CARICOM Secretariat hires private security firm
Stabroek News
January 30, 2003
The CARICOM Secretariat is recruiting its own security and seeking increased resources for protection in this year's budget given the current crime situation in the country.
At a press briefing held at Colgrain House on Tuesday CARICOM Secretary-General Edwin Carrington said the secretariat has engaged the services of a security firm to submit a security plan for the secretariat. "We have provided in our budget for expanded resources on security."
Following a meeting with the staff a few weeks ago, he said that Secretariat officials met with President Bharrat Jagdeo and the Minister of Home Affairs Ronald Gajraj. He said despite those meetings, the secretariat has also hired a security firm.
So far, he said that the staff is hopeful that the Secretariat can provide the security they need. He noted there had been some small incidents which served to unnerve the staff apart from the general atmosphere. One or two members of staff have had relatives who were victims of criminal activities. Carrington said some have had close calls including one staff member who lived next door to where there was a serious outbreak of shooting. "Thank God, so far no one has been directly involved," he declared.
Meanwhile, he said that regional officials attending preparatory meetings ahead of the upcoming Fourteenth Inter-Sessional Meeting of CARICOM Heads of Government in Trinidad and Tobago next month, had not openly expressed concern about security in the country.
He said the Secretariat was taking all possible steps to ensure the safety of delegations. (Miranda La Rose)
