The 2024 Global Cooperation and Training Framework (GCTF) Affiliated Event for Caribbean & Latin America Region was held on Thursday, October 17, 2024, focusing on Social Security & Crime Prevention.
The event, which was held at Harbor Club Hotel in Rodney Bay, Gros Islet, was co-hosted by the Taiwan Embassy in Saint Lucia, the Government of Saint Lucia, and the US Embassy in Barbados, the Eastern Caribbean and the OECS.
This year’s GCTF Affiliated Event featured speakers from Saint Lucia, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, the United States, Canada, and Taiwan, all of whom underscored the need for serious and robust intervention to curb escalating crime in the Caribbean.
During the opening ceremony, H.E. Peter Chia-Yen Chen, Taiwan’s Ambassador to Saint Lucia, said the forum sought to assemble some of the best resource persons to not only discuss the crime situation affecting the Caribbean, but also articulate concrete solutions to prevent and curb crime within the Region.
“Today, as we enjoy the natural beauty and rich culture of the Caribbean islands, we are also confronted with the challenges of crime,” said Ambassador Chen. “Hon. Philip J. Pierre, Prime Minister of Saint Lucia, mentioned in the 68th CARPHA Annual Health Research Conference, recognized that many factors contribute to crime, and that a whole-of-Government and whole-of-society approach to crime prevention and control is much more urgent than ever. It is why we invited speakers with various backgrounds of academia, social service, law enforcement and media to this forum. Their diverse perspectives on this issue will allow us to sort out the solution from different dimensions.”
Ambassador Chen noted that as globalisation facilitates cross-border flow of people, information, capital, and goods, this has also led to increased trans-national crimes, which would require multiple partners collaborating to realize any meaningful results in combating crime.
“Therefore, tackling different types of crime domestically or regionally requires strong international cooperation, resources coordination and knowledge sharing among partners for crime combating and social intervention,” said Ambassador Chen. “From youth and women entrepreneurship programmes, ICT workshops, vocational training for youth and athletes, to better access to education system, Taiwan continues to support the social development of Saint Lucia at the community and national levels. Taiwan is also committed to the capacity building of the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force, and we will further consolidate the cooperation with Hon. Minister Jeremiah Norbert as well as Mr. Verne Garde, Acting Commissioner of Police, in improving law enforcement capabilities.”
Ambassador Chen thanked colleagues from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Crime Prevention and Disability Affairs, as well as the US Embassy in Barbados, and also the Taiwan Embassy for their tireless efforts to make the event a reality. He also thanked H.E. Roger Nyhus, Ambassador of the United States to Barbados, the Eastern Caribbean and the OECS, for co-hosting the meaningful event. Similarly, Ambassador Chen expressed gratitude to H.E. Governor General Cyril Errol Charles; President of the Senate Alvina Reynolds; Speaker of the House of Assembly Hon. Claudius Francis; Hon. Minister Emma Hippolyte, Hon. Minister Jeremiah Norbert and Hon. Minister Joachim Henry; Senators; Attorney General Leslie Mondesir, and other distinguished guests for their continued support and kind assistance.
Mr. Mark Lambert, China Coordinator and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for China and Taiwan in the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs at the U.S. Department of State, said Taiwan is a force for good in the world. He added that Taiwan demonstrates to other democracies facing similar challenges — such as climate change, educating our children, ensuring sustainable agriculture in the face of climate change — that multiple partners can work together to solve universal challenges.
“Put simply, we all stand to benefit from a greater role for Taiwan to play on our planet,” Lambert stated. “Taiwan’s ability and willingness to help address these problems is something that we should all embrace. It was with this in mind that American colleagues and Taiwanese colleagues got together in 2015 and created this Forum, this GCTF. Since then, GCTF has become a platform to demonstrate how we can work around the world to face these vexing problems. Thousands of workshops like the one here today have been put in place around the world to address critical issues of importance, ranging from cyber-security, law enforcement cooperation, information integrity, women’s empowerment, and much more.”
Hon. Jeremiah Norbert, Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister with Responsibility for Home Affairs, Crime Prevention and Persons with Disabilities, was one of two keynote speakers at this year’s GCTF Affiliated Event. He thanked Ambassador Chen for his continuous efforts aimed at supporting and strengthening ties between Saint Lucia and Taiwan. Hon. Norbert noted that the work the Taiwan Embassy has done to improve various sectors in Saint Lucia, including crime prevention, has not gone unnoticed and is sincerely appreciated.
“The topic of Social Security and Crime Prevention is more urgent now than ever,” Hon. Norbert said. “Saint Lucia, like many of our Caribbean neighbours, has been grappling with rising crime rates, especially violent crimes. This isn’t just a Saint Lucia or regional issue; it is a reflection of broader societal challenges that have been allowed to fester over time. Our Government recognizes that crime is not an isolated phenomenon; it is a consequence of various socio-economic conditions that have eroded our social fabric. As a nation, we acknowledge that addressing crime requires a multi-faceted approach. It is not merely about enforcement; it is about prevention, rehabilitation, prevention, offering our citizens alternatives to crime, and creating an environment where opportunities for advancement are available to all.”
The other featured speaker was Ms. Barbara Feinstein, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Caribbean Affairs and Haiti at the U.S. Department of State. She said crime, violence and instability are not limited by borders, and neither are the solutions. She also said the GCTF Affiliated Event embodies the spirit of global cooperation, bringing together partners like the United States and Taiwan to collectively tackle these critical challenges.
“In the Caribbean as elsewhere, citizen security is deeply intertwined with social and economic factors such as unemployment, inequality and lack of access to quality education,” Feinstein stated. “The United States has long been committed to fostering sustainable development in the Region, and a key part of this work is creating pathways for young people to escape cycles of violence and crime. Youth empowerment lies at the heart of our crime prevention efforts. Through psycho-social support, education, workforce development and community-based programmes, we aim to provide young people with the tools they need to realize their full potential.”
The first of two panel discussions — “Exploring the Root Causes, Risk Factors, and Prevention of Crime” — was moderated by H.E. Ambassador Roger Nyhus, Ambassador of the United States to Barbados, the Eastern Caribbean and the OECS. Panelists were Ms. Phelps Feeley, Chief of Party, Youth Resilience to Crime and Violence in the Caribbean Activity; Professor Corin Bailey, Director, Center for Criminal Justice and Security, University of the West Indies; Mr. Shieh-Chan Wu, Prosecutor, Taiwan High Prosecutors Office, Ministry of Justice, Taiwan, (virtually); and Mr. John Victorin, Executive Director, Saint Lucia Social Development Fund (SSDF).
The second panel discussion was moderated by Mr. Mervyn Farroe, Regional Representative, USAID, and focused on the topic, “Tackling Strategies to Different Types of Crime”. Panelists were Mr. Yu-Feng Chen, Prosecutor, Chiayi Prosecutors Office, Ministry of Justice, Taiwan, (virtually); Mr. Tarik Weekes, Research Fellow, Center for Criminal Justice and Security, University of the West Indies; Ms. Kiran Maharaj, Co-Founder of the Media Institute of the Caribbean & Caribbean Investigative Journalism Network; Superintendent Brenner Camille, Commander of Marine Unit, Royal Saint Lucia Police Force; Ms. Vinayini Murty, Manager of Crime Prevention Policy, Public Safety Canada, (virtually).
Closing remarks were offered by Hon. Joachim Henry, Minister for Equity, Social Justice and Empowerment, who called on all stakeholders to commit their shared knowledge and financial resources to help stem the flow of illegal firearms in the Region. While the Caribbean does not produce firearms, he said many of the crimes committed in the Region involve the use of illegal firearms.
SOURCE: Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan) in Saint Lucia