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Crime & security top meeting of CARICOM Legal Affairs Committee

Contact: Julita Peter

Friday,  May 16, 2008 –The issues of crime and security, were  among the top items on the agenda of  the Legal Affairs Committee of CARICOM (LAC),   when they converged in St. Lucia on Friday May 9^th, 2008.   Among those in attendance were Attorneys General and Ministers of Justice.  The gathering heard presentations from Prime Minister, Honourable Stephenson King and  St. Lucia's Attorney General,  Senator the Honourable Dr. Nicholas Frederick, who shared concerns about the spiralling incidence of crime and the woes of consumers with regard to the rising cost of food.

Prime Minister King commended LAC on the hosting of the meeting, designed to discuss pertinent  issues  confronting the region.  Disaster management,  international humanitarian law,  financial services and crime and security he said,  are  at the forefront of the regional agenda,  as  the  respective governments  seek to  harmonize relevant laws.

“The heads of government are so concerned about the matter of crime and security that they  are contemplating making an amendment  to the revised treaty of Chaguaramas, to make security a 4^th pillar  of the regional integration movement,” Prime Minister King said in his address. 

“This certainly highlights  the importance that the governments are placing on crime and security at this very crucial juncture. Any attempt to control the level of crime in the region must take into consideration the harsh reality of the situation, ” he added.

The prime minister  thanked  the CARICOM Secretariat  and other regional organizations, for the extensive work they have undertaken to date  in harmonizing security laws during  the staging  of  ICC Cricket World Cup 2007.

Meanwhile, the regional participants were assured  by Attorney General and Minister for Justice,  Senator the Hon. Dr. Nicholas Frederick that the Government of St. Lucia is continuing to make strides towards addressing  crime. Dr Frederick said  his ministry was working feverishly  to complete several ongoing projects,  one of which includes the forensic laboratory. He also spoke of  the introduction of DNA testing  by January 2009.  Dr.  Frederick said the  proliferation of  white collar crimes was  also a major concern for regional governments.

“I am therefore pleased that CARICOM is actually working on the draft corruption bill as a means of addressing  corruption within the CARICOM region . I look forward to LAC considering  a harmonized bill in the not to distant future,” Dr Frederick said.

LAC also heard comments from  Ambassador Lolita Applewhaite, Deputy Secretary General of CARICOM Secretariat and Cheryl  Thompson-Barrow newly appointed General Counsel of the CARICOM Secretariat.

The meeting was  preceded by  the 14^th meeting of the sub-committee on harmonization of laws which took place on  May 7^th  and 8^th  in St. Lucia.

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