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CARICOM IMPACS signs Head Quarters Agreement
by News,Gov.TT
Posted: Jul 20, 2009 11:18 UTC
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PORT OF SPAIN - Trinidad and Tobago Government formalizes Regional Security Headquarters in Port-of-Spain
July 15th 2009, Hilton Trinidad- Three years after it was established the CARICOM Implementation Agency for Crime and Security, has formalized the location of its headquarters in Port-of Spain, with the signing of a Headquarters Agreement with the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago which sets out the legal status, the privileges and immunities and operating conditions under which the Agency will operate in that country.
The brief signing ceremony was chaired by Ambassador Gerald Thompson, Director of Treaties, International Agreements and Legal Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Signing on behalf of Trinidad and Tobago was the country’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Honorable Paula Gopee-Scoon who brought salutations from the Honorable Patrick Manning in both his capacity as Prime Minister of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and the lead Head with responsibility for Crime and Security in CARICOM’s Quasi Cabinet. It is Prime Minister Manning’s conviction she said, “that in order to defeat the scourge of transnational and local crime, it is critical that local efforts be coordinated with and complemented by regional and international initiatives.”
The feature address of the ceremony was delivered by the Executive Director of CARICOM IMPACS. Ms Lynne Anne Williams thanked the Government of Trinidad and Tobago not just for providing a home for the Agency but also, for joining with other CARICOM Member States in their continued support for the Regional anti crime effort. “None of this would be possible,” she stated, “without the extreme generosity, support and leadership displayed by the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago”.
Ms Williams summarized the mandate of IMPACS as the implementation of the Regional intelligence-led Crime and Security Agenda, as she reminded those present that the Heads of Government of the Region had declared Security the Fourth Pillar of the Community alongside Trade and Economic Integration, Foreign Policy Relations, and Functional Cooperation.
In 2005, in response to rising levels of crime, the Heads of Government of the Region approved a new management framework for Crime and Security, comprising of a Council of Ministers of National Security and Law Enforcement (CONSLE), a Security Policy Advisory Committee (SEPAC) and several operational sub-committees comprising commissioners of Police, Military Chiefs Immigration Chiefs and Comptrollers of Customs along with heads of Intelligence Units and also The Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (CARICOM IMPACS).
The Agency’s first major test arrived with the coordination of regional security arrangements for the Cricket World Cup in 2007. The security systems introduced at that time, contributed significantly to the successful hosting of the Tournament and some of the systems have been retained as part of the enhanced regional security arrangements. The legacy includes the Advanced Passenger Information System (APIS), the Joint Regional Communications Centre (JRCC) and the Regional Intelligence Fusion Centre (RIFC). The two Centres are sub-Agencies of IMPACS that are hosted by Governments of Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago respectively.
Today IMPACS and its sub-Agencies employ over eighty professionals from across the Region. In her address Ms. Williams stated that the countries represented among her staff included Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, the federation of St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname and the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. “We reiterate our gratitude to CARICOM Member States for their continuing support, particularly in this regard”, she stated.
Some of the key projects currently being developed and managed by the Agency within the Regional Crime and Security Agenda include the CARICOM Travel Card System (CARIPASS), the Advanced Cargo Information System (ACIS), and the Regional Integrated Ballistics Information System (RIBIN). IMPACS is also spearheading projects aimed at developing Human Resource capacity across various aspects of Law Enforcement.
For further information please contact
Shabaka Kambon
Communications Officer
CARICOM Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS)
Ground Floor, Sagicor Building
16Queens Park West
Port - of - Spain
Trinidad and Tobago
Telephone: 1-868-628-3311
Cell:1-868-472-1386
Fax: 1-868-628-9795
Email:skambon@carimpacs.org
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