Georgetown: Manager for the Governance Programme at the UNDP Guyanese office, Trevor Benn says in virtually all Caribbean states, crime and violence is the number one concern among adolescences and youths.
In tackling the issue, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat convened a four-day training Workshop today on the “Implementation of Prevention Strategies and Actions to address Youth Gangs and Violence.” The program is a joint initiative between the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and CARICOM to focus on Citizen Safety and Security.
Several dignitaries, Government and Opposition officials along with training participants were in attendance at the opening ceremony held at the Grand Coastal Inn.
According to Benn, youth violence and crime have tremendous developmental cost for small Caribbean countries. Benn said the phenomena’s impact and implications have grave costs to human and social welfare as well as economic growth. He insisted that tackling crime and violence is increasingly accounting for a greater percentage of national budgets. The issue, he related, places pressure on the health care system, attaching a cost to the state for loss of productive human resources and a cost when the business community loses faith in the state in providing adequate security.
Violent actions of youth gangs that contribute to the growing level of insecurity among persons, conflict among gangs that result in violent clashes, and an implementation of peaceful resolutions among and between rival gangs, should be addressed at the end of the workshop.
Ambassador Brent Hardt of the United States Embassy said that his country shares CARICOM’s belief that it is vital to ensure a secure future for its young people, “to overcome that lack of opportunity for socialized isolation and cultural violence.” He related that when the USA first started working with the Caribbean on the issue, regional leaders had highlighted their concern over the youth and they were uncertain about the way forward.
“It is in dealing with the social issues of pressures, temptations, and criminal environment, that makes the CARICOM project so critical,” He said. Head of delegation, European Union, Ambassador Robert Kopecky also shared the same concerns. Chief Executive Officer of the Education Ministry Olato Sam highlighted various negatives that accompany gang violence and crime before mentioning that the Education Ministry had noticed the need to implement or view more in-depth the incidence of youth gang related crimes and violence.
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