The Ministry of National Security has announced that a new study by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) on crime and criminality in Trinidad and Tobago will be pivotal in shaping strategies to combat criminal gangs in the country.
On Monday, Minister of National Security Fitzgerald Hinds received the USAID Criminal Dynamics Study for Trinidad and Tobago, along with its key findings, during a meeting at the Ministry of National Security Office in the International Waterfront Complex, Port of Spain.
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In a media release today, the Ministry stated that this comprehensive study provides essential insights and recommendations crucial for developing effective strategies against gang-related activities.
The meeting included discussions between Minister Hinds, U.S. Ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago Candace Bond, and USAID representatives. The Ministry highlighted that this event was an opportunity to enhance collaboration between Trinidad and Tobago and the United States on mutual crime and security concerns.
Ambassador Bond expressed optimism that the study would shed light on the root causes of gang activities in Trinidad and Tobago, facilitating the implementation of measures to counter, disrupt, and dismantle gangs. She emphasized the importance of the ongoing partnership between the United States and Trinidad and Tobago, particularly through initiatives such as the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative, recognizing the Caribbean as the U.S.’s “Third Border.”
Other initiatives to combat crime and gang-related activities include:
- The U.S. Department of Commerce’s suspension of licenses for exporting weapons to non-state civilian dealers, which is expected to reduce firearm exports to the region by 35%, impacting high-risk countries including Trinidad and Tobago.
- U.S. support for the Crime Gun Intelligence Unit (CGIU), fostering collaboration with CARICOM IMPACS, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS).
- Training for CGIU officers provided by agencies such as ATF, HSI, BIS, CBP, Interpol, the World Customs Organization (WCO), and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
During the meeting, Mervyn Farroe, USAID’s Regional Representative for the Eastern and Southern Caribbean, reiterated USAID’s commitment to collaborating with the Ministry of National Security to address crime and violence through research that supports policy development. Minister Hinds welcomed the study, expressing gratitude to USAID and Ambassador Bond for their support in Trinidad and Tobago’s efforts to combat crime. He stressed the importance of violence intervention programs to strengthen community resilience against crime and gangs.
