USA, regarding implications for the region in its anti-narcotics efforts in Central America and the Pacific Coast, and also the drafting of a model national legislation for enactment by CARICOM member states.
Approval was given for the CARICOM Secretariat to facilitate the conducting of a region-wide campaign against crime. The Heads also agreed on the retooling, retraining and realignment of national and regional intelligence units to assist law enforcement agencies in the region; to utilise current facilities such as the Regional Intelligence Fusion Centre, the Joint Regional Communications Centre and the CARICOM Watch List.
With regards to wire-tapping, it was unanimously agreed that legislation would be developed to track telephone conversations. On this subject, Guyana’s President, Bharrat Jagdeo told reporters it has to be done under controlled circumstances with respect to people’s privacy, “but this is absolutely necessary.”
With regard to gun-related crimes, CARICOM Heads agreed to enforce the existing regulations on the use and storage of firearms and ammunition and to establish a regional database of firearms that would be accessible to all law enforcement agencies of CARICOM member states.
Plans are also in train to improve the region’s capability to detect and keep under surveillance the movement of firearms, their importation, transfer, sale, theft and use. Inter-agency collaboration for crime prevention at the national level will be promoted and a Regional Investigative Management Team will be established to support difficult and protracted investigations.
Another decision taken at the conference was concerning the growing issue of deportees to the region. It was agreed to develop Memorandums of Understanding [MOUs] with governments of the United States of America, Canada and the United Kingdom for the deportation of Caribbean nationals convicted of crimes in those countries. These MOUs should include the provision of adequate notification of CARICOM member states prior to the return of the deportees.
CARICOM Chairman and Prime Minister of The Bahamas Hubert Ingraham pointed out that the notification process would be designed especially for those individuals who have been long-term residents of the deporting countries to settle their affairs before returning to the Caribbean. ~~Adz:Right~~
It was noted that the MOUs should also allow for the availability of complete dossiers, including criminal antecedents and medical records where applicable. Negotiations would be made for the MOUs to also include appropriate arrangements to reduce the financial burden on deportees and the countries to which they were deported, as well as support for programmes designed to aid their rehabilitation and reintegration in the region.
CARICOM Head have agreed to renew the system of the provision of an advance list of passengers booked to be flown into the region. They also agreed to the re-establishment of a common visa for visitors to the Cariibbean.
According to the Conference host and Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Patrick Manning, these measures are to be developed, agreed upon and put in place before April 2009 when Trinidad and Tobago would host the Summit of the Americas conference to be attended by 34 nations.
