Minister Wayne Munroe, Commissioner Clayton Fernander, Chief Superintendent EarlThompson, Chief Superintendent Anton Rahming, and Dr. Jennifer Bethel attended the 24 thCouncil for National Security and Law Enforcement (CONSLE) Meetings in Trelawny, Jamaica,5 th – 7 th October, 2022.
At the 24 th meeting of Ministerial Heads, the 14 Member and 5 Associate States of CARICOMaddressed the constantly evolving and increasingly complex nature of safety and security in theregion. This year’s meetings was hosted by Chairman, the Honourable Dr. Horace Chang,Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Security for Jamaica. Chairman Chang urgedMinisters and technical experts to strengthen relationships across the region so that existing siloscould be removed from key areas of mutual interests and allow for better coordination andintelligence sharing systems and infrastructures.
During the three days session, the Bahamian delegation participated in several discussionsincluding the Caribbean Maritime Security Strategy (CMSS) which is in partnership with theUnited Nations on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The CMSS seeks to protect the region fromillicit and dangerous activity; develop maritime governance capacity and capability; strengthenthe region’s legal maritime framework to enhance cooperation and increase interdiction,investigation and successful prosecution; protect borders, ports, offshore installations, and otherinfrastructures; and enhance capabilities in science, technology, innovation, and the cyberdomain to increase the understanding and preservation of the blue economy.
The CONSLE discussed the establishment of the CARICOM Crime Gun Intelligence Unit(CGIU). The CGIU will be an interagency regional unit consisting of investigators and analystswho will focus on real-time data collection, management and analysis of crime gun intelligence.
The goals are to focus on intelligence-driven investigative leads relative to violent firearmoffenders; provide timely intelligence reports regarding firearms seizures and suspected firearmstrafficking; act as a central point of deconfliction and information sharing; work with national,regional and international stakeholders and secure their participation; and work with MemberStates to integrate with and enhance local violent crime strategies to impact firearms relatedincidences of crime.
The meetings also served to bolster operational cooperation with the United States’ departmentsof safety and security, whom were present during the sessions. Included were the Bureau ofAlcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI),International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL), and the US Customs and Border Protection(USCBP). The United States’ departments reiterated their commitment to the region, whileseeking to foster more opportunities to engage in dialogue and share best practices on howcountries in the region could further strengthen intelligence exchanges and build capacities andcooperation.
ATF, HSI, INL and USCBP shared with the regional body that all of them already had bilateralrelations with The Bahamas, while noting some of the successes with emphasis on transnationalthreat related crimes which stem from the links between illicit drugs and small arms and lightweapons trafficking. Minister Munroe acknowledged the US’ departments that were operating inThe Bahamas. He also noted that The Bahamas was fully cognizant that the country isinextricably connected and the issues and challenges facing the region presently are special casesfor sustainable development in view of the unique and particularly vulnerable complexities thatare national, regional and transnational in nature.
He shared that The Bahamas was committed to regional partnerships and would facilitate theagencies under his remit to receive and extend resource sharing to foster more highly skilled andflexible force structures which are able to more efficiently and effectively respond to threats tothe national security of The Bahamas. He also encouraged his CARICOM counterparts to acceptthe assistance being offered by the United States. In addition, he shared that The Bahamas andother regional countries greatly assisted the United States in reducing the flow of drugs into itsborders. Hence, there exists a historical legacy of hemispheric partnership that justified the samebeing returned to address firearms trafficking and related matters.
Minister Munroe highlighted that regional and hemispheric relations was in alignment with thesafety and security strategy of the Davis-Cooper administration which seeks to promote bi-lateraland multi-lateral structured dialogue so as to better understand and address the diverse andmultifaceted safety and security challenges of individual nations in the region, collectively. Themain objective is to develop feasible and effective national and regional strategies to secure thesafety and security of citizens.
Meanwhile, Commissioner Fernander reiterated the significant relations between the UnitedStates and The Bahamas in addressing transnational crimes. He too noted the significance ofregional intelligence to address the proliferation of firearms across Member States. He also notedthat The Bahamas will ensure cooperation among all safety and security forces which compriseHONLEA. Before the end of the year HONLEA will establish the Joint Firearms Task Force inpartnership with Inland Revenue and our US counterparts. The goal is to combat firearms, drugsand gang activity in The Bahamas by coordinating national and regional efforts to regulate theimport and export of illicit drugs and firearms.
At the conclusion of the 24 th CONSLE all Member and Associate States of CARICOMreaffirmed their commitment to regional collaboration. It was during the session that St. Luciaaccepted the opportunity to chair the 25 th CONSLE for the period January, 2023 – December,2023.
