CARIBBEAN/UNITED STATES SUMMIT
PARTNERSHIP
FOR PROSPERITY AND SECURITY IN THE CARIBBEAN
Bridgetown, Barbados
10 May 1997
CONTENTS
BRIDGETOWN DECLARATION
OF PRINCIPLES
I. TRADE,
DEVELOPMENT, FINANCE AND THE ENVIRONMENT
- Enhancement of
Trade and Investment
- Free Trade Area
of the Americas (FTAA)
- Telecommunications
- Economic
Development and Financial Flows
- Disaster
Preparedness and Response
- Aviation
- Educational Cooperation
- Sustainable Development
II.
JUSTICE AND SECURITY
- Reduction of Crime and Violence
- Arms Trafficking Control Regime for the Caribbean
-
Illicit Drugs: Reduction, Education, Rehabilitation and Eradication
- Strengthening Criminal Justice Systems
- Combating Attempts to Corrupt Officials
- Combating Money Laundering
- Criminal Justice Protection Programme
- Strengthening Regional Security Forces
- Combined and Cooperative Interdiction
Efforts
- Collecting, Analysing and Sharing
Information
-
Alien Smuggling and Deportation of Criminals
BRIDGETOWN DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES
We, the Heads of State and Government of the Caribbean nations of
Antigua and Barbuda, the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, the Commonwealth
of Dominica, the Dominican Republic, Grenada, the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, the
Republic of Haiti, Jamaica, the Federation of St. Christopher and Nevis, Saint Lucia, St.
Vincent and the Grenadines, the Republic of Suriname and the Republic of Trinidad and
Tobago and of the United States of America, meeting in Bridgetown, Barbados on May 10,
1997, pledge to strengthen our cooperation in responding to the challenges of the coming
millennium, in a spirit of partnership and mutual respect.
2. We affirm our unswerving commitment to the norms of
international law and the principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations and in
the Charter of the Organization of American States and our respect for the sovereignty of
states, multilateral approaches, democratic traditions, human rights, good governance,
human dignity and the rule of law.
3. We recognise the heterogeneity and diversity yet shared
identity of our family of nations and people bonded by historic and ethnic origins,
cultural ties and affinity and close social and economic links. We remain appreciative of
the significant contribution of our respective nationals as immigrant communities to the
development of each other's societies.
4. We also recognise the inextricable link between trade,
economic development, security and prosperity in our societies. We therefore declare our
intention to act in concert to improve the economic well-being and security of all our
citizens, to defend and strengthen our democratic institutions and to provide for social
justice and stability.
5. As we enter a new century marked by rapid expansion and
globalisation of finance and investment, production and commerce, driven by revolutionary
developments in technology, we acknowledge the need for a new era in our partnership. In
this context, we re-affirm our support for the Declaration of Principles and Plan of
Action adopted by the 1994 Summit of the Americas in Miami. We recall that this process
undertook to consider the special needs of small economies, with a view to enhancing their
level of development and preparing them to meet the challenges posed by the inexorable
trends of globalisation and liberalisation of the world economy, and the creation of the
Free Trade Area of the Americas. We note the increasing role of the human, technological
and communication capacities required for operating in this new competitive international
environment and the current reality in most Caribbean States and accept the need for
systematic, cooperative initiatives to strengthen the quality of their human resources and
technological capacity.
6. Firm in our conviction that stable and prosperous economies,
buttressed by the rule of law, are bulwarks against the forces of transnational crime, we
are concerned by the growing strength and capabilities of transnational criminal
organisations and drug cartels, their attempts to distort and weaken our free economies
and democratic systems, and the effects which their activities and presence have on levels
of violence and basic public order. We declare our resolve to collaborate in combatting
both organised transnational crime and the threat posed to our peoples and the foundations
of our nations by illegal firearms and ammunition trafficking. We are acutely concerned by
the increasing incidence of alien smuggling and commit ourselves to search for creative
and innovative ways to improve our justice systems and the cooperation between them, in
order to provide our societies with that sense of security and stability so necessary to
freely pursue sustainable social and economic development.
7. We recognise that despite the substantial progress in dealing
with debt problems, high foreign debt burdens still hinder the development of some of our
countries. We therefore affirm the importance of appropriate debt management measures
including those in the programmes of the International Financial Institutions.
8. We affirm our strong commitment to internationally recognised
labour standards and worker rights, especially freedom of association and collective
bargaining. We underscore the importance of the empowerment of women to permit their full
participation in the political and economic spheres, through fair access to education,
health care and credit and recognise that addressing and preventing violence against women
is an important step toward our goal of strengthening democracy. Vibrant, sustainable and
equitable development requires the contribution of all members of society.
9. To achieve these objectives and maintain our process of
consultation, we agree that all Ministers/Secretaries of State of the nations of the
Caribbean responsible for Foreign Affairs and the Secretary of State of the United States
of America will meet to oversee and report to us on an annual basis on the implementation
of the Plan of Action appended hereto. In addition, we hereby establish Joint Committees
on Justice and Security and on Development, Finance and Environmental Issues, the latter
to work in close collaboration with the CARICOM/U.S. Trade and Investment Council, to
facilitate an increasing and effective level of communication, coordination and follow-up
among our Governments.
10. Towards these ends, we adopt and issue this Bridgetown
Declaration of Principles, detailing our beliefs and uniting our efforts to strengthen
the ability of our States to pursue sustainable development and to preserve our democracy,
peace, economic and social progress and to which we hereby affix our signatures.
Signed by Lester Bird for the Government of
Antigua and Barbuda on the 10th day of May 1997
Signed by Hubert Ingraham for the Government of the
Commonwealth of The Bahamas on the 10th day of May 1997
Signed by Owen Arthur for the Government of Barbados on the
10th day of May 1997
Signed by Dean Barrow for the Government of Belize on the 10th
day of May 1997
Signed by Edison James for the Government of the Commonwealth
of Dominica on the 10th day of May 1997
Signed by Jaime David for the Government of the Dominican
Republic on the 10th day of May 1997
Signed by Keith Mitchell for the Government of Grenada on the
10th day of May 1997
Signed by Samuel Hinds for the Government of the Co-operative
Republic of Guyana on the 10th day of May 1997
Signed by Rene Preval for the Government of the Republic of
Haiti on the 10th day of May 1997
Signed by Percival Patterson for the Government of Jamaica on
the 10th day of May 1997
Signed by Denzil Douglas for the Government of the Federation
of St. Christopher and Nevis on the 10th day of May 1997
Signed by Vaughan Lewis for the Government of Saint Lucia on
the 10th day of May 1997
Signed by James Mitchell for the Government of St. Vincent and
the Grenadines on the 10th day of May 1997
Signed by Jules Wijdenbosch for the Government of the Republic
of Suriname on the 10th day of May 1997
Signed by Basdeo Panday for the Government of the Republic of
Trinidad and Tobago on the 10th day of May 1997
Signed by William Clinton for the Government of the United
States of America on the 10th day of May 1997.
CARIBBEAN/UNITED STATES SUMMIT
PLAN OF ACTION
We, the Heads of State and Government participating in the 1997
Caribbean/ United States Summit in Bridgetown, Barbados committed to furthering the
objectives set out in the Bridgetown Declaration of Principles, conscious of the
importance of the social and economic development of the Caribbean nations as the
foundation for peace, democracy, stability and well being of the region, and mindful
of the need for specific measures to develop further the shared economic and security
interests between the Caribbean and the United States,
Adopt and Issue the following Plan of
Action which reflects our political and policy decisions in order to give effect to the
Summit dialogue which we have just concluded:
I. TRADE, DEVELOPMENT, FINANCE AND THE ENVIRONMENT
1. Enhancement of Trade and Investment
We affirm that strengthened trade and investment ties between the
United States and the Caribbean are essential to promote the economic development and
diversification of the region and to improve the well-being of all our citizens. We
recognise the special challenges and opportunities we will face in the highly globalised
economy of the Twenty-First Century. We are committed to work together to advance the
prosperity and economic security of the people of the Caribbean, by facilitating expanded
trade with the United States through improved market access, increased investment in the
Caribbean, and availability of technology throughout the region.
We pledge to strengthen efforts to implement sound
market-oriented policies and open trade and investment regimes, which are critical to
attracting and protecting long-term sustainable investment and to enhancing the
competitiveness of Caribbean products. In such an environment, preferential access
afforded by the Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI) is also important. We recall that in
1984, the United States Government therefore introduced the CBI, providing duty-free
access for some 90 per cent of the tariff items exported by the Caribbean to the United
States, but that some products of interest to the Caribbean were excluded.
We note also that in the same year, the Caribbean governments
introduced the Nassau Understanding on Structural Adjustment, thereby initiating a process
of import liberalisation.
We pledge to enhance Caribbean-U.S. trade relationship by:
1.1 supporting the expeditious passage of
legislation by the United States, to confer CBI treatment on an extended basis, to
products of Caribbean origin which are currently excluded;
1.2 working jointly towards the further reduction of
trade barriers between the United States and Caribbean countries and endeavouring to
refrain from introducing new import restrictions, consistent with World Trade Organisation
(WTO) rules;
1.3 continuing to work with all concerned parties to
achieve mutually satisfactory marketing arrangements for Caribbean bananas, recognising
the critical importance to Caribbean countries of the continued access of Caribbean
bananas to the traditional markets of the European Union;
1.4 finding, at the earliest opportunity, a mechanism to
facilitate rapid consultations on trade-related issues;
1.5 the conduct of a United States trade and investment
mission to the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) and other Caribbean
countries and by similar missions from the Caribbean to the United States;
1.6 developing within six months, a plan of action for
promoting bilateral trade particularly in the agricultural and service sectors,
recognising that trade prospects in these sectors and their expansion and diversification
are critical components in achieving Caribbean economic security and advancement.
Furthermore, the United States will ensure the provision of grant assistance to the
Windward Islands in developing and implementing a strategy to nurture the development of
Caribbean agribusiness;
1.7 a review by the United States, of its bilateral
assistance to the OECS Region and the exploration of measures to increase such assistance
and to enhance its delivery in targeted areas;
1.8 seeking to provide measures including technical
assistance, in support of programmes that promote internal structural adjustment;
1.9 the provision of technical assistance to Caribbean
countries to support their economic diversification and in particular, to assist the OECS
countries in pooling their resources in order to enhance the competitiveness of their
products;
1.10 facilitating the Caribbean’s implementation of
its Uruguay Round commitments. In so doing, the United States will initiate a three-year
grant agreement with Caribbean countries to provide technical assistance for trade
liberalisation and trade and labour relations, with special assistance for the Windward
Islands; and
1.11 the United States seeking to enter into a three-year
grant agreement with the University of the West Indies (UWI) and other appropriate
institutions in both the Caribbean and the United States, to assist the Caribbean region
in formulating a uniform legal approach to meeting new trade commitments and by extending
a grant to the Caribbean Law Institute to assist Attorneys-General in the Windward Islands
in drafting trade-related legislation in priority areas of reform.
2. Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA)
In keeping with the Declaration of Principles of the
Miami Summit, we recommit ourselves to work towards the completion of the negotiations for
the Free Trade Area of the Americas by the year 2005. In the design of the FTAA, account
will be taken of the need for provisions to facilitate the integration of smaller
economies and to increase their levels of development. Against this background, we endorse
the call for the launching of the formal negotiations of the FTAA at the Second Summit of
the Americas in Chile, in March 1998. We instruct our Trade Ministers to ensure that the
necessary preparatory work has been completed by that date.
We recognise that in our hemisphere, the Caribbean is a region
with the smallest and many vulnerable economies, with a range of specific characteristics
which could affect their effective participation in the FTAA and their integration into
the international economy.
We therefore agree to:
2.1 endorse the continued functioning of the FTAA Working
Group on Smaller Economies;
2.2 endorse the recommendations of the Working Group on
Smaller Economies to provide opportunities to facilitate the participation of the smaller
economies during the negotiations and their effective integration in the FTAA, to make
every effort to reduce the transitional costs and minimise dislocation to their economies
during its implementation;
2.3 the need for technical assistance - as recommended by
the Working Group on Smaller Economies - to strengthen Caribbean human, institutional and
infrastructural development necessary to assist in the adjustment process and to enable
them to participate meaningfully. In this regard, we urge Caribbean countries to analyse
their particular circumstances and identify their specific technical assistance needs; and
2.4 encourage the smaller economies in the Caribbean to
consider the early implementation, to the extent possible, of internal adjustments which
will enhance their ability to participate effectively in the FTAA.
3. Telecommunications
We note that access to modern telecommunications services is
indispensable to the development of international trade as well as to national and
regional, social and economic development and security. Various factors which influence
telecommunications services such as economic size, per capita income, technology,
competition, pricing and international traffic patterns are noted. We also note that
several national and multilateral initiatives are underway to reform the international
settlement regime and that the Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) recently stated that there is an urgent need
for action on this issue. We further note that there is a large volume of incoming calls
emanating from citizens of Caribbean countries who live abroad, mainly in the United
States.
We reaffirm the telecommunications commitments made in the
Declaration and Plan of Action of the Summit of the Americas and the Declaration and Plan
of Action of the Senior Telecommunications Officials of the Organisation of American
States (OAS). We are engaged in a review process in the ITU. We applaud the advances in
telecommunications liberalisation made in the WTO and reaffirm the commitments made in the
WTO Telecommunications Agreement. We will endeavor to put in place policies that foster a
competitive market environment, which encourages private investment in telecommunications
infrastructure and accelerates transition to the Global Information Infrastructure. In so
doing, we will make every effort to ensure that any transition to competition fosters
economic growth, deepens regional integration and serves to reduce the economic, social
and educational disparities in all our countries.
We therefore pledge to:
3.1 encourage the development of efficient, cost effective
and competition- enhancing telecommunications systems in the region;
3.2 assist the Caribbean countries in examining their
telecommunications systems with a view to encouraging competition and exploiting
investment opportunities for value-added services as well as for basic telecommunications
services;
3.3 give priority consideration to exploiting the new
technologies in telecommunications, including the increased use of electronic networks
such as the Internet, to expand access to information, facilitate easy access by
educational and health institutions to the Global Information Infrastructure and increase
the exchange of views on telecommunications issues;
3.4 maintain the multilateral consultative process during
the revision of rules for accounting rates, taking into account the implications for
Caribbean countries of any changes in those rates;
3.5 support programmes of the ITU and other Multilateral
Agencies, such as the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), to provide
governments which have made a commitment, or are taking steps to initiate competition in
the context of their telecommunications services, with technical assistance on critical
issues such as monitoring and reviewing licensing terms, facilitating private sector
investment, establishing independent regulatory agencies and developing interconnection,
tariff rebalancing and universal service policies; and
3.6 encourage and facilitate participation in appropriate
training courses by officials of Caribbean governments which are endeavouring to introduce
competitive policies. Expert agencies in the United States and the Caribbean should
strengthen and expand training, technical assistance and the exchange of information.
4. Economic Development and Financial Flows
We share the common goal of achieving stable, sustainable
economic development and widespread prosperity for all citizens in the region. We affirm
the central role of a dynamic private sector in realizing these goals. We also affirm the
importance of sound economic policies that provide the environment for private sector-led
growth, by emphasising macro-economic stability, the development of our people s education
and skills, technological advancement and financial market development.
We recognise that expanded economic ties with countries
throughout the region are also vital for fostering growth and prosperity, especially for
the smaller economies of the Caribbean region, and we welcome the decision by the
Committee on Hemispheric Financial Issues, on 17 February 1997, to establish a Working
Group on Smaller Economies, to better focus on the needs and unique problems facing
smaller countries' economies, particularly those of the Caribbean.
We also recognise from recent trends in financial flows into the
Caribbean, the urgent need to seek new ways of achieving development goals, including the
development of capital markets and the promotion of private investment.
The United States welcomes the Caribbean commitment to the
process of regional integration. We note the efforts of both the World Bank and the IDB to
provide technical assistance to support regional integration efforts. We encourage the
International Financial Institutions to strengthen and expand existing programmes to
better advance these important objectives.
We also reaffirm the importance of developing viable credit
institutions to serve the needs of micro-enterprises and urge the International Financial
Institutions to give this matter urgent consideration.
We welcome the continuing commitment of the United States to
assist Caribbean nations in their economic reforms by:
4.1 joining the Caribbean in seeking coordination with
other donors on common priorities and approaches to promote private sector growth in the
region;
4.2 continuing ongoing regional programmes in the Eastern
Caribbean that focus on environmental concerns, disaster preparedness and the expansion of
trade;
4.3 maintaining significant programmes in Haiti and making
every effort to protect others in Jamaica and Guyana;
4.4 exploring mechanisms to promote private sector
development;
4.5 finding institutional mechanisms, including trade
missions, to encourage dialogue between the Caribbean and U.S. private sectors;
4.6 exploring ways by which current bilateral and
multilateral debt management programmes can support adjustment efforts in highly-indebted
countries;
4.7 exploring the possibility of increasing technical
cooperation in the areas of:
(a) strengthening and modernising legal and supervisory systems
(including prudential regulation and supervisory capacities) in order to bolster
savers’ confidence and to strengthen financial systems; and
(b) improved investor education by drawing on the expertise and
experience of appropriate institutions in the United States;
4.8 accepting the pledge of the United States to expand
its regional cooperation programmes in the Eastern Caribbean, to include a focus on
education and micro-enterprise development; and
4.9 joining in the call to the IDB to meet its commitment
under the eighth replenishment, to target 35 per cent of Bank lending to smaller
economies, including those in the Caribbean.
5. Disaster Preparedness and Response
We recognise that the Caribbean region is vulnerable
to several forms of natural disasters including hurricanes, volcanoes, earthquakes and
flooding. This vulnerability has been compounded by the geographic situation of the
region, which makes the Caribbean Sea a transit area for many cargoes of a potentially
hazardous nature.
We also recognise the important role of preparedness and
mitigation in reducing the vulnerability of our states to such natural disasters. We
pledge to continue to coordinate our efforts and improve our ability to detect, monitor
and respond to natural disasters. We affirm the priority of investment in planning,
preparedness and mitigation initiatives, to strengthen the capacity of countries in the
region to protect themselves from disasters and to decrease the need for emergency
response resources in the future.
We therefore agree that:
5.1 the United States will continue to assist, whenever
possible, in the provision of logistical support in disaster response, including search
and rescue and the supply of humanitarian assistance;
5.2 unaffected countries will give speedy consideration to
assisting affected countries in their rehabilitation process;
5.3 the Caribbean nations will take steps to reduce damage
by hurricane and other natural disasters, by encouraging effective building design and
construction standards through the promotion of the Caribbean Uniform Building Code
(CUBIC);
5.4 the United States will provide technical assistance to
support the building of a regional capacity for conducting natural hazard assessments,
integrating these assessments into national development planning processes, establishing
hurricane models for vulnerable countries, undertaking seismic monitoring of volcanoes -
including underwater volcanoes - and training in the handling of hazardous materials
during chemical emergencies;
5.5 the United States will assist the Caribbean in
exploring the availability and means of accessing disaster assistance programmes currently
available in the World Bank and the IDB;
5.6 the relevant United States agencies will provide
training opportunities in areas such as the handling of hazardous materials, dealing with
chemical emergencies and disaster prediction and forecasting;
5.7 the United States and Caribbean agencies will
cooperate to develop and promote common search and rescue protocols to govern medical
evacuations, support logistics for humanitarian supplies, and overflight in search for
survivors and survey damage;
5.8 we will develop and support mechanisms and procedures
for civil-military, public and multi-country cooperation in planning joint exercises and
mutual assistance for response to natural and technological disasters in the region;
5.9 we will continue efforts to maintain the Cooperative
Hurricane Upper-Air Network; and
5.10 the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and
the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency (CDERA) will collaborate in defining
further areas of technical cooperation.
6. Aviation
We recognise the importance of air transport to the Caribbean
region, both as a means of linking the various countries, as well as an essential
component for supporting the vital tourism industry. We note that Caribbean Governments
and the Government of the United States continue to emphasise the need for the safe and
orderly development of civil aviation. We further note the process of privatisation of air
carriers underway in the Caribbean. The increase in traffic activity in the region will
require an expansion in the capacity of the aviation infrastructure, the creation of the
type of regulatory environment to facilitate such growth and the strengthening of the
region's institutional arrangements to effectively administer the complete spectrum of
aviation activities.
The safety and security of international aviation is the
responsibility of all countries through their international commitments via the
International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), relevant bilateral air services
agreements and national legal and regulatory action. We recognise that in the nature of
international aviation, cooperation among states is vital to safety and security. In this
regard, the work of the Federal Aviation Administration International Aviation Safety
Assessment programme has been noted.
We therefore agree to:
6.1 work cooperatively to ensure that ICAO has the
resources to continue and, where appropriate, expand the aviation safety oversight
programmes and security arrangements;
6.2 explore, in conjunction with ICAO, the feasibility of
establishing a regional entity to assist with and address issues relating to safety
oversight and related regulatory matters;
6.3 develop appropriate aviation disaster recovery and
search and rescue plans and coordinate these regionally;
6.4 identify sources of financing, including private
sector, bilateral and multilateral as appropriate, to implement institutional programmes
and to improve infrastructure, including expansion of runway capacity and upgrading the
airside safety facilities (runway lighting and marking systems, navigation, communications
and surveillance systems, cargo and passenger handling facilities) where needed. These
programmes will include assistance in achieving the economic potential offered by aviation
and establishing individual and regional civil aviation capabilities that are financially
and technically self-sustaining; and
6.5 support the introduction of aviation satellite
technologies and the Global Positioning System (GPS)/Global Navigational Satellite System
(GNSS) in the Caribbean for navigation, surveillance and communication through ICAO and
air space user groups.
7. Educational Cooperation
We recognise the critical contribution made by education and
training to economic growth, to the improved standard of living and the reduction of
poverty of our peoples. We also recognise that development of human resources is both a
cause and effect of economic development. We acknowledge that new technologies demand new
skills and that as the role of the private sector expands and as the public sector is
modernised, demand increases for qualified personnel in various fields such as science and
technology, informatics, finance and banking, utility operation and regulation, and
management skills. The educational institutions at different levels therefore, need to be
geared to deliver the required training and professional preparation.
We therefore agree to:
7.1 develop arrangements for appropriate joint action
between the universities in the Caribbean and universities and advanced research and
specialised institutions in the United States, particularly in such areas as science and
technology and informatics and key economic and management fields;
7.2 increase opportunities for qualified individuals from
the Caribbean to study at U.S. universities and military service academies and also to
receive short-term training in the United States or in third countries; and
7.3 establish regional training programmes designed to
broaden the skill base in key economic and management fields. These programmes will be
targeted to individuals who traditionally lack access to such fields and training.
8. Sustainable Development
We recognise that the Caribbean, comprising mainly small islands
and low-lying coastal states, is extremely dependent on the marine and coastal
environment. We note that the Continental Caribbean is also richly endowed with tropical
rainforests and other ecosystems and contains, in the Guiana Shield, one of the last major
sources of fresh water on the planet. The Caribbean possesses many of the world’s
oldest known genetic species of marine and terrestrial biodiversity of significant
scientific and commercial value.
We also recognise that the major economic activities of the
Caribbean - tourism (land-based and cruise), agriculture, mining (petroleum, bauxite, gold
and other minerals), fishing and forestry - are extremely dependent on a sound
environment. The sustainability of these economic activities and their continued
contribution to the development of the Caribbean, is inextricably linked to the
preservation of the environment.
As a bordering country of the Caribbean Basin, the United States
welcomes the opportunity to work cooperatively with its Caribbean neighbours to advance
sustainable development and maintain the quality and integrity of the Caribbean sea.
Recognising the importance of a healthy environment to our
countries, we agree that these threats can only be attenuated by global, hemispheric,
bilateral cooperation and national action and commit ourselves to work at all levels,
towards making the Caribbean environment more secure.
We therefore agree:
8.1 to implement the relevant provisions of the 1994
Barbados Declaration and Plan of Action on the Sustainable Development of Small Island
Developing States, the 1994 Declaration and Plan of Action of the Summit of Americas, the
United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) Conference to Develop a Global Programme for
the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land Based Activities, and the 1996 Bolivia
Declaration and Plan of Action on Sustainable Development in the Hemisphere. Institutions
in the Caribbean and the United States with mandates and programmes in the various areas
of the four Declarations and Plans of Action referred to above, will develop a
collaborative programme to advance the work in the critical areas identified in these
Declarations and Plans of Action;
8.2 to enable governmental agencies to access and build
upon the best information available by exploring the use of the latest information
technology to create a virtual Caribbean Centre for Environment and Development. This
Centre will connect databases and projects of international, regional and national
academic, business and financial organisations, which have already undertaken related work
on development and environmental protection in the region. The University of the West
Indies Centre for Environment and Development (UWICED) will be the main Caribbean node in
this process;
8.3 to collaborate in the development and implementation
of:
(a) a fisheries protection management plan to ensure a sustained
supply of regional fish stocks; and
(b) conservation measures, including the preservation of
threatened marine species and the reduction of fishery by-catch;
8.4 to cooperate to ensure that the current round of
climate change negotiations conclude successfully and on schedule;
8.5 to work towards obtaining international agreement in
making the Caribbean Sea an environmentally sustainable zone;
8.6 that the United States will assist the Caribbean in
its efforts to access resources from the Global Environment Facility (GEF), including
provision of technical assistance with regard to the drafting of environmental
legislation, in order to facilitate the strengthening of the human resource capacity of
the Caribbean, in the area of environmental protection;
8.7 to cooperate in global efforts, including proposals
with the participation of our private sectors, to limit and reduce greenhouse gas
emissions;
8.8 to endeavour to improve general public awareness of
the link between economic activity and environmental protection, through education and
outreach programmes, targeted particularly at young people, recognising the usefulness of
the Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE)
programme;
8.9 to work towards the implementation of the
International Coral Reef Initiative Framework for Action and the Tropical Americas
Regional Action Plan, strengthening the monitoring of coral reefs and exploring the
establishment of a regional node for the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network;
8.10 to improve management and disposal of solid and
liquid waste including ship-generated waste, and to strengthen existing national and
regional plans to combat oil pollution; and
8.11 to welcome the implementation by the United States,
of the Caribbean Clean Energy Initiative.
II. JUSTICE AND SECURITY
1.
Reduction of Crime and Violence
We recognise that crime within national borders and
organised transnational crime threaten democratic institutions, undermine economic
development, engender assaults on health, safety and security and continue adversely to
affect the welfare of the peoples of the United States and the Caribbean. We also
recognise that there are limitations in the laws and the law enforcement agencies of the
Caribbean region. We pledge to collaborate in modernising crime control laws,
strengthening the institutional capacities of these agencies through technical assistance,
resource strengthening and multi-agency collaboration.
We therefore agree:
1.1 to collaborate with regional institutions in the
provision of technical assistance for reform and strategic planning in police and other
law enforcement agencies;
1.2 to accord high priority to the provision of training
to law enforcement officials. The United States intends to continue to provide training
for such officials;
1.3 to collaborate with other States and international
organisations to support regional training institutions;
1.4 to promote multi-agency collaboration, nationally and
regionally, to enhance the intelligence capability of Caribbean law enforcement agencies;
1.5 that the United States will continue to assist
Caribbean States in the latter’s efforts to collect, analyse and share law
enforcement information through appropriate systems, having regard to ongoing regional
assessments;
1.6 that the United States will continue to provide
technical assistance and training in crime prevention and reduction strategies and
techniques;
1.7 that the United States will contribute to a United
Nations International Drug Control Programme (UNDCP) regional legal reform assistance
project which is designed to assist Caribbean countries in the development of drug control
laws, in accordance with the standards and criteria set by the United Nations Conventions;
1.8 to encourage transnational law enforcement cooperation
through mechanisms such as the exchange of law enforcement personnel; and
1.9 to take, where applicable, and constitutionally
permissible, active steps to conclude and implement mutual legal assistance and
extradition regimes.
2. Arms Trafficking Control Regime for the Caribbean
We acknowledge the threat posed by illegal
trafficking in arms, ammunition, and other similar materials to the moral fabric of our
societies and the well-being of our peoples, as well as the social, economic, cultural,
and political foundations of our respective countries.
We acknowledge that the threat posed by this traffic to our
societies is compounded by its linkage to the illicit traffic in drugs.
The United States has been a significant country of origin for
firearms illegally diverted to other nations. Illegal trafficking in firearms facilitates
criminal activity including drug trafficking in these countries as it does in the United
States.
We are determined to rid the Caribbean region of the scourge of
this traffic by adopting strategies and measures which have the highest possible legal
status and enforceability. Additionally, we pledge to work within existing regional and
international organisations to combat the illegal traffic in firearms, ammunition and
other similar materials.
We pledge to cooperate in:
2.1 improving the mechanisms for the exchange of
information and intelligence on a regular basis by means of appropriate international
communications systems;
2.2 establishing comparable systems for the
licensing and regulation of manufacturers, importers and exporters of firearms,
ammunition, firearms components and explosives, and for import and export permits;
2.3 examining the adequacy of existing laws and
regulations in our respective countries and strengthening enforcement of such laws as
necessary to control the authorised import and export of arms, ammunition, explosives and
other similar materials;
2.4 examining the adequacy of existing legislation to
combat the illegal manufacture and traffic in arms, ammunition, explosives and other
similar materials and strengthening such laws where necessary;
2.5 adopting model regulations on harmonised export/import
documentation and procedures for the movement of firearms, taking account of the work of
regional and international organisations in this area;
2.6 pre- and post-shipment verification of licensed
shipment of arms, ammunition, explosives and other similar materials to prevent their
diversion into criminal hands;
2.7 identifying a national contact point in each country,
including law enforcement officials, to act as operational liaisons for the transmittal of
firearms trace requests, investigative assistance and law enforcement intelligence;
2.8 the continued provision, by the United States, of
technical and other assistance to Caribbean States to assist law enforcement agencies in
the control of the illicit traffic in arms, ammunition, explosives and other similar
materials and the provision of training in the relevant areas including:
(a) identification of weapons;
(b) information gathering and analysis especially related to the
identification of traffickers in and shippers of illegal firearms, and means of
concealment in cargoes; and
(c) improving the efficiency of personnel managing conventional
and non-conventional points of entry in searching for and detecting arms, ammunition,
explosives and other similar materials;
2.9 establishing joint training projects and exchange
programmes for appropriate law enforcement personnel to:
(a) determine the scope of illicit traffic in firearms, firearms
components, ammunition, and explosives in the Caribbean region;
(b) improve the search for and recording of these materials for
tracing purposes;
(c) enhance security at ports and airports; learn about new
concealment methods; and
(d) assist nations to evaluate and identify, both previously
seized firearms, ammunition and explosives, as well as those recovered as the result of
current enforcement actions.
Negotiation of an International Agreement
We recognise that the conclusion of an instrument
establishing enforceable rights and obligations is an effective tool in the fight against
illicit traffic in arms, ammunition, explosives and other similar materials and, to this
end, we commit ourselves to work towards the early adoption of an international agreement
against the illicit manufacturing and trafficking in arms, ammunition, explosives and
other similar materials.
3. Illicit Drugs: Reduction, Education,
Rehabilitation and Eradication
We recognise the threat to hemispheric values caused
by the traffic in and use of illicit substances and the compelling need to give the
highest priority and importance to primary drug abuse prevention programmes, particularly
those directed to the youth of our respective societies.
We also acknowledge that the need to reduce both demand and
supply should be addressed within the framework of a comprehensive, balanced and
integrated strategy.
We are determined to devise, develop and evaluate a comprehensive
multilateral strategy, within the context of the principle of joint hemispheric
consultation and determination on issues of regional importance, indelibly inscribed in
hemispheric relations through the Summit of the Americas process launched by the Plan of
Action in December 1994.
We therefore agree that:
3.1 the United States will cooperate with other donors in
-
(a) the provision of necessary assistance and training to
Caribbean States for the development and promotion of demand reduction
programmes; and
(b) seeking means to develop and implement viable alternative
occupational activities;
3.2 there would be -
(a) an exchange of information and ideas on demand reduction; and
(b) an intensification of efforts to reduce the domestic
cultivation of cannabis and the production of illegal drugs;
3.3 any additional action contemplated will be consistent
with the Organisation of American States/Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission
(OAS/CICAD) Anti-Drug Strategy in the Hemisphere and supportive of the Plan of Action for
Drug Control Coordination and Cooperation in the Caribbean, resulting from the
UNDCP-sponsored Regional Meeting on Drug Control Cooperation held in Barbados in 1996;
3.4 in addition to its assistance to Caribbean States, the
United States will engage in a US$5.5 billion demand reduction campaign within its own
borders;
3.5 each Caribbean State should establish by appropriate
legislation, or otherwise, a national organisation to pursue effective coordination of
drug programmes both domestically and in partnership with regional and international
bodies of similar nature; and that the United States, in collaboration with other donors,
will continue to provide technical assistance and training to national bodies to enable
them to promote and develop programmes, activities and projects, efficiently and
effectively; and
3.6 each Caribbean State will promote demand reduction
programmes to include -
(a) programmes of education at all levels of society by means of
the maximum use of the print and electronic media and other forms of communication, with a
view to increasing awareness of the dangers of drug use and abuse;
(b) school and community based initiatives; and
(c) treatment and rehabilitation programmes.
4. Strengthening Criminal Justice Systems
We believe that for democracies to provide justice
and security for their peoples, they must have independent, effective and efficient
criminal justice systems.
We acknowledge that the need for the modernisation of the
criminal justice systems in the region is urgent and that improvements are required in
several areas. We recognise the fundamental principle of the independence of the judiciary
in the administration of justice in all our States and we will cooperate to uphold this
principle.
The United States reaffirms its commitment to continue to provide
assistance in respect of the following:
4.1 a second phase of the UNDCP regional legal reform
assistance project designed to train personnel in the prosecution and adjudication of
drug, money laundering, and asset forfeiture cases;
4.2 modernisation of the judicial, law enforcement and
penal systems of Caribbean States through the provision of equipment and training;
The United States also intends to:
4.3 continue to cooperate with other donors to assist
Caribbean States in the development of contemporary and efficient forensic capabilities;
We intend to:
4.4 work together to investigate alternatives to
incarceration; and
4.5 pursue with the international financial institutions,
means to improve plant and physical infrastructure of the courts, law enforcement
facilities, and penal institutions.
5. Combatting Attempts to Corrupt Officials
We are aware that the vast wealth of international
criminal organisations may be used to corrupt public officials. We are determined to
detect and punish such corruption in our own States.
Recognising that the laws of many Caribbean States do not provide
an adequate legislative basis to prevent the corruption of public officials, we agree
to cooperate in the development of appropriate measures as follows:
5.1 the drafting of model legislation for enactment in
individual states;
5.2 the provision by the United States, of training and
technical assistance to Caribbean States on enforcement mechanisms to combat corruption;
and
5.3 consideration by Caribbean States of the
ratification, in accordance with their internal procedures, of the Inter-American
Convention against Corruption, and requesting the OAS and other appropriate organisations
to recommend to the Heads of Government, within six months, additional actions that should
be taken to strengthen effective implementation of the Convention.
6. Combatting Money Laundering
We recognise that money laundering permits drug trafficking and other criminal
organisations to perpetuate their criminal activity.
Money laundering is an extremely corrosive force. It undermines
the integrity of financial institutions. It corrupts officials and threatens political
stability. It can distort economies, skew currency markets and create unfair advantages
over legitimate enterprises.
We agree to continue working together to strengthen national,
regional and international action against money laundering and we express our support for
Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF)-sponsored regional anti-money laundering
training initiatives.
We therefore also agree:
6.1 to implement the 1988 United Nations Convention
Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances;
6.2 to endeavour to adopt the international standards to
combat money laundering set forth in the Recommendations of the CFATF, the Financial
Action Task Force (FATF), the OAS/CICAD Model Regulations and the Communiqué from the
Summit of the Americas Ministerial Meeting on Money Laundering; and
6.3 that, to this end, the United States will cooperate
with other donors, with a view to the development and implementation of the projects
mentioned hereunder -
(a) establishment of a Caribbean Continuing Legal Education
Institute at the UWI to provide training in the conduct, investigation, and prosecution of
money laundering and asset forfeiture proceedings for judges, prosecutors and law
enforcement personnel;
(b) the provision of training for relevant personnel in the
conduct of financial investigations, the tracing, seizing and forfeiture of assets
acquired as a result of drug trafficking and other serious crime, and in the establishment
of national anti-money laundering units;
(c) the development of minimum regulatory standards for the
domestic and offshore banking sectors, international business corporations, and non-bank
financial institutions in accordance with the Basle Committee and the FATF;
(d) the enhancement of the capacities of the customs sectors in
the region in the conduct of money laundering investigations; and
(e) the development and conclusion, where applicable, of an
agreement to provide for the equitable sharing of assets forfeited as a result of
cooperative efforts in the investigation and prosecution of money laundering cases.
7. Criminal Justice Protection Programme
In order to meet the rising threat to the criminal justice
systems in Caribbean States in the form of the intimidation and elimination of witnesses,
jurors, judicial and law enforcement personnel and their families, we agree:
7.1 to continue to work together towards the establishment
of a Criminal Justice Protection Programme that would facilitate cooperation in the
confidential protection of witnesses, jurors, judicial and law enforcement personnel and
their families;
7.2 that, in furtherance of the establishment of the
Criminal Justice Protection Programme, the United States pledges to continue to contribute
technical assistance and training that will facilitate appropriate legislative and
structural reforms in the medium and long term and which in the short term will include,
in particular -
(a) safe-house establishment and operational procedures;
(b) the most advanced investigative methods and techniques,
including the preparation of threat and risk assessments;
(c) assessment, including psychological evaluation, of the
suitability of witnesses for entry into long term protection programmes;
(d) the handling of witnesses in protective custody;
(e) personal security of witnesses, jurors, judicial and law
enforcement personnel; and
(f) the establishment of oversight mechanisms at the national
level in the management of the system; and
7.3 to work with other nations and with regional
organisations, including CICAD and UNDCP, to coordinate training and technical assistance
efforts in this area.
8. Strengthening Regional Security Forces
Combined and Cooperative Interdiction Efforts
Collecting, Analysing and Sharing Information
We recognise the need for greater cooperation of security forces
in the region to deal with illicit drug trafficking, alien smuggling, illegal trafficking
in arms and threats to stability. We agree that no single nation has the ability to deal
effectively with the threats to the security of the region, and that coordination,
cooperation, and combined operations are necessary.
We also recognise that successful mechanisms, strategies,
initiatives and working cooperation already exist in the region to counter the illicit
trade in narcotics, psychotropic substances and other contraband, and note with
satisfaction:
(i) the commitment of States Parties to the Regional Security
System (RSS) to bring into force an RSS Treaty that would further integrate their forces
and permit participating nations to assist one another by operating in each other's
territory; and
(ii) the continuing cooperation among Caribbean nations and with
the nations of the European Union and others to strengthen regional security forces and
invite a continued and coordinated role by the European nations in combined operations and
assistance.
To this end:
8.1 Caribbean States, through the Caribbean Community
(CARICOM) Secretariat, will work towards the conclusion of regional agreements in
specified areas of mutual interest, including extradition and mutual legal assistance in
criminal matters;
8.2 we agree to work together to enhance maritime
interdiction, through appropriate agreements and related assistance. In this regard, the
United States undertakes to continue to provide assistance to the Caribbean States to
strengthen operational capacities, and to seek legislative authority for an expanded
effort;
8.3 Caribbean States will intensify training in maritime
interdiction and develop training guides or manuals on boarding and searching vessels
reasonably suspected of carrying illicit narcotic drugs or contraband;
8.4 Caribbean States and the United States will examine
the efficiency of their Ships' Registries, and, in that regard, where necessary, Caribbean
States will seek the assistance of the United States. Caribbean States and the United
States shall also introduce more effective controls in monitoring the movement of vessels,
pleasure craft and fishing vessels through the introduction of standard regional
enforcement systems that build on existing customs clearance documents for arriving and
departing vessels;
8.5 the United States pledges to cooperate with other
donors and Caribbean States in the establishment of national and regional computerised
databases on all vessels transiting the seas of the region and Caribbean States will share
such information with the United States; and
8.6 the Joint Committee on Justice and Security is
instructed to assess the feasibility of providing to Caribbean States, additional
equipment and support for the Caribbean States in carrying out regional maritime law
enforcement.
In respect of port control and security:
8.7 we agree to work with private carriers and businesses
to encourage them to adopt security procedures and participate in programmes which deter
illegal access to and use of their conveyances and cargo, their associated equipment, and
company facilities located at ports and air terminals. These efforts would be aimed at
strengthening the capabilities of those involved in the transnational movement of
legitimate goods to deter smugglers from compromising their legitimate operations,
improving port infrastructures through private sector involvement, and increasing
cooperation between government officials and the business community; and
8.8 the United States pledges to work with Caribbean
States to provide advice, technical assistance and training in -
Alien Smuggling
We recognise the right of each State to determine its
own policies on immigration, consistent with international obligations such as the United
Nations Convention on Refugees and understand that the ability of governments to permit
legal immigration is eroded by illegal migration. The respective governments recognise the
problems associated with the practice of smuggling migrants through the region.
We will cooperate to end this criminal practice and
to bring the perpetrators to justice.
At the same time, it is important that in combatting
alien smuggling we should do nothing to undermine the established rights of legal
immigrant communities in our countries.
To this end:
9.1 Caribbean States intend to consider the
adoption of national legislation making migrant trafficking a criminal offence; and
9.2 we will encourage wider use of
tamper-proof documents for the purpose of travel.
Deportation of Criminals
We recognise the right of each State to determine
its policies on deportation subject to international law, and agree to:
9.3 provide adequate advance notice to
designated authorities prior to a criminal's deportation;
9.4 provide appropriate information regarding
the persons to be deported;
9.5 establish, prior to the deportation, that
the deportee is a national of the receiving State;
9.6 hold consultations on other issues
associated with deportation; and
9.7 work to improve arrangements by which the
deportee has access to his or her assets located in the deporting State.
We note that the United States intends to offer technical assistance in establishing
parole and monitoring systems.
*****
|
