In our editorial from yesterday (RSS and Crime) we introduced the “CariCom Crime and Security Strategy” which was adopted at the 24th inter-sessional meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government on 18-8 Feb 2013 in Haiti. More than nine years have elapsed and we honed on Goal 7 of the strategy that focused on specific initiatives that was to be operationalized as a priority. It is clear from the alarming crime statistics that emanate from our territories that as a region and as a country we have lapsed in providing the fundamental raison d’etre of the state itself – security for its citizens.
We summarise the remaining initiatives of Goal 7: to “Strengthen the Effectiveness of Criminal Investigation through Modern Technologies and Scientific Techniques”. These are more macro-based but are important especially since the trafficking of narcotics through Guyana and the islands pose one of the greatest challenges to professional crime fighting. There was supposed to be vi. The development of model legislative framework governing the use of forensic evidence in criminal proceedings, in particular implementation of legislation to support the taking and use of DNA samples will be pursued.
vii. CARICOM will also work towards establishing model legislation to govern the handling of physical evidence, particular in relation to chain of custody, storage, packing, labelling security of the evidence, and the transfer of evidence; viii. The establishment of National DNA Databases should be supplemented by legislation for the maintenance of forensic databases and provision for the sharing of information held within databases through a centralised automated CARICOM DNA database. ix. A CARICOM DNA Database ought to be pursued and established within a clear framework that protects individual privacy and takes due account of the protection of legitimate personal data;
x. The Community will pursue the establishment and implementation of a secure regional criminal database of fingerprints network; CARICOM Automated Fingerprint Integrated System (CAFIS), which maintains individual privacy rights. Fingerprint data can reveal vital connections between people and crimes, and allow the identification of anonymous traces left at crime scenes, which will significantly increase the criminal detection rate;
xi. The CAFIS will be complemented by the establishment of regional legal regulatory instruments to facilitate the sharing of automated digital fingerprint information, collection and exploitation in law enforcement investigations and judicial actions; xii. The Region will take all necessary steps to enhance forensic and ballistic capabilities to prevent and solve gun crimes. The marking and tracing of guns are essential steps in mapping the gun problem, identifying routes and modes of illicit gun trafficking and
curbing increasing gun violence in the Region. The Regional Integrated Ballistic Information Network (RIBIN), established within the context of the UN PoA, is a proposed ballistic information-sharing mechanism to track guns and ammunition used in crimes and to make this information available to law enforcement, customs and other security agencies. RIBIN will provide support to those CARICOM territories that currently lack the requisite forensic capacity to identify the ballistic ‘fingerprint’ of ammunition used in crimes and to record the ballistic ‘signature’ of the firearm used. This will increase Member States’ capacity to link firearms used by specific gangs and also allow them the capability to trace the connections in the organized trade in illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons and ammunition;
xiii. RIBIN, once fully incorporated, will eventually link with other systems, including inter alia the European Integrated Ballistics Identification System (Euro-IBIS), Canadian Integrated Ballistics Identification Network (CIBIN) in Canada and the United States National Integrated Ballistics Identification Network (NIBIN). This could be achieved through the establishment of protocol agreements to connect RIBIN to these other international networks; and
xiv. CARICOM will encourage the establishment of a Regional Investigative Management System (RIMS) to support difficult and protracted investigations. The team would be stood up when required to support a Member State in a complex or protracted investigation or an investigation into an incident spanning regional borders.”
There must be a report by the authorities on where we stand in reference to the realisation of Goal 7. Since we called in the RSS to “assess” the Fugundes investigation, can we surmise that RIMS was established and functional?
