-President Ali highlights
THE crime rate in the Caribbean should not be glossed over, and President Dr. Irfaan Ali has made the call for the region to focus on building stronger institutions.
The President made this disclosure earlier this month at the opening of the inaugural ‘Legal Conference on Criminal Justice Reform – Advancing the Needham’s Point Declaration.’
While engaging Caribbean stakeholders at the Marriott Hotel, Kingston, Dr Ali shared some concerning statistics. He disclosed that four out of ten countries with the highest murder rates globally are Caribbean Commonwealth States.

Additionally, the rate of violent deaths in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) member states is nearly three times the global average. Firearms are involved in over half of all homicides, on average and some countries, according to the President, are experiencing rates as high as 90 per cent.
Between 2016 and 2020, nearly 31,500 people in the Caribbean lost their lives due to interpersonal violence with more than 60 per cent of these deaths taking place in CARICOM states and associate members.

President Ali also noted that the statistics indicate that young men under 30 years of age are both the most common victims and perpetrators.
“These are the indicators that we do have a problem [with],” President Ali said.
In addition to this, the President stated that one should not make the mistake of thinking that this is a problem at the executive level or for policy-makers alone, but instead, it is one for the ecosystem.

According to President Ali, “If we don’t build strong, relevant institutions then we will not build for the future.”
President Ali called for there to be a system in place that will allow for there to be a continuation in policies even with the transition of governments.
He also highlighted the importance of identifying the root causes of issues within the legal system to effectively address them.

He stated, “There are societal, environmental, cultural, economic, and value challenges, as well as new forms of normalisation, that the system must address as a region.” Further, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall SC MP, underscored that the dynamic nature of law must adapt to an evolving society and warns against legal stagnation, which can lead to a breakdown of law and order.
He pointed out the increasing sophistication of crime in the Caribbean, facilitated by easy access to technology and firearms, and stressed the need for a comprehensive overhaul of the region’s criminal justice systems.

Attorney General Nandlall had stressed the need for the law to remain dynamic and responsive to societal changes. He warned that stagnation in the legal system could lead to social chaos, a reality faced by many jurisdictions in the Caribbean. The region’s escalating violence, organised crime, and the sophisticated operations of criminal networks necessitate comprehensive legal reforms.
“As students of the law, we know too well that the law must remain organic; and must be nurtured, shaped and moulded to meet the exigencies of an ever-evolving society and the dynamic human conduct it is intended to govern. On the converse, stagnation of the law will result in societal evolution beyond the regulatory capability of the law.

This resultant social advancement, without a commensurate legal regulatory framework, is what leads to a breakdown of law and order and consequential social chaos,” the Attorney General noted.
The Attorney General underscored the importance of judicial predictability, emphasising consistent and sound decision-making. He also highlighted the role of competent lawyers and judges in navigating the complexities of modern legal challenges, including distinguishing between AI-generated and realistic evidence.