ST.JOHN'S Antigua, April 20th, 2012 -- The Regional Security System (RSS) has initiated a detailed study to gather information on gangs in its seven Member States to understand the state of gang activity in the region and to develop programmes that can be implemented to address this type of activity.
Speaking to the media following the RSS Practice Committee Meeting opening ceremony at the PomMarine Hotel, Marine Gardens, Christ Church, RSS Co-ordinator, Grantley Watson said that the study which started last year is expected to be completed this year.
“We get a lot of information from Member States about lawless youth in groups and so forth. Not everybody wants to say that there are gangs because people look at the real dictionary meaning of gangs. However, there is a consensus that you have people who are not behaving properly in all of the societies...causing some problems with crime,” Watson explained.
“Some of them call themselves gang members; they give themselves names. What we are doing now, we are doing a study looking at what really exists in the Member States. We are working on that. It is taking a long time but we are doing a detailed study. When we get that information, it will be made available,” he continued.
Addressing whether indeed there are American-based gangs ‘Bloods’ and ‘Crips’ in the Caribbean, he said that this study would indicate if that is the case.
“What we would have seen is that some youngsters give themselves those names, but we have not yet been able to determine if they have connections with those gangs in North America. But they give themselves the names similar to such.”
He added that researchers are compiling the information on this behaviour so that the relevant authorities will be informed of what is at hand in the countries and programmes can be developed that can be considered for implementation.
Stating that the findings will help law enforcement in the region to see the big picture, Watson noted that the RSS has been funding the study on its own thus far but has been promised some funding from other agencies.
In his remarks at the second committee meeting, he stated that the RSS Training Institute is on track to achieving the standardization of training across the Member States.
However, Watson lamented that over the years, Security Forces have experienced the misfortune of ad hoc approaches to training and this has impeded the ability to adequately respond to national and regional threats.
“A standardized approach to training will enhance the process of co-operation and collaboration,” he said.
According to him, the RSS, having realized the dire need for investment in training and retooling its Security Forces, has initiated and successfully completed a study on the regional approach to security, and training deficiencies which impede an effective regional security thrust.
The various deficiencies found in the training environment within the Member States were inconsistencies in training content, and delivery and tracking of extra-regional and intra-regional training opportunities. This is in addition to the ad hoc approach to recruit training and in-service training for specialised areas.
Watson stated that in light of this, the RSS has taken the lead role in establishing a RSS Training Institute to address these matters and a Secretariat, along with Practice and Education Committees have been established.
He added that it is hoped that once all training is standardised, the RSS Air Wing, among other departments and agencies, will see an immense improvement in their counter-drug end-states, owing to the overall improvement in knowledge and ability to participate in operations throughout the RSS Member States.He added that the same can also be said for the RSS Coast Guard when that entity comes into fruition.
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