…Venezuelan crisis, money laundering, drugs discussed

By Peter Richards

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, May 3, CMC – Caribbean Community (CARICOM) leaders on Friday met in Trinidad and Tobago to discuss security issues within the 15-member regional integration movement, while fully aware of the unfolding political situation in Venezuela.
Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley, told the 19th Special Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community on Security “we are aware of the continuing situation in Venezuela”.

Rowley, who is the chairman of Security Council for CARICOM and Law Enforcement (CONSLE), told his regional colleagues “that all of us… are collectively charged with ensuring the continued security and stability of our beloved Caribbean Region. “As our meetings in Guyana, the United Nations, Uruguay and Ecuador attest, ensuring a peaceful solution to the issue is our first and foremost priority as we work in unison to safeguard our people’s future”.

Rowley, who delivered his speech in the absence of the media, said the security of the future of the Caribbean Community will be determined by “our ability to more effectively and efficiently respond to, and anticipate threats to our Region’s enduring interests. “This is the essence of strategic foresight, to identify drivers of change, and to consider potential outcomes and interests to inform strategic decisions. Crime and security is the fourth pillar of the regional integration process and the Council for National Security and Law Enforcement (CONSLE) coordinates security and law enforcement,” he added.
CARICOM Chairman and St. Kitts-Nevis Prime Minister, Dr. Timothy Harris, would not be drawn into making any comment on whether or not the regional leaders would be issuing a statement on Venezuela following their one-day summit. “We will wait and see. I should not pre-empt any conclusion or decision that would be made with respect to that,” he told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC).

“But CARICOM generally has a consistent line with regards to issues of non-interference, respect for the territorial integrity, the rule of law, constitutional order and I believe those will undergird everything we say and do moving forward,” he added.

However, one well-placed CARICOM official told CMC it is likely that the meeting will issue a statement on the developments in Caracas. The meeting is being attended by most regional leaders with the exception of Antigua and Barbuda, Haiti, Jamaica and Suriname. At least one person is reported to have been killed and several others injured in clashes between opposition and government supporters in Venezuela, since the Opposition Leader, Juan Guaidó, earlier this week called on the military to support the move to remove President Nicolas Maduro from power.

But the army appears to be remaining loyal to Maduro and during the clashes amid rival demonstrations, they fired tear gas and water cannons to disperse the crowds. In January, Guaidó declared himself Venezuela’s interim leader, and he has been recognised by more than 50 countries including the United States, the United Kingdom and most of Latin America. But Maduro, who won re-election last year, is being backed by Russia, China and Cuba. CARICOM has adopted a position of non-interference in the internal affairs of Venezuela and has indicated a willingness to act as a broker in ensuring a peaceful solution to the crisis. In his address, Rowley said the Region has experienced an evolution in security threats, including, but not limited to, globalisation and the resulting impact of illegal human and ‘narco’-trafficking, money laundering, illegal migration and deportation.
He said growing radicalism and terrorism, and the application of technology, the emergence of privatisation of security, economic issues, environmental and health issues were also posing security problems for the Region. “Our regional security framework is the mechanism through which greater collaboration among the regional security forces and regional institutions and other entities will operate, in our efforts to combat transnational crime and other security threats. I maintain that robust regional security architecture is essential to the security of member states.”

He said given that the Caribbean is in the process of fine-tuning “our regional security architecture, the role and importance of CARICOM IMPACS becomes even more significant as we review the Management Framework for Crime and Security”. He said Port of Spain had during the last CONSLE meeting in Grenada last month, committed to regularising our financial contributions to IMPACS and that CONSLE accepted the recommendation that a job analysis be conducted for the position of the Executive Director.

Rowley recalled that during the Grenada meeting, the CARICOM Secretariat presented relevant findings and recommendations from a report of an internal audit of CARICOM IMPACS. He said the audit recognised that there were some shortcomings, however, IMPACS is working to correct the recognised areas and will soon have them addressed. “There is a need for us to develop a robust legal framework, as it relates to for example, the Advance Passenger Information System (APIS) and the Advance Cargo Information System (ACIS) as well the need for the collecting and sharing of information. Legal Security Instruments that are still outstanding must be signed and ratified by member states. For example, one more ratifying state is required for the CARICOM Arrest Warrant Treaty to be entered into effect.”

Rowley said that Trinidad and Tobago has adopted the Integrated Ballistic Identification System (IBIS) vendor’s recommended protocol and procedure for acquisition of evidence. “Capacity building, in the area of Ballistic information sharing, remains a challenge, but CARICOM IMPACS will continue to work closely with the United States of America on this issue, since a significant amount of guns and ammunition present in our Region, are manufactured in the US. “Consequently, today’s meeting will consider a proposal by IMPACS to agree on the strategic initiatives which could be pursued at the Eighth Caribbean-United States Security Cooperation High-Level Dialogue, which is being hosted by the Government of the United States of America, in Washington DC, on May 16, 2019.”
Rowley said that there is also a move to establish the Caribbean INTERPOL Liaison Office and that the organisation has already begun working with the Barbados government as it relates to the headquarters’ agreement. He said he is also advised that IMPACS is working with INTERPOL to beginning programming on firearms, cyber security and human trafficking. Rowley said organisations such as the United Nations, the Organisation of American States, the European Union through the European Development Fund (EDF) and the World Customs Organisation are also implementing programmes across the Region, which complements existing projects and activities.

“We are grateful for the support of our international partners but we maintain that the CARICOM needs to develop its own set of priorities on crime prevention, firearms, cyber-security, effective monitoring and evaluation and maritime coordination.” He said during this meeting here regional leaders will continue to determine the way forward on a draft Standardised Vetting Policy for Security Personnel to be adopted by the Region. “It should be noted that the vetting policy employed by the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service was submitted to CARICOM IMPACS, for its consideration in the development of the Regional Standardized Vetting Policy,” Rowley told the opening ceremony.

A government statement issued prior to the summit noted that “the overall purpose of the meeting… is to foster mutual knowledge, analysis, debate, and exchange of ideas and experiences on security related matters in attempts to better contribute to the safety and security of member states at the regional level. “These issues include but are not limited to transnational crime, terrorism, cybercrime, ‘narco’ and gun trafficking, trafficking in persons, intelligence cooperation between member states and the Region’s capability to analyse, predict and respond proactively to organised criminal networks,” the statement added.