Guyana to present arrest warrant treaty at CARICOM intercessional meeting

GINA, GUYANA, Thursday, February 2, 2017

Guyana will be hosting the 28th  Intercessional Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM on February 16 and 17. The host country will present the draft CARICOM Arrest Warrant Treaty for ratification at the meeting.

At today’s post Cabinet press briefing, Minister of State, Joseph Harmon said, “The adoption of this Treaty will simplify the procedures by which fugitives from justice are returned to participating member states to face criminal prosecution or serve judicial sentences.”

The Treaty is one of the regional security instruments that was formulated to enhance cooperation between member states in the fight against crime and to reduce the complexity, cost and delays in the existing extradition arrangements inherent in the Region.

Guyana will also be recommending the signing of a draft agreement to establish the Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy Efficiency (CCREE) at the Heads of Government meeting. “This agreement is geared at addressing several areas including energy security, energy access for production use and climate change mitigation,” Minister Harmon said.

Guyana’s green agenda will benefit substantially from this agreement by way of technical and financial support, the Minister of State noted.

The CCREE has been established with the assistance from several agencies including the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), Small Islands Developing States Sustainable Energy and Climate Resilience Initiative and the Government of Austria.

Additionally, Guyana will be submitting the draft Rules of Procedures for meetings for the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM. “The draft rules was finalised by the Caricom Secretariat and has been the subject of on-going discussions. Cabinet approved the draft rules and agreed to its submission at the 28 Intercessional Meeting, Harmon stated.

The CARICOM Secretariat was mandated at the 36th Meeting of the Heads of Government, held in July 2015, to prepare the draft rules of procedure for meetings of the Conference of Heads of Government.

Meanwhile, Guyana is expected to give its approval on the return and sharing of assets at the two day meeting. “The agreement on the return and sharing of assets is intended to support the process of assets recovery across the Region,” Minister Harmon explained.

The crime and security strategy was adopted at CARICOM’s 24th Intercessional Meeting held in Haiti in October 2013. It included the utilisation of asset recovery as a tool in the fight against organised crime.

 

By: Tiffny Rhodius

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