Deportees

IMPACS is currently overseeing a research project on the impact of criminal deportees to the Region. Studies have been undertaken on criminal deportees in Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana and Antigua and Barbuda.  A Working Group has been established to consider the recommendations of the findings of the studies and provide clear direction on a consolidated position for CARICOM in dealing with the issue.

CARICOM Travel Card

At the Twenty-Ninth Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government, held in Antigua and Barbuda on 1 July – 4 July 2008, the Conference approved a CARICOM Travel Card (CARIPASS) as a mechanism for facilitating hassle free travel for CARICOM passport holders and other legal residents of CARICOM Member States.  

CARIPASS would enable its holders to enter and exit CARICOM airports, and eventually sea ports, using a self-service border clearance process, without the need to queue for normal immigration control.

For more information go to the CARIPASS Overview section

Regional Integrated Criminal Records Management System (ICRS)

Law enforcement and other national security agencies all rely upon effective information gathering and processing, which in part includes accurate and timely information that are received from regional counterparts. It has been recognised that the varied systems, which include manual and automated systems, currently in use by regional agencies present a challenge for the fast exchange of accurate information which is necessary to proactively address crime and thereby improve regional security.

Due to this prevailing situation, IMPACS is currently investigating the development of a Regional Criminal Records Management System which will allow the unprecedented sharing of criminal records information between participating member states in a real time environment. The first stage calls for the undertaking of a feasibility study (currently underway) which will help in the formulation of a project proposal and provide the information necessary to determine the way forward for such a proposal.

The feasibility study began in July 2008 and is scheduled for completion in October 2008.
 

Human Resource Development Strategy for Crime and Security

The creation of a Law Enforcement Human Resource Development Strategy (HRDS) is one of the priority actions on the regional agenda.   There are two components to the production of the HRDS –

(1) A Caribbean Institute of Security and Law Enforcement Studies (CISLES) and

(2) A Centre of Excellence on Criminal Justice which was later renamed the Institute of Criminal Justice and Security (ICJS).

CISLES is to be the overarching structure to which the various regional security and law enforcement training institutions will be affiliated.  CISLES will coordinate the existing in-country law enforcement training centres and units; rationalise and standardize the curricula, complement their training needs and establish a common platform for certification and accreditation. The ICJS’ role will be to coordinate and advance existing initiatives on the three campuses of UWI and other institutions in the areas of crime, security and the justice system, the delivery of education and training to regional law enforcement personnel and the provision of consultancy and policy advice to regional governments.

A Working Group for a Regional Human Resource Development Strategy has been established to oversee the development of the strategy.  Its members are made up of representatives from IMPACS, CARICOM Secretariat, Regional Security Strategy (RSS), Trinidad and Tobago, Antigua and Barbuda, Jamaica, Barbados, St. Lucia and UWI. CARICAD has recently been invited to join the group. 

Support under the 9th European Development Fund (EDF)

The enhancement of regional integration efforts of the Caribbean into the world economy through global repositioning is one of the key objectives of the 9th European Development Fund (EDF) Regional Strategy Paper (RSP), which was presented in the Regional Indicative Programme (RIP).

A Financing Agreement for the Caribbean Integration Support Programme (CISP) was signed in January 2007 by CARIFORUM and the European Commission and aims at realizing the objectives identified in the RSP and RIP.

For the present CISP, funds have been allocated to IMPACS under the component of the programme “Institutional Support to CARICOM Implementation Agency for Crime and Security” which focuses on drug supply reduction. The Programme Estimate 1 (PE1) has been endorsed by the European Commission and the programme is expected to commence in August 2008. IMPACS is soon to begin the process of recruiting staff for the project unit.