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!