Prime Minister Kamla Persad- Bissessar says Caricom member states still need to harmonise efforts in the fight against crime. The PM spoke while opening the intersessional meeting of Caricom in Haiti yesterday. Persad-Bissessar is responsible for Crime and Security in the Quasi Caricom Cabinet. She called on leaders in the region to seize the opportunity to unify and harmonise the approach to security in the region saying the time has come for Caricom heads "to not only assess the effectiveness of this framework but also to strengthen it in order to ensure that we have in place the appropriate systems and structures to address the security of the region."Persad-Bissessar called on Caricom leaders to demonstrate their commitment to the regional security agenda by ensuring security was the fourth pillar of the regional body. She added that Caricom should provide the requisite financial and human resources to support the work of IMPACS (Implementation Agency for Crime and Security), the Regional Intelligence Fusion Centre (RIFC) and the Joint Regional Communications Centre (JRCC); agreeing upon a mechanism for sustainability of resources for the regional security agenda; and adopt a common regional crime and security strategy.
She told the meeting such a strategy must involve:
Trans-border intelligence and information-sharing
Targeting criminal assets and protecting financial systems
Strengthening regional security systems and human-resource capabilities
A heightened awareness of maritime and airspace
The use of modern technologies and a scientific approach to crime-fighting
The enhancement of justice systems
Capacity to combat cybercrime
Address the causes of crime and insecurity and the improvement of Caricom's resilience to natural and man-made disasters.
Persad-Bissessar also expressed her willingness to establish a centralized co-ordination centre to implement such an approach. The Caricom intersessional meeting is expected to end tomorrow.
