(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) The issue of crime and security as one of the greatest threats to development in the Caribbean was at the core of discussions on Wednesday between the Honourable Dr Bernard Nottage, Minister of National Security of The Bahamas and Ambassador Irwin LaRocque, Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
The Minister, who is also Chair of CARICOM’s Ministerial Council of National Security and Law Enforcement (CONSLE), welcomed the Secretary-General to his office on the first day of Ambassador LaRocque’s official visit to The Bahamas. They used the occasion to talk about preparations for a discussion on crime and security to be held by CARICOM Heads of Government during their 24th Intersessional Meeting beginning in Haiti on Monday 18 February.
The justice and prison systems as well as community-based actions to reduce levels of crime were also featured in Wednesday’s discussions.
The Secretary-General also met with the Honourable Frederick Mitchell, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration of The Bahamas whose portfolio includes CARICOM Affairs and brought the Minister up to date with Community issues. The Minister, who was accompanied by the Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Immigration the Honourable Cleola Hamilton and Ambassador to CARICOM the Honourable Picewell Forbes, assured the Secretary-General that CARICOM was central to the country’s foreign policy.
The critical importance of Climate Change and the threat of sea-level rise to the low-lying islands of The Bahamas, was among the issues discussed as well as renewable energy, relations with the European Union, fisheries and functional co-operation.
The Secretary-General will meet with Prime Minister the Rt Honourable Perry Christie on Thursday prior to sessions with youth representative and the media before leaving on Friday for the Intersessional Meeting in Haiti.
