Volume No. 2 Issue No. 34 - Thursday April 3, 2008
Canada promises additional funds for RSS
RSS Chairman and Dominica's Minister of National Security Rayburn Blackmoore revealed that the financial assistance would move from US$30 million to US$60 million.
|
The Regional Security System (RSS) has secured a commitment from the Canadian government to double its aid to the Caribbean over the next ten years.
RSS Chairman and Dominica's Minister of National Security Rayburn Blackmoore revealed at the end of that body's annual meeting here that the financial assistance would move from US$30 million to US$60 million.
"We have other Canadian organisations in the Caribbean and so the intention really is to instead of having bilateral arrangements with member states, use RSS as a framework for which those resources come through," he said.
"Canada has given the commitment to work with the RSS from a multinational perspective, so we are using RSS as a framework from which of course, additional financial resources can be channelled to the respective member states."
Mr Blackmoore however noted that the region needed more than just the resources of the RSS to fight crime.
"Not all CARICOM member states belong to the RSS fraternity so of course we have to complement the effort and look at the issue of crime as something that threatens not only the RSS member states but the broader CARICOM fraternity," he said.
The eight RSS member states are Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, St Kitts/Nevis, St Lucia and St Vincent and the Grenadines.
During the meeting, which comes ahead of Friday's two-day Crime Summit in Port-of-Spain, a US$4.5 million dollar budget was also approved for the RSS.
Mr Blackmoore said the "open and frank" discussions made the meeting a success.
 E-mail to a friend
|
|
