Prime Minister calls on OAS leaders to enhance citizen security and safety

Family portrait. Leaders of the Americas pose for a group photo at the end of the  summit in Colombia

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar on Sunday urged leaders of the Organisation of American States (OAS) at the Sixth Summit of the Americas to encourage further commitment to citizen security and safety within the Americas.

The Prime Minister, as lead CARICOM Head of Government on Security drew the attention of OAS heads to the major challenge of transnational organised crime and encouraged prompt action towards enhancing safety and security levels for the people of the Americas.

“We must act decisively on crime and violence in ways that make a difference. We know that the criminal elements operating in the Americas are very organised, in some instances to the extent that their resources exceed in number and sophistication the resources of the State,” she declared.

The Prime Minister emphasised that a holistic approach is necessary for fighting crime, encompassing strategies for prevention, detection, conviction and rehabilitation.

She said, “Crime security and safety is one of the major challenges facing our countries today, this is multifaceted, transnational pandemic requiring collective effort, we must be our brother’s keeper, no one country can do it alone and indeed I take inspiration from my country’s own motto 'Together We Aspire, Together we Achieve'."

She pinpointed social inclusion and the eradication of poverty as key priorities for preventing crime. Persad-Bissessar also spoke proudly of Trinidad and Tobago’s celebration of fifty years of Independence.