In an effort to curtail the movement of criminals and the flow of guns and drugs across their borders, Guyana and Suriname signed a security accord on Monday aimed at strengthening co-operation among law enforcement agencies.
However, no agreement was reached on the extradition of Surinamese nationals to this country in case of any criminal conduct as the former Dutch colony continues to uphold its laws against extradition of its citizens.
Home Affairs Minister, Clement Rohee, signed the agreement with his Surinamese counterpart, Chandrikapersad Santokhi, on Monday in Nickerie, Suriname. He told reporters yesterday that while Paramaribo did not have an extradition treaty with Georgetown, recent agreements reached at the level of the Caricom Heads of Government have made provision for a Caricom arrest treaty and a mutual legal assistance treaty. He noted that where bilaterally Guyana and Suriname could not cooperate in the transfer of a criminal, through those measures at the level of Caricom, it might be possible.
A number of Guyanese fugitives have fled to Suriname in recent years to evade law enforcement authorities here. Rohee told the media that the two neighbouring states have also agreed to design a bilateral agreement on mutual legal assistance and to pursue active cooperation in the designing of legal instruments and the sharing of anti-crime legislation. He said the agreements reached would be implemented almost immediately, noting that some of them need only to be activated through telephone and other contacts. However, the two countries agreed to establish focal points of contacts at all levels — policy, executive and operational — to help coordinate the implementation of the agreements reached.
Rohee, noting that matters pertaining to crime and security have found a place of priority on the agenda of Caricom Heads of Government, said with the two countries things are no different. Greater sharing of information among security officials from both countries in the areas of terrorism, narcotics and arms trafficking; money laundering, smuggling of goods and piracy and kidnapping were among the 17 agreements reached.
Rohee noted that as part of the accord, the legal, judicial and law enforcement agencies of both states will be given full policy support by their governments to enhance co-operation in the combating of cross-border crime. He added that all necessary and effective measures would be taken to collaboratively prevent terrorists and criminals from using the territory of either state to carry out their nefarious activities in their country or interests of third states. Further, the two countries agreed that there would be vigilant and robust efforts to ensure that criminals are unable to use the territory of the other to escape the criminal justice system in the country in which they carry out their criminal activities.
Special focus will be placed on cooperating in order to combat transnational organised crime, with particular attention to smuggling of goods and piracy in the border area. “Co-operation will be strengthened to combat and prevent the production of as well as the trafficking in illicit drugs between the two countries,” the two countries agreed, noting that vital to effecting cooperation in this area will be the implementation of a formal mechanism, taking into consideration their respective laws and legal system.
Additionally, the two countries agreed that within the ambit of the applicable laws all possible means of monitoring persons of interests to the legal, judicial and law enforcement agencies, gathering actionable information and intelligence and garnering evidence to successfully prosecute criminals and terrorists will be employed on a collaborative basis. This includes the sharing of information on the types and number of crimes committed in each country of criminals as well information regarding suspects and convicts involved in serious offences. “There will be exchanges of officers in order to build law enforcement capacities and lend technical assistance to the respective agencies as is required,” the countries agreed, asserting that the focus of those exchanges will be with regard to prosecutors and law enforcement officials. Rohee told reporters that consultation on issues of crime and security at the ministerial level will be institutionalized and the two states agreed to meet at least once every year to review cooperation on issues related to crime and security and to explore initiatives to enhance co-operation to more effectively combat crime. Rohee said he had every confidence that the agreements reached would be implemented, noting that it would be of great benefit to law enforcement officials here as they conduct their duties. “We can only hope that these measures will see greater efficiency among our people while at the same time safeguarding our borders and beating back criminals,” the Guyanese security minister said.
