Attorney General Dale Marshall and INTERPOL’S Executive Director of Police Services Stephen Kavanagh discuss how the organisation’s presence in the region will assist in the fight against transnational crime and other criminal issues confronting Member States (BGIS/C Pitt)

Attorney General Dale Marshall has hailed the soon-to-be established International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL) Caribbean Liaison Office in Barbados as a move that would bring tremendous benefits to the region, in the fight against transnational crime and other issues.

He made this observation yesterday, during a courtesy call with INTERPOL’S Executive Director of Police Services, Stephen Kavanagh, at the Office of the Attorney General, Wildey, St. Michael.

Mr. Marshall told Mr. Kavanagh and his team that the Liaison Office was an opportunity for the region to tackle the criminal issues confronting member states frontally.

In turn, Mr. Kavanagh told the AG that the agency was honoured to be in the Caribbean and when the office is set up, he looked forward to “pushing on with the partnership and the vision for not only Barbados but for all the members of CARICOM”.

The Executive Director of Police Services added he was “privileged to be part of the effort and was happy that INTERPOL could provide support in some small way towards keeping the island safer”.

Mr. Marshall expressed the hope of further dialogue with the agency, and in praising the partnership with IMPACS, he noted: “I feel that I am in very good hands, and with IMPACS, you have a tremendous partner and I think it is an agency in CARICOM that we should be proud of.”  

Also present during the courtesy call were Permanent Secretary, Yvette Goddard; CARICOM IMPACS Executive Director, Lieutenant Colonel Michael Jones, Acting Director CARICOM IMPACS, Tonya Ayow, and Technical Advisor INTERPOL Secretariat, John Duncan.

JULIE CARRINGTON – BGIS

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Minister Abrahams, Security Officials Welcome Interpol

Minister of Home Affairs, Information and Public Affairs, Wilfred Abrahams receives a token from INTERPOL’s, Executive Director of Police Services, Stephen Kavanagh (BGIS/C.Pitt)

The soon-to-be established INTERPOL Caribbean Liaison Office in Barbados is being welcomed by local security and border control forces, as they continue the fight against crime.

And, representatives from agencies such as the Barbados Prison Service, the Barbados Immigration Department and the Barbados Postal Service have all signaled their willingness to work with the agency to tighten security measures in their respective areas.

Minister of Home Affairs, Information and Public Affairs, Wilfred Abrahams, in welcoming the establishment of the Caribbean Liaison Office, noted that he wanted the collaboration between Barbados and INTERPOL to send the message to those who tried to circumvent the law, that they would more likely be caught now.

“I look forward to the close collaboration between the Government of Barbados and INTERPOL, because it shows the level of commitment and what we are all about,” he said.

The Minister was at the time speaking during a courtesy call with INTERPOL’s Executive Director of Police Services, Stephen Kavanagh; Technical Advisor of the INTERPOL General Secretariat, John Duncan; Executive Director of CARICOM IMPACS; Lieutenant Colonel Michael Jones, and acting Director of CARICOM IMPACS, Tonya Ayow.

Deputy Permanent Secretary, Lorna Leacock and members of the local security and border control forces were also present for the meeting which was held at the Ministry’s Wildey, St. Michael office, yesterday.

He added that the process must be seen as policing in all its forms, including intelligence gathering, stopping crime, and bringing perpetrators to justice.

Mr. Abrahams also noted that he was excited about the potential benefits the collaboration would bring not just for Barbados, but the departments that fell under the Ministry of Home Affairs.

The Minister also underscored the need to have proper monitoring systems in place and the right technology.

Mr. Kavanagh also noted public safety was about making the connection between colleagues and information, and urged Barbados to take advantage of the global network.

Lieutenant Colonel Jones supported the Minister, noting that more could be accomplished with Barbados and INTERPOL. He noted that there was a wealth of information between the various agencies represented, and urged those present to use the available resources.

JULIA RAWLINS-BENTHAM —- BGIS

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Barbados Thanks Interpol For Its Assistance Over The Years

SHEENA FORDE-CRAIGG – SEP 2, 2021 ————— BGIS

Barbados appreciates the work of INTERPOL in assisting with monitoring organised crime and taking action against it, and looks forward to a continuous relationship.

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator Dr. Jerome Walcott, stated this on Wednesday, as he expressed thanks to INTERPOL’s Executive Director of Police Services, Stephen Kavanagh, for the assistance rendered over the years, and for choosing Barbados as the regional headquarters for its Caribbean Liaison Office.

He was speaking during a courtesy call at the Ministry’s Culloden Road, St. Michael office.  Senator Walcott also pledged Barbados’ support to the continued efforts of INTERPOL and CARICOM IMPACS, in strengthening law enforcement in Barbados and the Caribbean region.

Though the agreement to establish the Regional Office was approved by CARICOM Heads of Government and mooted in 2013, it wasn’t until November 2018, at INTERPOL’s 87th session of its General Assembly that the INTERPOL Caribbean Liaison Office received unanimous approval from its 194 General Secretariat member countries.

Minister Walcott, who stated that “it is better late than never”, added: “It has happened at the correct time, at the appropriate time.  Barbados appreciates the work of INTERPOL, the enhanced strategic cooperation, technical assistance and support to Barbados and CARICOM at this critical juncture of heightened insecurity and more emboldened crime, and sophisticated and integrated criminal networks.”

During the discussions, Mr. Kavanagh pointed out that this would be the first liaison office to be opened in 15 years, and one of the reasons Barbados was chosen was because of the existing working relationship that INTERPOL had established with CARICOM IMPACS’ Acting Executive Director, Lt. Col. Michael Jones, who is also the Chief Operations Officer, Border Security at the Joint Regional Communications Centre (JRCC) in Barbados.

INTERPOL’s Executive Director of Police Services noted that it was important to establish the office so that he and his team could enhance processes and start to tailor what INTERPOL can do to support Caribbean countries in monitoring and impeding organised criminal activities within regional borders.

“This is just a base camp; we’re not at the summit.  This signature (Agreement) gives us an opportunity to get the resources together and then go for the summit, and that’s the key; we’ll work closely with Michael to get the resources to open the office quickly…. 

“What we’re trying to do is help investigators and help police leadership step up and modernise the way they’re looking at these issues.  You know policing and law enforcement more broadly; public safety is a team sport and we’re stronger together,” Mr. Kavanagh emphasised. INTERPOL is an inter-governmental organisation, with 194 member countries. It assists police in member countries by sharing access to data on crimes and criminals, as well as offers a range of technical and operational support.to make the world a safer place.

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