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United States Works to Combat Gun Trafficking in the Caribbean Region

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March 26, 2023 – The United States is satisfied that its work in tandem with Caribbean Law Enforcement Agencies is yielding good results, explaining it has devoted nearly $1 billion dollars to programs “designed to reduce illicit trafficking, increase citizen security, and prevent youth crime and violence.”

The reveal, which included a list of efforts specifically being undertaken in the region, came in response to media questions.  It also comes as regional countries appear to be enjoying increased involvement of US law enforcers in the fight against gun crimes and gun trafficking.

The US Department of Homeland Security just this month announced that there had been a significant boom in arms trafficking to Haiti from Florida.

The U.S. Embassy Nassau says it’s been a 12-year battle alongside Caribbean governments, trying to thwart traffickers who are finding ways to funnel guns into the region from the US.  However, there appears to be no reduction in the impact of gun-fueled crime for some of these smaller states.

Murders and violence is higher than ever before.

“We partner with law enforcement agencies across the region to take down the networks of those who profit from the illicit gun trade.  Our attachés from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) in Jamaica, The Bahamas, and Trinidad support host country investigations into firearms trafficking cases.  In collaboration with their regional counterparts from the U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) they enforce U.S. export laws and investigate firearms and ammunition smuggling operations that violate these laws.”

There is no country in the developed world which compares to the United States when it comes to gun violence and the lives it is claiming year in and year out.  The record for the US far outpaces all rich countries cited a BBC report; the only countries which can come even close are the poorest on the planet.

Another attempt at suing the United States, with its liberal approach to gun ownership and legal gun possession  is on right now; even cartel ridden-Mexico is fed up and has renewed its efforts to hold the US responsible for the human and social toll.  The Bahamas, other Caribbean countries including Trinidad and Tobago and now at least 16 US attorney generals have joined the suit, aimed at making the United States of America responsible for the proliferation of guns.

Still, the US Embassy lists these efforts as tangible support and evidence of the US being supportive of the mission to curb gun crime.

  • In September 2022, law enforcement officers from 19 Caribbean countries along with INTERPOL, CARICOM, World Customs Organization, ATF, and HSI cooperated in a joint operation that led to the seizure of 350 weapons, 3,300 rounds of ammunition, and 10 tons of cocaine.
  • In March 2022, through Operation CITADEL, HSI deployed agents and analysts throughout the Caribbean to bolster host country firearms smuggling investigations and intelligence sharing capabilities.  These efforts and multiple coordinated international sting operations resulted in 111 firearm related seizures including 446 firearms and 188,256 rounds of ammunition.

To counter illicit arms trafficking, the CARICOM Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS), with U.S. interagency support, inaugurated in November 2022 the Caribbean Crime Gun Intelligence Unit (CCGIU).  The CCGIUs main objective is to improve intelligence and information sharing among Caribbean and U.S. law enforcement agencies.  The CCGIU supports CARICOM member states with seizing firearms, related parts, and components as well as in identifying, charging, and prosecuting co-conspirators for firearms crimes.  The CCGIU works with U.S. and international law enforcement partners including ATF and HSI, UK National Crime Agency (NCA), INTERPOL, and the Regional Security System (RSS).

Over the past two weeks, HSI Nassau and CBP Preclearance Nassau have provided training to the Royal Bahamas Police Force Anti-Gang and Firearms Unit (AGFU) at Lynden Pindling International Airport in Nassau, Bahamas.  Two separate 16-hour training blocks provided a total of 12 participants with classroom instruction and practical experience to operate a new inspection device.  Effective utilization of this technology will help detect contraband concealed in parcels being shipped to The Bahamas and keep those guns off the streets.   AGFU participants included constables, inspectors, seamen, and officers from RBPF, Bahamas Customs, Bahamas Immigration, and Royal Bahamas Defense Force.

Our actions demonstrate the U.S. government’s commitment to helping The Bahamas and the Caribbean effectively address firearms trafficking.  We will continue our mission to remove illegal guns from the streets and work with our partners to address violent crime.

 

Caption:

Over the last two weeks, HSI Nassau and CBP Preclearance Nassau provided training to the Royal Bahamas Police Force Anti-Gang and Firearms Unit (AGFU) at Lynden Pindling International Airport. This is a practical exercise, not a real-life gun seizure.

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CARICOM speaks out on Climate Change, looking to May meeting to amplify call for Climate Funding

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March 3, 2024

 

The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) remains on the frontlines of global climate crisis, an issue the Region has been aggressively advocating on for the past thirty years. Despite the many commitments and promises of international partners, the window of opportunity to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels is rapidly closing.

Heads of Government are concerned that while COP 28 was widely regarded as a historic event, with the completion of the first global stocktake (GST), on progress in achievement of the Paris Agreement goals, the outcomes of GST show that emissions of greenhouse gases continue to rise and the nationally determined contributions (NDCs) of Parties will not keep global temperatures below the 1.5 degree goal enshrined in the Paris Agreement.

Heads of Government also expressed concern to be heading to COP 29 where a New Finance Goal will be articulated to replace the 100bn goal, which has not yet been met, even as developing countries require trillions to deal with the escalating impacts of climate change. Developed country parties have not provided enough finance at scale, technology and capacity building support required to help developing countries tackle their pressing needs to build their resilience, especially in adapting to the adverse and increasingly catastrophic impacts of climate change. The clear absence of definitive timelines for action and quantitative commitments for scaling up of investments, and particularly adaptation finance emerging out of COP 28, cause great concern to our Region.

The Conference noted that Small Island Developing States (SIDS), recognized as the most vulnerable group of countries and a special case for sustainable development, have been facing strong push back against the recognition of their special circumstances especially in the context of climate finance. There is limited international support for special allocations for SIDS within financing arrangements and available climate finance from international and private sources is limited, expensive and too onerous to access.

In light of the preceding, Heads of Government called for CARICOM to take a strategic, unified and coordinated approach to ensure that the Region remains influential in the climate and development arena through engagements with key partners and advocacy groups.

They called for renewed focus by the Region to advocate for inclusion of forests, nature-based solutions and blue carbon into market mechanisms with the aim of articulating clear regional positions and strategies.

Heads of Government reiterated the call for improved readiness programmes, simplified approval procedures, a change to the criteria for determining access to low-cost finance, and for the adoption of programmatic approaches to address the bottlenecks in accessing finance.

The Region reiterates its support for the Bridgetown Initiative’s call to expand capital adequacy of international financial institutions.

Heads recognized that the Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States, scheduled to be held in Antigua and Barbuda, 27 – 30 May 2024, will be an inflection point for many of these discussions to be articulated. As such, the Region remains committed to participating in the Conference at the highest level.

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South Caicos Development Plans shared with Washington-Misick led Administration

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On Monday, 12 February 2024, the Premier led a delegation to tour the island of South Caicos to view the ongoing public and private sector projects, involving the remodelling and rebranding of the airport terminals, historical districts, and the East Bay Hotel.

The tour of the various developments reinforced the Government’s commitment to collaborating with stakeholders to boost the island’s activity and economy.

Photos courtesy of the TCI Office of the Premier

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Ministry of Tourism continues to get rid of dilapidated structures

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By LINDSAY THOMPSON

Bahamas Information Services

NASSAU, The Bahamas – The Ministry of Tourism, Investments and Aviation is continuing to rid areas of derelict and dilapidated structures posing safety problems, and a threat to the overall tourism product.

In this vein the recent structure to be demolished was the Gaming Board building owned by the Hotel Corporation.  Located adjacent to Goodman’s Bay Beach on West Bay Street, it was formerly the Sir Harry Oakes property; the northern portion once housed Bahamas Information Services for several years.

 


On hand to witness the demolition were Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Investments and Aviation the Hon. Chester Cooper, and Senator Randy Rolle, Global Consultant, MOTIA.

The demolition started on Monday, February 5, 2024 by Virgo Construction headed by the contractor Terry Delancy.  

DPM Cooper explained that the government felt the Gaming Board building should no longer sit there in a derelict manner, and continue to be an eyesore and pose safety concerns.

“Goodman’s Bay will be enhanced as a result of getting rid of this building. It will be more aesthetically pleasing for residents who traverse this area. Women who walk in the mornings in particular through these areas will be pleased to see that this has become a green space, rather than a derelict structure,” he said.

DPM Cooper also noted that his ministry consulted broadly with the Antiquities, Monuments & Museums Corporation (AMMC), and other historians before proceeding with demolition.

“We are sure not to take any actions as it relates to buildings, without consultation. So they were very comfortable with the process and we continue to work closely with them on all of the buildings that we have demolished in the downtown area,” he said.

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