Guyana’s debt to CARICOM’s security agency to be liquidated by December 31 – Minister Trotman

Georgetown, GINA, July 21, 2016

Guyana’s debt to the value of US $544,749.23 to CARICOM’s Implementing Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS) for the period 2009 -2016 is to be liquidated, Minister of Natural Resources Raphael Trotman said, at a post-Cabinet press briefing, today.

According to Trotman “the approved amount will either be paid in six months installments or in two tranches, hopefully by December 31 2016.”

Guyana’s debt resulted from its failure to make contributory payments for the past seven years.

The regional security agency is the nerve centre of the Region’s new multilateral crime and security management architecture, specifically designed to administer a collective response to the crime and security priorities of Member States.

The agreement establishing IMPACS was signed in June 2006, and ratified in Suriname on July 18, 2007.

Among the key functions carried out by the agency which is also responsible for the day-to-day administrative and technical functions required to fulfill its mandate are research; evaluation and monitoring; analysis and preparation of background documents; project development and implementation and centralisation and dissemination of information.

There are Five Standing Committees through which IMPACS collaborate, namely Commissioners of Police; Chiefs of the Military; Chiefs of Immigration; Comptrollers of Customs and Heads of Intelligence and Financial Investigative Units.