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Monday, May 7, 2007 - The border security mechanisms implemented by the
Caribbean Community (CARICOM) for the hosting of Cricket World Cup (CWC) 2007
has come in for praise from Interpol’s Secretary-General, Mr. Ronald Noble who
has appealed for assistance for the Region to strengthen the systems for the
ongoing security of its borders.
Addressing the United States Senate Judiciary Committee's sub-committee on
Terrorism, Technology and Homeland Security last week, Mr. Noble told his
audience that what the Caribbean had achieved was nothing short of "amazing" in
terms of the work done to secure its border for hosting the world's third
largest sporting event.
He informed that the Region had
fully utilised Interpol's global database of Stolen and Lost Travel Documents (SLTD),
which operates on a twin plank technology platform. In so doing the Region
registered 25 hits on stolen or lost passports. The technology used is Mobile
Interpol Network Database (MIND) and Fixed Interpol Network Database (FIND)
commonly known in the industry as MIND/FIND.
"The results were nothing short of amazing and are worthy of special recognition
by the US, indeed by all countries. While the total number of searches in
Interpol's SLTD database by the nine host countries amounted to just, 218
searches in all of the years prior to 2007, once the MIND/FIND system was
running, the number skyrocketed to 45,000 during the first month of 2007 alone.
These searches led to nine hits on passports that were reported stolen or lost.
Through to 25 April the Caribbean countries conducted nearly 500,000 searches
resulting in 25 hits," the Interpol Secretary-General informed.
He stressed that the achievement
of the Caribbean in this area is even more noteworthy, due to the fact that CWC
2007 was hosted by nine different countries. These countries- Antigua and
Barbuda, Barbados, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia,
St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago, along with Dominica,
comprised the Single Domestic Space (SDS), which was specifically created for
the hosting of CWC 2007.
The multi layered security platform that was implemented by the Caribbean to
host CWC, saw the establishment of the Joint Regional Communication Centre (JRCC).
This centre utilised a number of watch lists, including Interpol's SLTD database
to check every passenger arriving in the Region or traveling throughout the
Region by air and sea. CARICOM Heads of Government have already agreed that the
JRCC, which is headquartered in Barbados, will remain as a permanent structure.
The other agency to remain is the Regional Intelligence Fusion Centre (RIFC).
The importance of the work of the JRCC was recently underscored by Chairperson
of the CARICOM Sub-Committee on Security for CWC, the Honourable Mia Mottley,
Deputy Prime Minister of Barbados. She has appealed to Interpol for some
temporary assistance for the JRCC as the agency beefs up work towards its
permanent establishment.
"The Caribbean countries demonstrated the political will, the commitment and the
dedication to achieve what most of the world would have thought impossible," Mr.
Noble emphasised.
He added that the Caribbean became the first region in the world to integrate a
national and regional border control structure with Interpol's global SLTD
database. He emphasised that the Caribbean needed assistance that goes beyond
what Interpol can offer to continue the programme of border security.
"As has been made clear on a number of occasions, a more secure Caribbean region
will lead to a more secure US. While Interpol maybe able to provide temporary
assistance to the initiative the US can make the Caribbean's effort more
successful in ways that Interpol could never do on a long term basis. "Doing so
would benefit the US, the Caribbean and the entire world's anti-terrorist and
anti crime efforts," Mr. Noble emphasised.
He added that the utilisation of Interpol's SLTD database, as demonstrated in
the case of the Caribbean could go a long way in ensuring security of a
country's borders.
"Unless there is a systematic way for countries' law enforcement officers to
determine whether passports have been reported stolen, all countries risk that
more terrorists and other dangerous criminals will use them to travel the world
freely in order to plan and perpetuate deadly attacks," Mr. Noble added.
He pointed out that it wasn't only terrorists who utilise stolen passports and
that other varieties of dangerous persons regularly use stolen passports
to conceal their identity in order to "travel internationally undetected to
plan and commit crime and evade justice."
He informed that in order to tackle the global problem, Interpol's SLTD, which
was launched in 2002 and started with 3,000 passports has now reached 14.4
million stolen and lost travel documents from 123 countries. The database
comprises 6.7 million passports and 7.7 million of other types of travel
documents, including identity cards and visas.
Editor’s Note: For further information, please contact Mr. Leonard
Robertson – Regional Media Spokesperson at the CARICOM (IMPACS) Regional
Communications Centre (RCC) on Tel: +(246) 425-1314, +(246) 826-2334, Fax:
+(246) 421-2195, Email: impacsrcc@gmail.com
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