Crime workshop to zoom in on gang prosecutions

The United Kingdom’s Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF) will this weekend bring together serious crime professionals from the Caribbean, Britain and its overseas territories to participate in a case workshop aimed at addressing complex crimes facing the region.

Large-scale corruption and gang prosecutions are among the offences to be scrutinised at the three-day workshop that gets under way on Friday and concludes on Sunday. Kevin Flatt, head of CSSF Caribbean, praised the region’s commitment to tackling some of its most difficult crimes to make the Caribbean safer for everyone.

The workshop follows on from the Regional DPP Conference held in Miami in October last year. That conference brought together the directors of public prosecutions from all the English-speaking UK overseas territories and Caribbean countries to discuss the challenges faced in prosecuting serious crime in the region and to share best practices.

The workshop will focus specifically on case building and presentation.

Seventeen countries, not including the UK, will have delegates present.

A special partnership

Speaking ahead of the occasion, Director of Public Prosecutions Paula Llewellyn noted that the prosecution service and law enforcement share a special partnership in advancing the administration of justice.

“Collaboration, consultation, and communication between us will always enhance our respective operational efficiencies as we strive to maintain and improve our deliverables to the citizens that we serve and make decisions in the interest of justice,” said Llewellyn.

“It is against that background that continuing education and training will build and improve our respective professional capacities, thereby positioning us to continue to give service above self in the public interest,” she added.

Meanwhile, British High Commissioner to Jamaica, Asif Ahmad, said that modern criminals use global infrastructure to attack citizens and organisations and hide proceeds of their illicit activities.

“Trafficking of people, drugs, and other goods are inherently international and criminals exploit spaces that are not well governed, monitored, or where they feel safer from detection, prosecution, and punishment,” he said.

“An important weapon in our armoury are directors of public prosecution. We have brought prosecutors and law-enforcement officers from the independent Caribbean countries and the British overseas territories to share good practice and to help each other become formidable challengers for criminals facing justice,” he added.