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Saint Lucia Hosts Two day Security Conference with Martinique

Contact: Claudia Monlouis

Monday, September 22, 2008 – Saint Lucia and Martinique this week further cemented their long shared ties, when a French contingent visited the island for the Franco /Saint Lucia Security conference.

Representatives of the Security arm of the government of Martinique and Saint Lucia’s Ministry of Home Affairs and National Security engaged in a two-day conference from Tuesday, September 23rd to 24th, 2008, in order to facilitate that goal.

Minister for National Security Senator, Honourable Guy Mayers said the two countries discussed several matters regarding security concerns and ways in which the two countries can share training and expertise and generally enhance functional cooperation between them.

  “It is critical that this continuing conference takes place. You'd recognize that there have been certain complaints made about illegal activities by Saint Lucians in Martinique and the number of Saint Lucians that are imprisoned there. We want to be able to work hand-in-glove with the Martinique authorities—be it the police, the immigration, and other law enforcement agencies—to protect the current arrangement for Saint Lucians going to Martinique for legitimate reasons. We do not want the illegal activities of a few to jeopardise others’ access by to Martinique for medical reasons,” the minister said.

A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the two countries in 2004, relating to a Joint Security Committee.  According to Minister Mayers, among objectives of the meeting, the two islands will focus on strengthening of administrative, police and judicial cooperation activities between respective agencies. The last meeting was held in Martinique in 2006.

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