April 18, 2023

What’s the next step after regional crime symposium?

By Newsroom

Regional leaders convene at the Hyatt Regency this morning, for the second and final day of a crime symposium which looks at crime and violence as a public health issue.

On Monday, day one of the talks, Caricom Secretary-general Dr Carla Barnett said the goal of the symposium is to derive an action plan to be implemented across the region.

“We are in the process of preparing both a declaration and an action plan because it is not only about saying what we need to say, it’s about stating how we’re going to actually get it done. We are organising to ensure we enlist the support, and experts across the region as we proceed forward,” Barnett said.

Chairman of CARICOM and Prime Minister of The Bahamas, Phillip Davis, reinforced the need for a collective response. 

“Millions of people throughout the region live in crime hotspots, never knowing if they will be a victim on any given day. … Violence spreads like a virus, gaining momentum as one violent crime begets another … Violence is contagious, and those who map the commission of violent crimes find that their data mirrors the spread of infectious diseases within a community,” Davis said.

He added, “Violence can strike in waves and grow exponentially. Those who come in close contact with violence are most likely to spread it and most likely to fall victim to it.”

As regional leaders and other stakeholders meet on Tuesday for the second and final day of a symposium, the agenda will focus on perspectives from the Judiciary and the private sector, as well as a segment which will look at Youth and Education.

CARICOM considers seeking US support

Several leaders, during their presentations on Monday, called on the United States government to assist in the war on guns. 

Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness was one of the voices supporting the call, as he noted the AR-15 and the Glock, which are manufactured in North America, were the weapons of choice by criminals in his country. 

Opposition: “Crime symposium nothing more than a talk shop”

Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar says she was skeptical about attending Monday’s start of the regional crime symposium, dismissing it as another talk shop that was not sure to yield tangible results.

At a UNC political meeting last night, Persad-Bissessar said while she has zero faith in government’s ability to get a handle on the crime situation, she has full respect for regional leaders who are participating in the two-day conference and hopes their input would yield results.

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