At the Regional Security System (RSS) Council of Ministers Meeting on Wednesday, the issue of illegal firearms entering Caribbean countries and the violence they cause were among the topics discussed. Member States were told that the issue of corruption must also be addressed in order to combat the problem of illegal firearms.
The Executive Director of the RSS, Commodore Errington Shurland, says that while the Region has been relatively calm in terms of Member States not being affected by climatic events or severe weather systems over the past year, there has been a notable increase in gun violence that has had a negative impact on some Member States.
This brutality, according to Commodore Shurland, exacts a terrible toll on society, not only in terms of loss of life but also in terms of physical and psychological stress.
In answer to this dilemma, he argues that hard and soft measures must be implemented through a society-wide strategy.
With the assistance of social development programs that continually target disturbed adolescents and programs that address issues associated to recidivism, soften the impact of recidivism on young people via the dissemination of constant positive messages.
According to him, the harsh reactions necessitate the commitment to install the required infrastructure to safeguard borders and prohibit the entry of firearms, as well as to address corruption concerns.
I mention corruption because I believe that the only way these firearms may enter our country is via our borders and persons who enable such operations.
RSS Member States include Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, St Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia and St Vincent and the Grenadines.
The meeting is taking place in Grenada.
