Chair’s Remarks – Hon. Philip Davis, KC, MP, Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas and Chair, CARICOM

Timothy Austin April 17, 2023 News

Hon. Philip Davis, KC, MP, Prime Minister of The Bahamas and Chair, CARICOM, addressed the Regional Symposium: Violence as a Public Health Issue – the Crime Challenge and advocated for a holistic approach to violence reduction.

HERE ARE KEY POINTS FROM HIS REMARKS:

The Prime Minister stated that the beauty and joy of the Caribbean coexist with unprecedented violence.
He highlighted that CARICOM had embraced the view of violence as a public health crisis requiring comprehensive interventions to battle an epidemic that has claimed far too many lives
The CARICOM Chair explained the discussions throughout the symposium would deepen understanding and provide Heads with a foundation from which holistic strategies can be developed.
He noted that there are social, economic, and environmental factors at the heart of this crisis: “During these two days of deliberation, we must find the resolve to untangle these layered issues”, stated Prime Minister Davis.
The Prime Minister shared estimates which suggest that an average of 13 young adults between the ages of 16 to 30 lose their lives to violent crime in the Region
He emphasised that crime is not merely a policing or legislative problem. The solution requires the involvement of parents, social workers, educators, rehabilitation specialists, social scientists, community workers and activists, mental health professionals, religious leaders and other stakeholders.
The Chair underscored that CARICOM is committed to fighting violent crime in all forms and advocated for zero tolerance for violence against women and children.
Prime Minister David noted that “every gun used to commit a crime in the Caribbean is smuggled into our countries”.
- “We have asked the US government and US-based gun manufacturers to cooperate with CARICOM member states when it comes to identifying weapons purchased in the US, as part of a wider effort to hold weapons dealers and traffickers accountable”, stated the CARICOM Chair
Prime Minister Davis emphasized, “We are sending a clear message to the world that we are very serious about fighting gun violence in all forms and on all fronts, not just on the home front”.
He urged the Region to face the crisis head-on and leverage the unique resources and expertise of each member state.
- “We can make a lasting, positive impact on the lives of our citizens and ensure a brighter future for our Caribbean Region”, stated the CARICOM Chair.

Read the Prime Minister’s complete speech below.

Good Morning All,

I wish to thank you, Prime Minister Rowley, for

graciously hosting us all today for such an

important discussion. Thank you, as well, to all

heads of government and representatives who

have joined us.

We have gathered here due to a shared

concern about the escalating rates of violence

being experienced by member states. This

symposium provides us with an opportunity to

hold an in-depth discussion about what we can

do as a region to develop a holistic approach to

violence reduction.

There are so many things we love about this

Caribbean. Our friendly people and rich cultures

are a source of great pride. Millions of travellers

from around the world visit us each year just to

experience a slice of paradise. We are rightly

proud of who we are and the very special

places we call home.

No matter where we are in the world, we carry

our national and regional pride with us. Our

identities have been uniquely shaped by a

composite of cultural experiences that make us

whole.

Because we love our countries so much, it can

be difficult to accept that all of this beauty and

joy can coexist with such unprecedented

violence.

An epidemic of violence grips our region, one

that claims lives and generates fear and anger.

In 2022, Jamaica had a staggering homicide

rate of 52.9 per 100,000 inhabitants, Trinidad

and Tobago had a rate of 39.4 per 100,000,

and The Bahamas, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent

and the Grenadines all recorded homicide rates

above 30 per 100,000. This is over five times

the global average.

Millions of people throughout the region live in

crime hotspots, never knowing if they will be a

victim on any given day. In The Bahamas, I

have sought to bring comfort to mothers and

their families who have lost their sons and

daughters; and I know many of you have done

the same for your people.

Violence spreads like a virus, gaining

momentum as one violent crime begets

another.

In fact, there is a substantial history of

analyzing patterns of violent crime using many

of the same references used in epidemiology.

Violence is contagious, and those who map the

commission of violent crimes find that their

data mirrors the spread of infectious diseases

within a community. Violence can strike in

waves and can grow exponentially. Those who

come in close contact with violence are most

likely to spread it and most likely to fall victim

to it.

CARICOM has embraced the view of violence as

a public health crisis requiring comprehensive

interventions to battle an epidemic that has

claimed far too many lives.

As we would with any public health crisis, we

must define and monitor the problems, identify

the risks and protective factors, and develop

mitigation and prevention strategies to halt the

epidemic.

The discussions we will have throughout this

symposium will deepen our understanding and

provide us with a foundation from which holistic

strategies can be developed. There are already

many innovative public and non-profit

programmes with established track records of

success throughout the region. We must

continue learning from one another and

collaboratively develop data-based violence

reduction models.

I know I don’t have to persuade any of you

about the urgency of this work. On a typical

day, some estimates suggest that an average of

13 young adults between the ages of 16 to 30

lose their lives to violent crime in our region.

Each day that passes is another day in which

lives are ended, families are broken by grief

and loss and our communities threatened.

We need to mobilize resources with the same

determination we would bring to fighting any

other life-threatening epidemic.

We know that the battle is a complex one.

There is a tangle of social, economic, and

environmental factors at the heart of this crisis.

During these two days of deliberation, we must

find the resolve to untangle these layered

issues.

It is not merely a policing or legislative

problem. Nor is it solely the domain of the

courts. While better laws and expanded police

capacity are important elements of a successful

strategy, we need all hands on deck: parents,

social workers, educators, rehabilitation

specialists, social scientists, community workers

and activists, mental health professionals,

religious leaders and many others must come

together to address this pervasive issue.

Later today, we will hear from Dr. David Allen, a

renowned Bahamian psychiatrist who was

instrumental in expanding the international

understanding of the cocaine and crack cocaine

epidemic of the 1980s, which many see as a

a precursor to the violence we are experiencing

today.

In his most recent research, he has linked the

physical and sexual abuse of children to

physical, mental, and sociological illnesses later

in life. Many of these children grow up to be the

perpetrators and victims of further violence. Dr.

David Allen concludes in his research that an

abused child becomes a dangerous adult.

Addressing violent crime requires us to confront

these ugly truths about the harm damaged and

broken people can carry forward, from

generation to generation.

But we can’t look away.

We need to interrupt these cycles of violence.

And I believe each of us have valuable

perspectives, strengths, and insights to

contribute to a more effective set of

crime-fighting strategies.

Interagency cooperation and regional

cooperation are absolutely necessary to address

the problem of violence, which exists at the

intersection of so many other issues in our

countries.

CARICOM is committed to fighting violent crime

in all forms. There must be zero tolerance for

violence against women and children. And

there must be more outreach to – and support

for – our at-risk young men. There is

considerable research suggesting that a young

man who makes it to adulthood without

committing a crime, is far less likely to become

a criminal. Given this trend, it is critical that we

provide more support for our boys in their

transition to manhood to keep them on a

productive and peaceful path.

Our most at-risk and vulnerable populations

require interventions to meet them where they

are – in their homes, communities, churches,

and schools – to make a real, meaningful

impact.

The recent CARIFTA games were an excellent

example of what our young people can

accomplish when given positive avenues for self

exploration and achievement. Recreational,

educational, social, and career-related outreach

are all needed to appeal to our youth and shield

them from the recruitment tactics of

neighborhood gangs and drug dealers.

We must dedicate resources to collecting data

and better understanding of crime at the

community level to develop more responsive

interventions, and we must allocate resources

to address the social and economic causes of

violence.

Violence may be occurring in our communities,

but the guns used in approximately 70% of

violent crimes do not originate in our countries.

We do not manufacture guns in the Caribbean.

Every gun used to commit a crime in the

Caribbean is smuggled into our countries.

In The Bahamas, 98.6% of all recovered illegal

firearms can be traced directly to the United

States. In Haiti, 87.7% of all recovered firearms

can be traced likewise. In Jamaica, it amounts

to 67% of all recovered firearms and here in

Trinidad and Tobago it amounts to 52%.

We have asked the US government and

US-based gun manufacturers to cooperate with

CARICOM member states when it comes to

identifying weapons purchased in the US, as

part of a wider effort to hold weapons dealers

and traffickers accountable for the many lives

lost to gun violence each year. We must call on

our neighbours to the north to better police the

trafficking of guns from the US to the

the Caribbean.

Last month, The Bahamas, along with Antigua

and Barbuda, St. Vincent and the Grenadines,

Trinidad and Tobago, and Mexico, working

along with the Latin American and Caribbean

Network for Human Security, jointly filed a brief

in the United States Court of Appeal in support

of a $10 billion lawsuit to hold US gun

manufacturers liable for the destruction

American-made guns have caused in our

countries. It was an action initiated by the

Mexican government. We intend to challenge

the laws that previously protected gun

manufacturers from lawsuits.

We are sending a clear message to the world

that we are very serious about fighting gun

violence in all forms and on all fronts, not just

the home front.

CARICOM’s commitment to regional security is

clear. I know that we are here today because

we share a determination to work together in

unprecedented ways for the good of the region.

A powerful example of the strength of a united

region could be seen in October 2022, when 19

Caribbean countries participated in a joint

operation with INTERPOL in which 350

weapons, 3,300 rounds of ammunition, 10 tons

of cocaine, and two and a half tons of

marijuana was intercepted. 510 arrests were

made as a result.

Such collaborative operations must become

more frequent if we want to meaningfully

impact the flow of illegal drugs and guns across

our borders.

The CARICOM Crime and Gun Intelligence Unit

was created to strengthen Caribbean and US

collaboration in using data and technology to

intercept illegal firearms and traffickers. We

must fully leverage this partnership so that

those who put guns on our streets are stopped

– and brought to justice.

The need to reduce violent crime has never

been more urgent. Each year, hundreds of lives

are at stake and many more affected by the

resulting trauma. This moment of crisis for our

region requires a collective response.

The impact of violence goes beyond personal

loss, as terrible as that is.

High levels of sustained violence undermine

investor confidence in the region, scare visitors

away from tourism-dependent economies, and

place a strain on healthcare, educational, and

social support systems. If we do not act

decisively, our economic prospects will be

further eroded by this ongoing wave of

violence.

As we come together to take on our individual

challenges, let us not forget the ongoing

humanitarian crisis in Haiti and the need to

work together with the Haitian people to

stabilize their situation. What happens in Haiti

has implications for the entire region, and

CARICOM has a duty to provide support in

whatever ways we can.

I am hopeful that the discussions we initiate

today will serve as a launching pad for the

development of impactful interventions and

solutions. There are no quick fixes, yet, we

must act quickly to save our people from this

epidemic. Each day that goes by, precious lives

are lost. We can take steps toward reversing

that trend starting today.

By facing this crisis head-on and leveraging the

unique resources and expertise of each

member state, we can make a lasting, positive

impact on the lives of our citizens and ensure a

brighter future for our Caribbean region.