Border security boost for region

Among the agreed action areas for completion between 2004 and 2007 were conducting comprehensive assessments aimed at enhancing border management capacities for Caricom States.

Also, part of the overall plan was the carrying out of on-site technical missions to enhance Caricom border management programmes and migration processes; conducting human resource development programmes of regional customs, immigration and port authorities and upgrading the capacities of the regional training institutions.

According to the plan, actions to be taken by Britain included providing equipment and training for scanning of cargo, baggage, and passengers at air and sea ports; assisting in enabling border security agencies to participate in the Caribbean Intelligence and Information Sharing System (CARISIS).

The mandate also included assisting in updating and upgrading regional border security systems and procedures utilising modern technology; providing technical assistance in the drafting of any appropriate enabling legislation for border management through the Caricom Legal Drafting Facility (CLDF).

It was determined that the joint Caricom/UK Task Force and Caricom Secretariat, along with Antigua and Barbuda, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago would conduct an audit of the requirements for enhanced regional border security, and to develop a plan for the introduction of a Border Security Regime.

Officials indicated border security, which was one of the four priority items under the Caricom/UK co-operation plan, would be fast tracked as part of the security planning for CWC 2007.

This enhanced border security will be the first phase of the accelerated process of long term security enhancement region wide.

Meetings of the sub-committees of Immigration, Customs, Police, Military Chiefs of Staff, Intelligence and Information Technology Officials have taken place over the past several months with a view to finalising plans for border security enhancement for CWC 2007, according to a recent report of the security co-operation planners.

Key elements of this initiative included machine-readable passports and a swipe card system, linked to a Caricom Intelligence Sharing Network (CISNET).