Caribbean News
Jamaica Targets US-Based Crime Enablers
By Latonya Linton
JIS News
#Jamaica, December 12, 2022 – Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, has called on the assistance of the United States (US) in identifying and prosecuting individuals who fund criminal operations in Jamaica.
“We intend to use the relationship to try and tackle a part of the problem for which we have no reach, and that is the Jamaicans who have migrated to the United States and use the cover of their residence [in the US] to influence, solicit and fund crime in Jamaica,” he said.
“We have a list of them, which we intend to pass on to you, but we will welcome your help and support in identifying, tracking and prosecuting those persons and potentially extraditing those persons to Jamaica,” he added.
He was speaking during a meeting in Washington DC on December 8 involving Commissioner of Police, Major General Antony Anderson and senior US Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) officials and other stakeholders.
Mr. Holness pointed out that 90 per cent of the guns in Jamaica are from the US, noting that the country is challenged to treat with this influx of weapons.
“We were assured that the United States is taking even greater steps to deal with the problem of illegal export of firearms, and we are pleased to note the passage of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which creates a legal framework to interdict and prosecute persons illegally exporting guns from the United States,” he said.
The Prime Minister urged for Jamaican traffickers and guns destined for Jamaica to be given priority attention under this new Act.
In the meantime, Commissioner of Police, Major Anderson, noted that closer cooperation will ensure that criminals do not feel they have a safe haven in the US from which to sponsor crime in Jamaica.
A release from the Office of the Prime Minister indicated that the high-level meeting of law enforcement and security agencies was convened to discuss the growing threat of transnational criminal gangs, organised criminal violence and the trafficking of illegal guns into Jamaica.
The meeting reviewed existing programmes and partnerships, identified gaps to be closed and explored new opportunities to advance collaboration.
In addition, there was commitment for greater and more effective information sharing.
Contributed Photo
Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness (right), along with Commissioner of Police, Major General Antony Anderson (second right), participates in a meeting in Washington DC on December 8 involving senior United States Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) officials and other stakeholders, to discuss tackling organised crime and illegal guns.
KINGSTON, April 29 (JIS):
Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Senator the Hon. Matthew Samuda, says the outcome of discussions arising from the Jamaica National Stakeholder Consultation on Climate Services and the 1st National Climate Forum (NCF-1) will assist in guiding the Government’s planning for climate change.
This, he points out, is important for climate mitigation as well as building Jamaica’s resilience.
“We look forward to the discussions that will, no doubt, take place. We look forward to the basis of planning for the Government to streamline its investments to ensure you have the tools that you need to better advise us, that the WRA (Water Resources Authority) has the tools to digitise its monitoring network, and that all of the agencies that touch our planning mechanisms have the tools. But we need to know what we are facing, and we’re guided by your expertise,” Minister Samuda said.
He was addressing the opening ceremony for the Jamaica National Stakeholder Consultation on Climate Services and the 1st National Climate Forum (NCF-1) at the Courtyard by Marriott Hotel in New Kingston on Monday (April 29).
Senator Samuda said given the fact that the climate has changed and continues to do so, investments in and collaborations on building Jamaica’s predictive and scientific capacity must be prioritised.
“Ultimately, we need to be able to assess our current climatic realities if we are to better plan, if we’re to insist and ensure that our infrastructure meets the needs that we need it to. I’m very happy that this event is happening… because this is a critical issue.
“Jamaica, last year, faced its worst and most severe drought… and this year, we’re already seeing the impacts of not quite as severe a drought but, certainly, a drought with severe impacts, especially in the western part of the country,” he said.
Principal Director, Meteorological Service of Jamaica, Evan Thompson, explained that the forum aims to, among other things, establish a collaboration platform for climate services providers and users to understand risks and opportunities of past, present and future climate developments, as well as improve inter-agency coordination of policies, plans and programmes.
Among the other presenters were Ambassador, European Union to Jamaica, Her Excellency Marianne Van Steen; Chief Scientist/Climatologist, Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology, Adrian Trotman; and Head, Regional Climate Prediction Services, World Meteorological Organization, Wilfran Moufouma-Okia.
The Meteorological Service of Jamaica hosted the Jamaica National Stakeholder Consultation on Climate Services and the 1st National Climate Forum (NCF-1) in partnership with the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology and the World Meteorological Organization.
The National Stakeholder Consultation is a governance mechanism that guides how different sectors or actors work together to create products that contribute to adaptation and resilience-building. It seeks to create a road map for the development and implementation of climate services to inform decision-making.
NCF-1 aims to bridge the gap between climate providers and users. It increases the use of science-based information in decision-making and operations with the aim of generating and delivering co-produced and co-designed products and services.
CONTACT: CHRIS PATTERSON
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