Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Dr. Keith Rowley, spoke briefly to media on some key points discussed during the Inter-sessional meeting. (BGIS)

A decision has been taken by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) to treat crime and violence as a public health issue.

Word of this came from Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Dr. Keith Rowley, in an interview with the media on Wednesday during the 31st Inter-sessional Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre in Barbados.

Prime Minister Rowley said one of the decisions taken by the heads was to treat crime and violent behaviour as a public health issue.

“We have agreed that there will be a response along that line.  It is all well and good to try to respond in a reactive way, but we now need to focus in a proactive way, seeking to get to the root cause of this upsurge and sustained violent behaviour of our people.

“Experts are telling us that given the effect of this kind of behaviour it is now a public health issue and ought to be look upon in that context.  CARICOM has taken a position that we will be viewing it in that way.  So, there will be a lot of initiatives going forward from the preventative side and the proactive side,” he said. 

shamkoe.pile@barbados.gov.bb

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