Minister Rohee calls for implementation of programmes to address youth gangs -- At Second Meeting of CBSI Commission
Georgetown, GINA, October 13, 2011
Source - GINA
Minister of Home Affairs, Clement Rohee delivering the feature address at the opening of the Second Meeting of the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI) Commission at the Guyana International Conference Center (GICC)
The Second Meeting of the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI) Commission today commenced at the Guyana International Conference Center (GICC), Liliendaal, where Home Affairs Minister, Clement Rohee said that while there have been notable achievements under this initiative, much more work needs to be done.
This meeting follows the first successful one held in Jamaica, where partnering States have been focusing on law enforcement information sharing, cooperation and capacity building, crime prevention and maritime security cooperation.
Delivering the feature address, Minister Rohee said that Guyana was very pleased to host this second meeting and stands committed to ensuring that the partnership between CARICOM and the United States (US) grow from strength to strength.
“There is urgent need to get to the stage to implementation so that the fruits of the partnership can trickle down to the benefit of the Caribbean peoples…of importance is the urgent need to begin to rolling out programmes that go to the heart of countering trafficking in narcotics and firearms, which poses a major challenge in the national security of our respective countries,” the Home Affairs Minister said.
He also highlighted the need for programmes and strategies to address the growing problem of gangs, so as to divert the youth population away from such deviant activities. To this end, he expressed satisfaction as the work has already commenced in this regard.
The Minister said that the region is very fortunate to have the US as a partner in these security matters and noted that it is only through partnerships that the fight against crime in all its manifestations, will be effective.
“Partnerships at the domestic level based on cooperation between law enforcement agencies and civil society NGOs and the private sector in effective crime detection and prevention as well as partnerships at the international level…just as we think globally and act locally, we must think locally and act globally,” Minister Rohee said.
He added that the inextricable link between the fight at the national and international levels is unavoidable and that it would be a serious error of judgment to divorce the two. This partnership therefore, is seen as a stabilizing factor and a major pillar in maintaining this link.
Guyana is committed in fighting crime in all its manifestations and in this regard several anti-crime laws were recently passed in the just concluded ninth parliament, equipping the police and the Customs Anti-Narcotic Unit (CANU), Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), Guyana Energy Authority (GEA) and other law enforcement agencies with modern technology and ICT equipment.
US Ambassador to Guyana, Brent Hardt said that through all the working group meetings, the CBSI has emerged as a genuine partnership among 16 nations, each bearing its own responsibilities in ensuring that the collective goals and objectives are met.
US Ambassador to Guyana, Brent Hardt (extreme left), Minister of Home Affairs, Clement Rohee and delegates of the Second Meeting of the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI) Commission
“The CBSI as a sub-regional partnership also provides a vehicle through which other nations in the world with interest in the Caribbean, can coordinate their activities with CBSI partner nations to foster more efficient and multilateral efforts,” Ambassador Hardt said.
He added that this second meeting provides the opportunity to take stock of the collective accomplishments to date, review the results of the technical working groups, and to lay the groundwork for the upcoming second US-Caribbean Security Dialogue in the Bahamas in November.
Ambassador at Large to CARICOM, Dominican Republic, Juan Guiliani Cury posited that this meeting will serve to further consolidate the efforts in fighting against the trade of illicit drugs and other criminal activities that affect the region and pledged the support of the Dominican Republic towards achieving the goals of the Commission.
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of National Security, St. Kitts and Nevis, Astona Browne said that the Commission is appreciative of the resources committed by the US to boost the region’s efforts to further securing the Caribbean.
“We have made significant strides with the involvement of our principal partner and with the engagement of other state and non-state actors we will advance with our mandate to take security in the region to a higher level. We are cognisant of the changing security landscape, where the threat to global peace and security is real and knows no boundaries,” Browne said.
The CBSI Commission was formally launched in May 2010 to address the threats arising from the increase in crime and violence throughout the region.
It was crafted bilaterally by CARICOM and the US Government subsequent to the decisions taken at the Summit of the Americas held in Trinidad and Tobago in April 2009.
At that Summit, United States President Barack Obama announced his country’s intent to pursue a security partnership with the Caribbean. Since then, Governments of the Caribbean and the US have met on several occasions to jointly define and develop the goals and scope for the CBSI.
Georgetown, GINA, October 13, 2011
Source - GINA
Minister of Home Affairs, Clement Rohee delivering the feature address at the opening of the Second Meeting of the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI) Commission at the Guyana International Conference Center (GICC)The Second Meeting of the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI) Commission today commenced at the Guyana International Conference Center (GICC), Liliendaal, where Home Affairs Minister, Clement Rohee said that while there have been notable achievements under this initiative, much more work needs to be done.
This meeting follows the first successful one held in Jamaica, where partnering States have been focusing on law enforcement information sharing, cooperation and capacity building, crime prevention and maritime security cooperation.
Delivering the feature address, Minister Rohee said that Guyana was very pleased to host this second meeting and stands committed to ensuring that the partnership between CARICOM and the United States (US) grow from strength to strength.
“There is urgent need to get to the stage to implementation so that the fruits of the partnership can trickle down to the benefit of the Caribbean peoples…of importance is the urgent need to begin to rolling out programmes that go to the heart of countering trafficking in narcotics and firearms, which poses a major challenge in the national security of our respective countries,” the Home Affairs Minister said.
He also highlighted the need for programmes and strategies to address the growing problem of gangs, so as to divert the youth population away from such deviant activities. To this end, he expressed satisfaction as the work has already commenced in this regard.
The Minister said that the region is very fortunate to have the US as a partner in these security matters and noted that it is only through partnerships that the fight against crime in all its manifestations, will be effective.
“Partnerships at the domestic level based on cooperation between law enforcement agencies and civil society NGOs and the private sector in effective crime detection and prevention as well as partnerships at the international level…just as we think globally and act locally, we must think locally and act globally,” Minister Rohee said.
He added that the inextricable link between the fight at the national and international levels is unavoidable and that it would be a serious error of judgment to divorce the two. This partnership therefore, is seen as a stabilizing factor and a major pillar in maintaining this link.
Guyana is committed in fighting crime in all its manifestations and in this regard several anti-crime laws were recently passed in the just concluded ninth parliament, equipping the police and the Customs Anti-Narcotic Unit (CANU), Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), Guyana Energy Authority (GEA) and other law enforcement agencies with modern technology and ICT equipment.
US Ambassador to Guyana, Brent Hardt said that through all the working group meetings, the CBSI has emerged as a genuine partnership among 16 nations, each bearing its own responsibilities in ensuring that the collective goals and objectives are met.
US Ambassador to Guyana, Brent Hardt (extreme left), Minister of Home Affairs, Clement Rohee and delegates of the Second Meeting of the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI) Commission“The CBSI as a sub-regional partnership also provides a vehicle through which other nations in the world with interest in the Caribbean, can coordinate their activities with CBSI partner nations to foster more efficient and multilateral efforts,” Ambassador Hardt said.
He added that this second meeting provides the opportunity to take stock of the collective accomplishments to date, review the results of the technical working groups, and to lay the groundwork for the upcoming second US-Caribbean Security Dialogue in the Bahamas in November.
Ambassador at Large to CARICOM, Dominican Republic, Juan Guiliani Cury posited that this meeting will serve to further consolidate the efforts in fighting against the trade of illicit drugs and other criminal activities that affect the region and pledged the support of the Dominican Republic towards achieving the goals of the Commission.
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of National Security, St. Kitts and Nevis, Astona Browne said that the Commission is appreciative of the resources committed by the US to boost the region’s efforts to further securing the Caribbean.
“We have made significant strides with the involvement of our principal partner and with the engagement of other state and non-state actors we will advance with our mandate to take security in the region to a higher level. We are cognisant of the changing security landscape, where the threat to global peace and security is real and knows no boundaries,” Browne said.
The CBSI Commission was formally launched in May 2010 to address the threats arising from the increase in crime and violence throughout the region.
It was crafted bilaterally by CARICOM and the US Government subsequent to the decisions taken at the Summit of the Americas held in Trinidad and Tobago in April 2009.
At that Summit, United States President Barack Obama announced his country’s intent to pursue a security partnership with the Caribbean. Since then, Governments of the Caribbean and the US have met on several occasions to jointly define and develop the goals and scope for the CBSI.