BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – Caribbean Community (CARICOM) chairman, Dr. Terrance Drew says meaningful and lasting progress in addressing crime and violence across the Caribbean region cannot be achieved without decisive leadership and political commitment.
Addressing the launch of the CARICOM–UNDP Diagnostic Document and CARICOM–UN Action Framework, the St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister said political will remains the critical ingredient necessary to move crime prevention strategies from theory into action.
“I’ve always held that nothing can really be done unless there’s political will. The political will is what allows us to be able to implement policies and to put whatever is necessary behind it to get it done.”
Prime Minister Drew said that one of the most difficult challenges in advancing a preventative approach to crime and violence is not necessarily proving the science behind it, but convincing leadership structures and the wider society to embrace a shift away from viewing crime solely through the lens of policing and punishment.
He said that as Minister of National Security in the twin island Federation, he has had to engage in difficult but necessary conversations to build support around a broader societal approach to reducing crime.
“I told them that that crime and violence is not a political football, it is a societal matter. It is not merely a law enforcement matter, and if we are going to deal with a societal issue, then all of us need to be on board.”
Prime Minister Drew said achieving this required unprecedented collaboration and the willingness to engage all sectors of society, including members of the government and opposition, social agencies, health professionals, churches, educational institutions, businesses and international partners.
He said that approach aligns closely with his government’s broader Citizen Security framework, which has focused on strengthening interagency coordination, increasing social intervention programmes, promoting evidence-based strategies and fostering community partnerships.
Government initiatives over the past several years have increasingly centered on public health, prevention and community resilience as essential tools for national development and security.
Prime Minister Drew acknowledged that political leadership often faces pressure to pursue more immediate responses during periods of heightened violence. However, he maintained that long-term transformation requires addressing root causes.
“It is hard because I know another politician who tried to sell the concept, and he was ridiculed. So I said, well, this makes sense scientifically. It is not guesswork.”
Prime Minister Drew said he is pleased of the growing partnership between CARICOM and the United Nations saying it signals a wider acceptance of evidence-based strategies and represents an important turning point for the Caribbean.
“I really want this to be successful. I really want to see it implemented,” Drew said, reaffirming his support for regional collaboration and preventative approaches that seek not only to reduce crime statistics, but to strengthen communities and improve societal wellbeing across the region.
Drew reminded the audience that sustainable solutions to crime and violence require broader societal intervention beyond traditional law enforcement measures, reflecting on the Federation’s journey in rethinking and reshaping its response to crime and violence.
Drew said that while law enforcement and judicial interventions remain critical pillars of national security, lasting solutions demand a more comprehensive strategy that addresses the underlying social, psychological and environmental conditions that often precede criminal activity.
He said that his approach has been heavily influenced by understanding crime through a public health lens, an approach that has increasingly informed national policy in St. Kitts and Nevis.
“I’m simply saying that that alone is not the answer, and invariably, when law enforcement and the judicial system really get involved is at the end of a long process of bringing somebody to that point.
“The prevention aspect is the aspect that is not being explored sufficiently in the Caribbean,” he said, adding that implementing this strategy required bringing together multiple stakeholders, including health professionals, educators, social development agencies, community and political organizations, the private sector and security agencies under a collaborative national framework.
CARICOM’s Assistant Secretary-General for Human and Social Development, Alison Drayton, who also addressed the ceremony, emphasised that crime in the Caribbean can no longer be viewed solely through a law-enforcement lens.
“This launch represents a pivotal transition from shared concern to collective, strategic action. By formalising the CARICOM-UNDP Diagnostic Document and the CARICOM-UN Action Framework, we are translating the political consensus of our Heads of Government into a sophisticated, region-wide mechanism for change.
“Our partnership with the UNDP is instrumental in this evolution. It allows us to address the fundamental drivers of insecurity—poverty, social exclusion, and lack of opportunity—with a comprehensive development agenda. This is about more than mitigating threats; it is about fostering institutional strength, digital inclusion, and lasting climate resilience.”
She outlined three clear objectives for the framework: Align: Synchronise national innovations with regional strategy, Implement: Bridge the gap between policy commitments and practical execution and Invest: Prioritise preventive frameworks to guarantee long-term stability.
“Our ultimate success will be measured by our ability to foster societies where every citizen—particularly our youth—can live with dignity, security, and genuine hope,” Drayton said.
The UNDP said that the Caribbean is taking a bold step forward with the launch of the Framework aiming to shift how the region addresses crime and violence.
“These newly launched resources advance a transformational shift – recognising violence as a preventable outcome shaped by risk and protective factors faced throughout life. It’s about systems, solutions, and shared responsibility to build safer, more resilient societies.
“UNDP is proud to have partnered with the CARICOM, civil society and partners who have helped shape this process, particularly the government of St. Kitts and Nevis, under its CARICOM chairmanship.”
