St Lucia’s Attorney General (AG), Leslie Mondesir, has emphasized that ensuring a safe and secure environment for the ICC Men’s Twenty20 World Cup is a top priority for CARICOM security officials.
Mondesir, who is also the chairman of the 27th meeting of the Council for National Security and Law Enforcement (CONSLE), made the statement at the meeting which commenced on Thursday in the United States.
Discussions at the CONSLE meeting are set to focus on various aspects of security arrangements and preparations for the World Cup, including legislative and operational updates, as well as the implementation of advance passenger information (API) and passenger name record (PNR) legislation.
A healthy, safe, and friendly environment
“As I speak of the tournament that is upon us, the iconic Men’s T20 World Cup Trophy is currently making its rounds through the six Caribbean host countries and is currently in Guyana,” Mondesir said. “As the security cluster continues to make preparations and work towards ensuring a safe and secure space during that period, I urge you to pay keen attention to the arrangements in place from both the legislative and operational perspectives.”
The World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the Caribbean and the United States from June 1 to 29, has security arrangements that will form a significant part of the deliberations at the CONSLE meeting. Mondesir stressed the importance of creating a healthy, safe, and friendly environment for both participants and spectators.
“Specific sectoral updates will be provided by IMPACS, CARPHA, and the chair of the health, safety, and security committee,” he added.
Minimal hassle
CARICOM ministers responsible for national security, along with representatives from the CARICOM Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS), Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), Regional Security System (RSS), and the CARICOM Secretariat are attending the meeting.
Regarding the API and PNR legislation, which will benefit attendees of the World Cup by enabling them to travel to host territories in the Caribbean with minimal hassle, Mondesir highlighted the importance of securing all points of entry within member states.
“Another important issue is the enactment of the API/PNR, which will, inter alia, not only enhance the ability of border security and law enforcement agencies to identify and mitigate potential threats, but it will also strengthen regional cooperation and coordination in addressing transnational security challenges,” he said. “This augurs well as it will be a major link in further securing all points of entry in member states.”
