Integrated solutions integral to address causes of crime in region – President Ali

– At 2nd Regional Symposium: Violence as a Public Health Issue: The Crime Challenge

As Caribbean nations confront rising crime rates and their socioeconomic consequences, President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali has underscored the importance of collective action and integrated strategies to address the root causes of crime.

CARICOM has classified crime as a public health issue, recognising its profound economic and social ramifications on member states.

Speaking at the opening of the 2^nd Regional Symposium: Violence as a Public Health Issue: The Crime Challenge Friday, at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC), President Ali highlighted the scale of the challenge. He noted findings from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) indicating that crime is a main factor for economic and social burdens.

“Those are the numbers that outline statistically, the problem that we are confronted with,” President Ali said, emphasising the need for integrated solutions involving health, education, and public policy as essential to addressing these systemic issues, beginning with communities and families.

Additionally, the 2020 Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) study revealed that crime costs 3.44 per cent of the region’s gross domestic product (GDP), equivalent to 80 per cent of education budgets and double that for social services.

The Caribbean spends an average of 31 per cent of its budget on crime prevention and fighting, losing significant investments in the development of human capital by 22 per cent.

Between 2019 and 2024, regional security budgets increased by 154 per cent, redirecting substantial resources away from critical sectors like healthcare and public services, ultimately depriving citizens of essential services.

President Ali also addressed the need to tackle gender-based violence, a critical subset of crime. He stressed that addressing this issue requires a holistic approach, encompassing cultural, educational, and behavioural interventions, beginning with primary education.

“We can’t address this without having health, public health, and education as part of the solution…. So, we have a whole generation coming up with a different perspective of life and how we deal with these issues,” he said.

Touching on other crimes, President Ali emphasised the need for a multidimensional approach to combat crimes involving illegal firearms, narcotics, money laundering, and trafficking in persons, particularly in tackling international criminal networks.

In outlining future strategies, he advocated for the inclusion of rehabilitated individuals in policy discussions to develop diverse solutions.

The head of state also commended Trinidadian Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley and Barbadian Prime Minister, Mia Mottley for their leadership in addressing this sore issue.

Leaders, policymakers, technocrats, specialists and stakeholders have convened for the second symposium at the ACCC, as part of an agenda to address the surge of crime in the region. The opening ceremony featured speeches from current CARICOM Chair, Dickon Mitchelle and Dr Keith Rowley.

The symposium will advance actionable solutions for implementation at the national level.  CARICOM states will share knowledge on successful preventative interventions for crime and violence.

They will also participate in roundtable discussions focusing on Cultural Influences on Crime: The Role of Music and its Influence on Crime and the Reform of the Criminal Justice Sector and Offender Management.