By Alex Rosaria
The surge in violence in our region is attributed to the increased availability of firearms. Guyana, Mexico, Jamaica, the gangs of Haiti, Trinidad and Tobago, Curaçao, and Sint Maarten grapple with this problem that poses a real threat to our peace and our livelihood.
The majority of crimes, including murders, involve the use of firearms. Almost all the guns in the region are illegally trafficked from the US.
In her book “Exit Wounds: How America’s Guns Fuel Violence Across the Border”, Lithuanian-born Ieva Jusionyte provides a rare look into the world of firearms trafficking. It makes the reader understand that the lax US gun laws have devastating consequences for us. It’s not just a matter of their constitutional right but a gross undermining of our collective efforts to promote safety and security in our countries.
It’s about US complicity. I’m surprised by how oblivious the US is about its role in fuelling violence and crimes in our neck of the woods, whilst it’s willing to invest billions in a wall to prevent the very people trying to escape violence from getting in.
The region needs to engage the US. But first, we must find new and effective ways to collaborate with the CARICOM Crime Gun Intelligence Unit to stem the wave of firearms-related crimes that are pervading the Caribbean region.
Maybe now that we are associate members, we can take that brave step.
~ Alex David Rosaria (53) is a freelance consultant active in Asia and the Pacific. He is a former Member of Parliament, Minister of Economic Affairs, State Secretary of Finance and UN Implementation Officer in Africa and Central America. He is from Curaçao and has an MBA from University of Iowa (USA). ~
