Third Meeting of the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative Commission opens Wednesday

St. Kitts and Nevis’ Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas (Photo by Erasmus Williams)

BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, OCTOBER 2ND 2012 – St. Kitts and Nevis’ Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas will officially open the Third Meeting of the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative Commission on Wednesday.

Press Secretary to the Prime Minister Mr. Erasmus Williams, will be Master of Ceremony at the official opening of the two-day meeting at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort and Royal Beach Casino.

During the ceremony, wtarts at 9 o clock, the invocation will be done by Chaplain of the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force, Pastor Leroy Benjamin, which will be followed by remarks by Permanent Secretary, Anti-Crime Unit and Co-Chairperson of the Commission, Her Excellency Mrs. Astona Browne; Director of Plans and Strategies for the National Drug Control Authority, Dominican Republic, Colonel Brauilo de la Rosa and United States Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Caribbean, Central American and Cuban Affairs and Co-chairperson of the Commission, Her Excellency Ms. Lilian Ayalde.

Prime Minister Douglas who has responsibility for the Anti-Crime Unit will deliver the feature address and declare the meeting open.

The Closing Remarks will be said by Interim Executive Director of the Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS), Mr. Francis Forbes.

The CBSI Commission, which comprises representatives of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the Dominican Republic (DR) and the United States (US), was launched out of a recognition of the need for greater collaboration between the US and Caribbean to address crime and crime-related activities. It also represents one of the outcome initiatives of the Inaugural Caribbean-US Security Cooperation Dialogue, which was held in the US in May 2010.

The CBSI Commission held its First Meeting in Kingston, Jamaica, on 3-4 November 2010, and was tasked with the responsibility of monitoring and evaluating the implementation of the CBSI, mobilising resources, reporting and metrics.

The Commission also has the responsibility of facilitating the preparations for the Third Caribbean-US Security Cooperation High Level Dialogue.