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Director of Crime Stoppers Barbados Devrol Dupingy, Chief Executive of Crimestoppers Trust UK Michael Laurie, Vice Chairman of Crime Stoppers Barbados Julie Dash and Chairman of Crime Stoppers Anthony Phillips sharing a light moment with Minister of Finance, Chris Sinckler,??during a meeting in his office at Government Headquarters.??

The Crime Stoppers programme has been given the "thumbs up" by Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs, Chris Sinckler, for assisting law enforcement officers to arrest crime in Barbados and the wider Caribbean.??

He heaped accolades on their efforts yesterday during a courtesy call by officials from that organisation at Government Headquarters, Bay Street, St. Michael.

Emphasising that Crime Stoppers Barbados had added value to the work of the police, Mr. Sinckler conceded that despite financial support from Government, the police force was still under pressure as a result of limited human and financial resources.

Minister of Finance, Chris Sinckler,(fourth from left) listens attentively ??as Chairman of Crime Stoppers Barbados,??Anthony Phillips (second from left) outline the work done by the organisation.?? Also attending the meeting were from left Chief Executive of Crimestoppers Trust, UK, Michael Laurie, Acting Permenant Secretary in the Ministry of Finance, Margaret Sivers,??Acting Director of Finance and Economic Affairs, William Layne and Director of Crime Stoppers Barbados, Devrol Dupingy.??

??The Minister of Finance acknowledged that crime fighting was not only a law enforcement issue, but a societal one as well, in light of the free movement of individuals under the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME).

"…Crime Stoppers came at an absolute perfect time because the signs are always there and it is not easy with the CSME and the free movement of persons.?? Even though that has not been fully initiated, it opens up countries to movement of persons, some of whom could be moving for purposes other than lawful engagement, and this puts an added burden on the authorities in Barbados…," Mr. Sinckler said.

In giving a synopsis of the success rate of the programme, Vice Chairman of Crime Stoppers Barbados, Julie Dash, revealed that of the 580 tips received, 45 persons had been arrested and charged for various offences, 46 cases cleared and large quantities of narcotics and firearms seized.

Chairman, Anthony Phillips, also outlined the benefits of the soon to be launched integrity line programme which was designed to reduce the incidence of fraud.

In giving a perspective of fraudulent activity in the United Kingdom, Chief Executive Officer of Crime Stoppers Trust, Michael Laurie, said fraud accounted for ??27 billion in losses in the public sector, annually.

"A lot of people have their own internal whistle blowing lines but they do not work, and because Crime Stoppers is a trusted brand, the reporting of wrong doing has gone up," he pointed out.

Crime Stoppers director, Devrol Dupigny, alluded to the creation of a youth crime stoppers programme utilising the Facebook social network site, to gauge their views on crime.??jwilson@barbados.gov.bb

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