Attorney General calls on society to take action after 250 gun cases

SecondAttorney General Dale Marshall told a regional crime intelligence conference on Monday that more than 250 gun cases are currently pending in Albados, highlighting the urgent need for a comprehensive strategy to address the problem.

Speaking at a national conference held in partnership with regional anti-crime agency CARICOM IMPACS to raise awareness of the Crime Gun Intelligence Unit, Marshall revealed: “As of September last year, we had 292 firearms cases pending. By 2024, that number has not changed much, we have about 250-plus in the region.”

Statistics provided by Marshall showed a slight decrease in gun-related crime, with 63 cases reported between January and June this year, compared with 75 in the same period last year. The attorney general said there had been 142 gun trials in the 18 months to last month, stressing that the fight against gun trafficking “must be a whole-of-society effort”.

“I’m giving you this data to show that this fight is multifaceted,” he said.

The Attorney General called for greater community involvement, urging citizens to provide relevant information to assist in catching criminals.

“The courts are involved in this, the police departments are involved in this, but obviously the one missing element that we rarely talk about is the involvement of the community,” Marshall said.

Tonya Ayow, deputy executive director of CARICOM IMPACS, echoed Marshall’s sentiments, stressing the need for greater cooperation among Caribbean countries. She noted that the number of firearms interceptions has increased across the region, which she attributed to improved actionable intelligence.

“The number of firearms interceptions at the U.S. border and within CARICOM member states continues to increase as a result of increased actionable intelligence, and we are seeing an increase in the number of seizures of firearms, ammunition, magazines and parts at ports and inland,” Ayo reported.

The meeting highlighted the transnational nature of gun crime and the importance of a united front in combating these crimes. Ayo reiterated the commitment of CARICOM IMPACS to supporting Member States and enhancing their capacity to combat gun crime.

“In an era when transnational crime knows no borders, our joint efforts are even more important. Today we come together to recognize that the fight against gun crime requires a united front. Our shared intention is to continue supporting operations while working with our partners to build the capacity of member states’ gun forces across the region,” she said.

The advocacy and awareness conference held at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre was one of a series of conferences aimed at tackling gun crime in the Caribbean. The conferences were designed to highlight the work of the CARICOM IMPACS Crime Firearms Intelligence Unit to support CARICOM member states in detecting and reducing gun-related crime. Participants included ministers, parliamentarians and senior officials from customs and police. The initiative is in response to the high rate of violent death in the Caribbean, with guns being the main weapon used in these crimes.

The CGIU was established in October 2022 to strengthen cooperation and information sharing among Caribbean Community member states to combat firearms trafficking and improve public safety. Meetings will begin in St. Kitts and Nevis in March and are scheduled to be held in all 15 Caribbean Community member states. (SB)