Statement on Crime and Violence in the Caribbean

May 8, 2023

Statement on Crime and Violence in the Caribbean

(The following is a Press Statement by The Bishops of the Antilles Episcopal Conference (AEC) on Crime and Violence in the Caribbean. This statement was issued following the 67 Annual Plenary Meeting of the Antilles Episcopal Conference held in the Diocese of Willemstad, Curacao on April 23rd - 28th, 2023, in response to the Caricom Heads of Government: Regional Symposium to address Crime and Violence as a public health issue)

The Bishops of the Antilles Episcopal Conference (AEC) applaud our Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) for their meeting and declaration on Crime and Violence as a Public Health Issue (April 17-18, 2023). We thank them for their leadership in raising crime and violence as a Public Health issue that needs: “a robust regional response that includes a public health approach, which is an all of society strategy including family, church, academia, cultural and sports personalities, minority political parties and wider civil society”. We stand ready to work with our leaders to renew our Caribbean peoples.

The perspective of and call for all leaders to come together to face this most dangerous social crisis is heartening and encouraging. We ask our governments, in each nation, to initiate a multi-sector team with Government, Opposition, Trade Union, Business and Religious leaders, indeed all civil society, to move the declaration into action. This team should facilitate and engage in a series of conversations in the communities where there is the greatest vulnerability to begin understanding the complexity of the issues and thus charting meaningful solutions to all forms of violence.

The Bishops of the AEC are ready to work with all leaders of society to form our people's consciences and work tirelessly to build character and values through all our institutions.

We continue to pray that Almighty God will give us both the inspiration and the courage to face this most difficult challenge and to do what is necessary to transform our nations for the sake of the present and future generations.

Members of the Antilles Episcopal Conference

Most Rev. Jason Gordon, President, Archbishop of Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.
Most Rev. John Persaud, Vice President, Bishop of Mandeville, Jamaica.
Most Rev. Robert Llanos, Treasurer, Bishop of St. John’s-Basseterre, Antigua and Barbuda.
Most Rev. Gabriel Malzaire, Archbishop of Castries, St. Lucia.
Most Rev. Kenneth Richards, Archbishop of Kingston, Jamaica.
Most Rev. Patrick Pinder, Archbishop of Nassau, Bahamas.
Most. Rev. David Macaire, Archbishop of Fort de France and St. Pierre, Martinique.
Most Rev. Wesley Spiewak, Bishop of Hamilton, Bermuda.
Most Rev. Lawrence Nicasio, Bishop of Belmopan-Belize City, Belize.
Most Rev. Clyde Harvey, Bishop of St. Georges - in - Grenada, Grenada.
Most. Rev. Alain Ransay, Bishop of Cayenne, French Guyana.
Most Rev. Gerard County, Bishop of Kingstown, St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Most Rev. Neil Scantlebury, Bishop of Bridgetown, Barbados.
Most Rev. Francis Alleyne, Bishop of Georgetown, Guyana.
Most Rev. Karel Choennie, Bishop of Paramaribo, Suriname.
Most Rev. Luigi Secco, Bishop of Willemstad, Curacao.
Most Rev. Burchell McPherson, Bishop of Montego Bay, Jamaica.
Most Rev. Philippe Guiogou, Bishop-Elect of Basse-Terre and Pointe a Pitre, Guadeloupe.