Managing the Crime and Security Agenda within the Caribbean Community By Colonel (Retd) Fairbairn Liverpool CARICOM Secretariat At Working Group Session for the First Meeting of Public Safety Ministers of the Americas 14 August 2008

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

EUROPE TRANSIT ZONE TRANSIT ZONE

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

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

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

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 [

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

REGIONAL CRIME AND SECURITY FRAMEWORK FOR MANAGING REGIONAL CRIME AND SECURITY CONFERENCE OF HEADS OF GOVERNMENT PRIME MINISTER RESPONSIBLE FOR REGIONAL SECURITY Council of Ministers Responsible for National Security and Law Enforcement Ministerial Sub – Committee On Resource Mobilisation and Implementation Security Policy Advisory Committee (SEPAC) Implementation Agency for Crime And Security (IMPACS) CIMA The CIMA will have a mandate to advise on appropriate systems and technologies to be utilised in the Regional Intelligence and Information Sharing System to be established and to monitor its continued development to ensure efficiency and effectiveness IMPACS is the nerve centre of this Management Framework with primary responsibility for the implementation of the regional crime and security agenda, reporting directly to the CONSLE. It will also be responsible for the day-to-day administrative and technical functions required to fulfill its mandate. Standing Committee Commissioners of Police Chiefs of Immigration Military Heads Customs Standing Committee Heads of Intel & Financial Investigations

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 -

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

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

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

THANK YOU AND GOOD LUCK!