In an effort to guarantee that there are no safe havens for criminals in the Caribbean, Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley has announced the impending launch of a gangs database that covers the entire region as well as the passage of the Caricom Arrest Warrant Bill.
Rowley emphasized the significance of these efforts in enhancing regional security and law enforcement cooperation when speaking at Caricom’s second regional symposium, Violence as a Public Health Issue, recently held in Georgetown, Guyana.
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Rowley revealed that “the Caribbean Gang Database will be a key resource for law enforcement.” The T&T PM continued his statement noting, “Information is strength. By identifying and sharing intelligence on known bad actors, law enforcement across the region can work more effectively.”
He emphasized the importance of the Caricom Arrest Warrant Bill, which seeks to harmonize extradition procedures among participating nations.
“Criminals must understand that in every Caricom territory, the law applies equally to them as it relates to warrants in anticipation of prosecution. There are no safe harbors in any Caribbean territory. We want this legislated,” Rowley stated.
He underlined how tools like Advance Passenger Information (API) and the Passenger Records Bill may help law enforcement.
“These tools will facilitate law enforcement efforts and enable authorities to apprehend criminals more effectively,” he stated.
The conference offered a timely chance to discuss important issues, such as the international nature of gangs, cultural impacts on crime, and the role of corruption in law enforcement, Rowley said, reinforcing the need for all-encompassing solutions.
“Each of these demands our attention if we are to transform the realities of the Caribbean,” he added.
The media in St Lucia reported earlier this year that Trinidadian gangs were attempting to recruit members from the island.
Trinibad musician Kman Sixx was also prohibited from playing in St. Kitts and Nevis and Grenada by police officials, who cited safety concerns and the potential for gang activities to spill over.
St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ prime minister has also voiced his displeasure with an increase in crime this year, particularly gang-related violence.
Rowley’s views were mirrored by Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, the president of Guyana, who emphasized the social and economic implications of crime in the area.
“The healthcare sector is the first to feel this burden. Imagine if we didn’t have this impact. We could have increased budgetary allocations in education by 80 percent.”
Ali cited current Inter-American Development Bank research, noting “The direct cost of crime and violence in Latin America and the Caribbean reached 3.44 percent of the region’s GDP in 2022. For us, this means reallocating scarce resources that could have been used for education and human capital development.”
He also discussed the ramifications of the gender gap in crime statistics stating. “Eighty-five percent of violent crime is committed by males. In Guyana, 66 percent of university students are women, and 70 percent of scholarships are taken up by women. The consequence is clear—young men are falling behind in education and employment, driving them toward crime.”
He emphasized the local character of the crime and the difficulties caused by gang activity and illicit firearms.
“In countries like Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana, we face not only the influx of illegal weapons but also the movement of gangs. This is further complicated by large populations like Venezuela and the international cartels that use our airspace,” he said.
Ali emphasized the need of teamwork, pointing out that “We have moved from siloed national strategies to integrated regional task forces. Between 2019 and 2024, we increased our allocation to security by 154 percent. This reflects the scale of the problem we are addressing.”
