CARICOM Chairman Prime Minister Holness Urges Regional Strategic Security Plan Against Organized Crime
Chairman of CARICOM, Prime Minister Dr. Andrew Holness, has called on his regional counterparts to commit to a coordinated, strategic campaign to dismantle organized crime and criminal networks threatening the security and prosperity of the Caribbean region.
Speaking on Sunday (July 6) at the Opening Ceremony for the 49th Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Prime Minister Holness underscored the inextricable link between security and prosperity.
“Security and resilience are not optional. They are the foundations for prosperity. There can be no sustained prosperity without security,” Prime Minister Holness said, warning of the potential of the escalating threat posed by highly organized and well-financed criminal syndicates operating across the region.
Dr. Holness cited the July 2024 United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) report titled Caribbean Gangs, Drugs, Firearms, and Gang Mechanics and emphasized that the Caribbean faces a complex mix of increasing drug production out of South America, rising gang activity, and the proliferation of firearms, all of which are contributing factors to the soaring homicide and crime rates within the region.
“This is not just a local problem; it is a regional crisis that demands regional resolve. We must disrupt gang influence in our communities, dismantle their financing networks, and cut off their access to resources,” said Prime Minister Holness.
Dr. Holness acknowledged the social roots of criminality, such as poverty, youth marginalization, and social breakdown, which must also be confronted.
The issue of security is high on the agenda of the regional heads who are deliberating on the matters to secure a unified outcome.