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

2. 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

3. EUROPE
TRANSIT ZONE
TRANSIT ZONE

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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 [

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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 -

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. THANK YOU AND GOOD LUCK!