Mr. President, I attended the CARICOM 5th Meeting of Ministers Responsible for National Security and Law Enforcement held in Port of Spain, Trinidad over the period April 3 – 5, 2008.

Mr. President, this was my first such meeting in my current role and I found the exchange very useful to our own efforts in crime interdiction, police recruitment, additional and varied training options and regional cooperation.

The agenda for this meeting was designed by those attending the extraordinary joint Meeting of the Standing Committee of Commissioners of Police and Military Chiefs held in Guyana in March and attended by our own Commissioner of Police. The Commanding Officer of the Bermuda Regiment, who is also a member of the Standing Committee was unable to attend due to annual overseas camp commitments.

Mr. President, before deciding to attend, I was keen to see the agenda and confirm that the subject matter would be relevant to our needs as well I wanted to have a discussion with the new Jamaican Minister of National Security on the repatriation of their nationals incarcerated in our corrections facilities. I am pleased to report that we made progress on both fronts.

Mr. President, the conference Chairman was Trinidad and Tobago National Security Minister, the Hon. Martin Joseph, who I can confirm had a dogged determination to complete the significant agenda by adjourning at 7:30pm on the first night and 9:45 pm on the second.

Mr. President, the conference began with presentations from Ambassador Alexandre Addor-Netto – Secretary for Multidimensional Security, Organization of the American States, Dr Carol Fuller, Executive Secretary, Inter-American Committee Against Terrorism and a presentation of the Report Entitled “Crime, Violence And Development: Trends, Cost and Policy Options in the Caribbean.”

The agenda covered the following topics:

1. INTELLIGENCE BRIEFING

2. ADMINISTRATIVE ISSUES RELATING TO IMPACS Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (CAUCUS):

Staffing issues related to same
Confirmation of Budget – (2007–2008)
Finance Report
Draft Headquarters Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and CARICOM IMPACS

Draft Memorandum of Agreement on Privileges and Immunities between the Government of Barbados and CARICOM IMPACS

3. DECISIONS OF NINETEENTH INTER-SESSIONAL MEETING OF HEADS OF GOVERNMENT AS THEY RELATE TO CRIME AND SECURITY:

Preserving the Legacy of Cricket World Cup 2007: Status Report On Legacy Issues -

Report of Standing Committees of Chief Immigration Officers and Comptrollers of Customs -

Single Domestic Space

Common CARICOM Visa - Update on next Meeting of the Visa Task Force

CARICOM Travel Card Project – Status of Feasibility Study

Status of Advance Passenger Information System

Status of Establishment of Advance Cargo Information System

Report of Standing Committees of Commissioners of Police and Military Chiefs

Report from IMPACS on -

Outreach Programme - Phase I – August 2007 (The Bahamas, Belize, Guyana, St. Kitts and Nevis and Suriname)

Cooperation with Interpol

Cooperation with CARICAD

Draft Regional Crime and Security Strategy

Draft Regional Anti-Cyber Crime Strategy

Reports from the CARICOM Secretariat on -

Legislative Agenda CWC 2007

Security as the Fourth Pillar- Status Report on Revision of the Treaty

CARICOM Air and Maritime Co-operation Agreement

CARICOM Arrest Warrant Treaty

4. CONSIDERATION OF ITEMS FOR INCLUSION IN DRAFT AGENDA OF THE SPECIAL SUMMIT ON CRIME AND SECURITY:

Review of Report from Extraordinary Joint Meeting of Commissioners of Police and Military Chiefs

Consideration and Review of the Draft Regional Action Plan proposed by Commissioners of Police and Military Chiefs

5. REPORT FROM CARICOM WORKING GROUP ON CRIMINAL DEPORTATION

6. INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION:

CARICOM-UK Security Cooperation Plan – Report Of The Joint Management Committee –

Criminal Deportation

Human Resource Development Strategy

Small Arms and Light Weapons

Review of Coordinating Information Management Authority (CIMA)

Review of National Joint Coordinating Centres (NJCCs)

CARICOM-US Security Cooperation –

Criminal Deportation

Small Arms and Light Weapons

CARICOM-EU Security Cooperation –

7. REVIEW OF DRAFT RULES OF PROCEDURE FOR THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS RESPONSIBLE FOR NATIONAL SECURITY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT

Mr. President, you will clearly see that some of these topics might be of little interest to us, likewise others are of great interest, but let me put our participation in perspective. Bermuda has a seat at the table and a vote on issues that directly affect us.

More importantly our participation in this organization provides us with opportunities for our police to interact and coordinate with their counterparts in the region – particularly in the areas of drug interdiction, investigative best practice and regional cooperation.

Mr. President, this year alone we have reaped significant benefits from this relationship in that several major drug shipments have been intercepted long before reaching our shores.

Mr. President, there are tangible benefits to our membership in CARICOM, and I have just highlighted some of them.

Mr. President, as full partners in this relationship, I am pleased to announce that next month Bermuda will host the Tenth Meeting of CARICOM Standing Committees of Commissioners of Police and Military Chiefs. This will further strengthen the bond within the region and provide us with opportunities to take advantage of training opportunities for both our Police Service and Regiment as we work towards expanding the role of our Regiment.

Thank you, Mr. President.

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT
by
Senator, the Honourable Lieutenant Colonel David A. Burch, OBE (Mil), ED, JP
Minister of Labour, Home Affairs and Housing
CARICOM 5th Meeting of Ministers Responsible for National Security and Law Enforcement
Wednesday, 14 May 2008