The Heads of Government from 15 Caribbean countries, including Belize and Haiti, convened in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, last weekend, April 4-5.
Their mission was to talk about crime and to agree on a strategy and plan of action to stem the rising tide of violent crime in all the participating countries.
The Caribbean Community Secretariat released a comprehensive report of the meeting, which is published on page 3 of this issue.
Among the plans to fight crime are more cooperation among the countries’ law enforcement agencies, more equipment and more training, maximizing the use of modern technology, including DNA and comprehensive crime scene management, and “justice protection program.”
What is of great interest, however, is that the Conference “further agreed to the enactment of legislation to allow for…the interception of communications.”
Communications are generally of two forms: written, or electronic, which is to say, by telephone, cell phone or email.
If our law enforcement authorities enact laws in this direction, which is required if our authorities signed the Conference agreement, then are we to expect that the police will then have the legal authority to bug our phones, open our mail, intercept our emails or listen to our conversations on our cell phones? We know for a fact that the police, nationally and internationally, already employ such snooping devices, even though such surveillance is usually kept secret.
In these cases, public nervousness is addressed by announcing that the only persons so affected would be the criminals. We know, however, that such powerful tools can easily be misused by godless politicians and over-zealous lawmen anxious to curry favor with their bosses.
Besides, who are the criminals, anyhow? Citizens of Lake I, Port Loyola and Collet? Will the “interception of communications” extend to corrupt politicians, their minions, rich and protected businessmen, and members of the status quo, as well?
We recall that on February 4, 2008, just three days before general elections were held, Belize police completed the installation of “surveillance” cameras at what they called “key spots” within the city. The CARICOM Conference reports that the participants agreed to “introduce video in criminal proceedings,” which now takes on new meaning in the light of the Conference agreement.
We note that the Government has not made any public announcement on the new CARICOM agreement, nor has it informed us who the officials are who signed it, and the obligations of the new administration in implementing the agreement.