Union Island incident underlines vulnerability of small states

Fri, Jun 8. 2012

Sometimes strange coincidences take place which we never would have predicted. Three of these are occurring within the territory of St. Vincent and the Grenadines in the space of a single week. This weekend, Heads of Government of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean (OECS) gather here for a summit to further their commitment under the Revised Treaty of Basseterre for an economic union of these mini-states.{{more}} Earlier this week, a significant ceremony, attended by the Ambassador of the United States of America to the Eastern Caribbean, was held at Cabinet Room, at which Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves received a four-volume “Guide to the Investigation and Prosecution of Serious Organised Crime”, prepared by British legal experts.

The third incident is the connecting thread between them and occurred in Clifton harbour on Union Island, at the southern extremity of our Grenadine island chain, last Sunday, June 3. There, a search by local security personnel, a police corporal and a customs guard, of a Venezuelan boat which had been hovering in Clifton Bay, turned deadly, resulting in the deaths of the local customs guard and three of the Venezuelan crew. A package, believed to be cocaine, which had been allegedly thrown overboard by one of the crew during the incident, was recovered by divers on the sea floor of the area where the incident is said to have taken place.

This incident raises a number of issues relevant to the two other events. Before touching on these however, we must first express our condolences to the family of the late Customs Guard, Othneil Whyte, who died in service to his country, and our commendation of Mr. Whyte and Police Corporal DeShong for the courage exhibited in upholding the laws of our land and protecting our territorial integrity.

Foremost among the issues which would have to be on the plate of the OECS leaders, whether planned or not, is the matter of the grave vulnerability of small island states. Our very size, or lack of it, brings with it serious resource limitations, yet our geographical location and coastal exposure leave us even more of a target for illicit operations on an international scale.

The Grenadine islands, with their multiplicity of bays and cays, present considerable challenges in policing and surveillance. They demand much more than we can afford, and the criminals know it. It is not by chance that one of the responses of the Union Islanders has been to call for a “customs boat” to be provided. In this regard, the generous action of the US Government to assist in the construction of a coastguard base in the southern Grenadines is most welcome.

Then there is the matter relating to the vulnerability and safety of those we entrust with the responsibility to uphold the law and guard our shores. This is even more of an issue in the case of unarmed personnel like customs guards. As the late Mr. Whyte’s relatives opined, perhaps he may have been alive now if he had had the added assurance of some appropriate means of defence. It is a matter to which the authorities must give serious consideration.

That the latest incident has occurred in the southern Grenadines raises another red flag. This is precious territory, not only from a security standpoint, but also from environmental and economic perspectives. There are precious marine resources and enormous potential for tourism in that area; we cannot afford to be careless in protecting them.

The rise of criminal elements controlling international drug trafficking is today a potent threat to countries much bigger, more powerful, better endowed economically than ours. Right in our region, we have seen the negative consequences in Jamaica, Colombia and Mexico. Our much more fragile island states must act now, in collaboration with friendly states.

It is in this light that the handing over of the guide, by the US Ambassador himself, and the cooperation of the Governments of the United Kingdom and United States are both timely and much appreciated. We must ensure that we utilize any such assistance wisely. At the same time, the threat to St. Vincent and the Grenadines is a threat to the whole of the OECS. We urge our leaders to make the appropriate response.