You’d think that, for a region that depends on tourism to literally keep its head above (the blue) water, Caribbean Governments would’ve long ago tried to get a handle on its escalating crime rate. Just imagine, for “intentional homicide”, half of the top (or bottom) flyers are from the former British Caribbean. Measuring how many murders per 100,000 in population, Jamaica heads the pack at around 48, while Trinidad is second at around 33, and we in Guyana are hovering at around 20!! But what surprised your Eyewitness was that St Kitts, St Vincent and Belize were all HIGHER than Trinidad!! You’d think that, before they left, the Brits gave us a licence to kill – with impunity!!
But maybe their departure was the licence, no? While we bitch, moan and groan about how the Brits oppressed us (under their jackboots?), we gotta admit that they probably oppressed the criminals more – since the numbers show that crime of every stripe was less under their rule. So, what’d they do?? Your Eyewitness believes that while their law-and-order forces were much more professional in going after killers and other bad guys, they also created a climate in which the kinds of murders we see committed nowadays just weren’t done!! Sorry, old chap, we don’t do drive-by killings!! That’s a ghetto thing!!
Anyhow, after standing like bystanders and gawkers as the killers branched out into kidnappings and trafficking, etc (especially in Trinidad), the Governments in the Caricom Region decided to hold a two-day Crime Symposium, which ended yesterday. Yes, you read that right – a SYMPOSIUM!! At the Port of Spain Hyatt Regency, with a theme and everything: “Violence as a Public Health Issue – The Crime Challenge”. Imagine that – violence as a public health issue!! Just like smoking and eating too much fatty food!! When the Brits were ruling us, their answer to every problem that erupted was to appoint a Commission to investigate it. Guess our decolonial answer is to hold symposia!!
From the announcement of the Symposium, you can tell that our leaders mean business. They trashed “the conventional approach of the criminal justice system, [which] focuses on retribution, imprisonment, rehabilitation and restoration, with the goal of restoring harmony and reintegrating people into society.” ‘Cause, “This has resulted in consistently escalating levels of crime and violence which have been an ongoing concern of Caricom Heads of Government for several years.” Awww…they were concerned for years!!
So, they’ve now “resolved to increase focus on the determinants of crime by taking a public-health approach, which would first identify the causal factors and preventions, where possible, followed by interventions.”
Yeah… think of how after defining, say, suicide as a “public health issue” in 2001, so far, they’ve taken control and rolled back the scourge!!
…by discussing
Now, don’t think our leaders – led by that indefatigable crime fighter Keith Rowley – don’t have a plan. He has been informed that “the Regional Symposium will emphasise a holistic system approach, particularly a whole-of- Government and whole-of-society approach, involving and collaborating with all relevant agencies, organisations and sectors at different levels, including civil society, business, community, families and individuals.” How could they fail with “a whole-of-Government and whole-of-society approach”?? Obviously, in the past, neither Governments nor societies were giving it their all!!
And just to emphasise that no stone would be left unturned, under which some stray crime might remain, the topics covered were: “Violence and Health in the Region; Mental Health; Transnational Organised Crime; Using Litigation to Protect Gun Violence – Global Action on Gun Violence; Trans-Border Crime; Education and Youth, Domestic Violence; Economic Inequalities as the Driver of Crime and Violence; Community approaches – Restorative Justice; Sports and Mediation; and the Judicial Perspective – Legislation and Juvenile Justice Reform.”
Aren’t you breathing free??
…for democracy
Even though pigmentally-challenged, your Eyewitness was tickled pink when he saw the big names putting up their hands to fight for peace, justice, and the Guyanese way in our LGE!! Some were even moved to cross floors!!
