Antigua and Barbuda leads drive against crime in Caribbean

Caribbean continues to experience escalating levels of crime and violence. This is a rising problem that leaders are demanding a reform in order to tackle the rise.

The region has the prevailing issues of youth gangs, possession of firearms, and drug-related cases. All these are issues requiring solutions as soon as possible.

Antigua and Barbuda’s Head Gaston Browne has not been quiet about this crisis. Addressing the second Regional Symposium on Crime and Violence he urged his audiences to take a regional approach.

According to Browne, administrations, the judiciary, and communities need to collaborate. He used words such as ‘pernicious scourge,’ to explain the nature of the problem of crime and said this is a problem that needs to be addressed now.

Browne pointed out the following issues: He attributed this to issues of lack of empathy amongst the youthful populace, and issues of culture. Gaston also called upon the use of education and limitation of the availability of firearms.

He also urged efforts to reform youth offenders in order that they should become useful members of the society.

Another important area that Browne devoted his speech to was mental health. He pointed out that most offenders relate to the health complications most especially of the mental health.

Browne called on the authorities to counter it as part of measures towards fighting crime. His move was approved by Barbados’ Head of State, Mia Mottley, who hailed Browne’s commitment to leading on mental health issues.

For records, crime greatly affects the economic facet of a society. According to the Guyana’s Chief Dr. Irfaan Ali, crime aspects of the region bear a cost equivalent to 3.44% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Such funds could otherwise be used to purchase education and health. There was a call by Browne for improved prioritization on resource management where he argued that crime pervades all the Caribbeans.

There was a strong positive reaction to Browne’s call to unity. It tells a clear program to exhibit a comprehensive and integrated strategy for action.

For Browne, this simply means that by empowering communities and addressing the causes, the Caribbean can and will rise above this crisis and fashion a new and safer society.