CARICOM
Managing the Crime and Security Agenda within the Caribbean Community
ByColonel (Retd) Fairbairn Liverpool
CARICOM SecretariatAt
Working Group Session for the First Meeting of
Public Safety Ministers of the Americas14 August 2008
CARICOM OUTLINE• What is the Caribbean Community
(CARICOM)• The main threats to public security• Caribbean Security- A Historical Perspective• CARICOM’s response to the threats• New Architecture to manage Crime and
Security• Current regional security initiatives• Challenges facing the Caribbean Sub-Region• The Way Forward
CARICOM
TRANSIT ZONE
EUROPE
TRANSIT ZONE
CARICOM Caribbean SECURITY - A
HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE • National-based security focus and included bilateral
security cooperation except for RSS (MOU in 82 & Treaty in 96)
• Collaborating with Int’l Partners with different agendas– ACCP, CCLEC, CFATF, CICAD, EU, UNODC
• Barbados Plan of Action May 1996• Hemispheric Security Strategy Oct 1996• Bridgetown Declaration May 1997• EU/LAC Cooperation in Security 1999• Third Border Initiative 2001• US strategic perspective of Principle of ‘Defence in
Depth’ – Bilateral ‘ship-rider’ Agreements
CARICOM REGIONAL TASK FORCE ON CRIME AND SECURITY
• Mandate– Examine the main causes of crime– Recommendations for a coordinated response
• Composition– Reps from Member States– ACCP, RSS,CCLEC, CFATF, UWI and Sects. – Chaired by TT
• Reported in July 2002
CARICOM CAUSES OF CRIME AND VIOLENCE
• Poverty• Unemployment • Social marginalization and inequality• Illegal drug trade• Corruption• Trafficking in illegal firearms• Deportation of criminals• Ineffectiveness of the criminal justice systems
CARICOM CRIME PREVENTION STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK
• Primary Prevention – systematic treatment of root causes– Progs of poverty alleviation and reintegration of
marginalized communities
• Secondary Prevention - make communities more resilient to criminality– Reducing opportunities for crime
• Tertiary Prevention – Strengthening institutions responsible for responding to crime– Provision of improved training, technology,
equipment Police & Prison reform etc
CARICOM CHALLENGES OF IMPLEMENTATION
• Absence of a clear regional political mandate
• Limited implementation capacity
• Access to resources
• Uncoordinated int’l support
• No clear national crime & security strategy
• No clear regional security strategy
CARICOM CONFERENCE OF HEADS
OF GOVERNMENT
Ministerial Sub – Committee On Resource Mobilisation and Implementation
Security Policy Advisory Committee(SEPAC)
Implementation Agency for Crime And Security (IMPACS)
FRAMEWORK FOR MANAGING
REGIONAL CRIME AND SECURITY
PRIME MINISTER RESPONSIBLE FOR REGIONAL SECURITY
Council of Ministers Responsible forNational Security and Law Enforcement
Standing Committee
Commissioners of Police
Standing CommitteeChiefs of
Immigration
StandingCommittee
Military Heads
StandingCommitteeChiefs of Customs
Standing CommitteeHeads of Intel & Financial
Investigations
CIMA
CARICOM CURRENT SECURITY INITIATIVES
• Advanced passenger and cargo info system (APIS & ACIS) under JRCC
• Intelligence sharing through RIFC– Regional integrated ballistic information network (RIBIN)
• The Treaty on Security Assistance– COPACS
• Regional Investigative Management Systems (RIMS)• Legislative reform
– Arrest Warrant Treaty– Maritime and Airspace Cooperation Agreement
• Initiating wider Caribbean Military Cooperation
CARICOM WIDER CARIBBEAN MILITARY COOPERATION
• Maritime and Airspace Security Cooperation• Disaster Preparedness and Response• Interconnectivity of systems and existing mechanisms• Training and capacity building• Cooperation in managing major events security e.g. V-SOA &
CHOGM in 09• Cooperation in info & int sharing• Formalizing CARICOM-JIATF South relationship• Conduct of joint multilateral command estimate on the illegal
trafficking issues affecting the Region• Formation of working groups to address results of the command
estimate• Identification of available resources available to counter illegal
trafficking in the Region
CARICOM CHALLENGES FACING
CARIBBEAN SUB-REGION
• Limited security cooperation between CARICOM, the wider Caribbean and Latin America
• Lack of awareness of security challenges and perspectives of wider Caribbean and LA neighbours
• Language barriers
• Absence of communication channels
CARICOM THE WAY FORWARD
• Identification of hemispheric and wider Caribbean security platforms for engagement at the political, administrative and operational levels
• Review status of bilateral MOU between CARICOM States and LA Partners
• Focus on information and intelligence sharing
• Maritime and air space security
CARICOM
THANK YOU AND GOOD LUCK!
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