Law enforcement officers now armed with four-volume tool

Law enforcement officials and members of the judiciary are now better equipped to handle incidents of serious organized crime,{{more}} thanks to a four-volume guide, prepared by Criminal Justice Advisor to the Eastern Caribbean Dan Suter and his wife Nicola, of the United Kingdom’s Eastern Caribbean Financial Investigations Advisory Team.

Tuesday, June 5, saw the launch, at the Cabinet Room, of the “Guide to Investigation and Prosecution of Serious Organised Crime”, which was funded by the U.S. Embassy for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean and the British High Commission in Barbados.

The launch saw a number of legal practitioners, along with members of the customs department, coastguard and high-ranking officers of the Royal St Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force in attendance.

Speaking at the launch, Larry Palmer, United States Ambassador to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, said that in 2009, President Barack Obama announced the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI), an initiative which he said was founded on the idea of true partnership between the United States and countries of the Caribbean.

Through the partnership, Palmer said they have agreed to share responsibility for ensuring common security.

“Only through unified response can we begin to combat these powerful and relentless criminal forces… This partnership seeks to implement sustainable, durable solutions that will transition to the responsibility of our regional partners,” Palmer said.

Palmer applauded the leadership of this country’s Prime Minister, Dr Ralph Gonsalves, in the area of law enforcement and citizen security.

He noted that this country was the first in the Caribbean to sign onto the Cooperative Sensor Integration initiative and is updating its criminal code to incorporate modern best practices.

In April 2012, Palmer said the then Chargé d’ Affaires at the United States Embassy in Bridgetown came to this country to sign an amended letter of agreement that provided US$768,000 in new funding since the launch of the CBSI. In total, Palmer said the US has committed US$2.5 million in direct bilateral assistance to St Vincent and the Grenadines to reduce illicit trafficking and to increase public safety.

Addressing the launch, Prime Minister Gonsalves pointed out that parts of the guide deal with cyber crime offences, forensic services, powers of financial investigation, money laundering investigations, codes for prosecutors, among others.

Gonsalves said he doesn’t want persons to get the idea that British people came here and introduced something foreign to this country and the Eastern Caribbean. “That is not the case at all. These volumes are based on the criminal law in SVG. They are based on statute law, decisions of the high court, court of appeal and Privy Council…. they can’t put something together which is outside the framework of the law and practice in SVG or Eastern Caribbean. The Chief Justice wouldn’t have written a foreword if that were the case,” he stated.

Dr Gonsalves thanked the British and American governments for all their support and commended them for their role in assisting this country with citizen security. He further noted the American government is currently involved in building a coastguard base at Canouan and that the designs are currently being done.

According to Gonsalves, sometime in the next month, this country should be receiving two interceptor vessels to strengthen the coastguard, noting that Union Island is the “soft underbelly” for a significant amount of organized crime. “Not the people from Union Island, but people who come into Union Island from overseas…They are also one or two persons from Union and St Vincent who are involved in these sort of activities..,” he said.

In his brief remarks, Dan Suter said in terms of security, this country has the right idea. He thanked the government for their support of the Guide. He also expressed gratitude to the Director of Public Prosecutions Colin Williams, Crown Counsel Colin John, and Commissioner of Police Keith Miller, among others.

“This guide emphasises a team approach at a very early stage when serious organized criminals are arrested,” Suter said.

Karl Burrrows, British High Commissioner, who is based in St Lucia, said in the four and a half years that he has been working in the region as the lead official for the United Kingdom government, they have spent a significant amount of time urging governments of the region to take advantage of their assistance whilst the expertise is based in the region.

He explained that they have had varying degrees of success, but noted that this country needs no encouragement and has been at the forefront of progress being made in these areas of work.

He noted that the guide is to be used as a reference point for the region and to encourage joint work between law enforcement personnel and prosecutors. “Serious criminals consider prison as an occupational hazard. What they don’t like is the confiscation of their rogue gotten gains. That hurts. And the guide will help to inflict some pain on serious criminals,” Burrows said.

At the end of the launch, a copy of the guide was presented to Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of National Security Godfred Pompey.(KW)