New laws needed for new forms of crime

NEW legislation is needed to address the transnational nature of crime and to enable mutual legal assistance between States as well as to deal with new forms of crime, such as cyber crime, product counterfeiting and kidnapping.

That was the view of Lancelot Selman, Chairman of the Caricom Regional Task Force on Crime and Security, when he spoke Thursday at the two -day ECA International conference on “International Crime and Terrorism: Implications for Business and Caribbean Economies,” at the Hilton Conference Centre. Selman noted that globalisation, improved communications and technology have enhanced international crime. He said those factors have also impacted the region, where one was witnessing higher levels of wanton violence, increased availability and use of firearms, increases in the number of murders and an increase in kidnappings. He said it was  very relevant for Caricom to address crime and security, especially since a safe and secure environment was a legitimate expectation of constituents and a pre-requisite to good governance. In addition, the region remained heavily dependent on direct foreign investment and tourism.