Forbes
Monique Hepburn, Staff Reporter
WESTERN BUREAU:
IN A rather frighteningly candid disclosure, Commissioner Francis Forbes said yesterday that 'intelligence analysts' have identified a direct link between drug lords and Caribbean politicians.
The commissioner made the charge in an address at the four-day Rotary Club International Conference, which ends today at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Montego Bay.
He also noted that "there is now intelligence linking drug cartels in the Caribbean to terrorist groups in Colombia." The commissioner added that while there is an increased collaboration between drug cartels with an increasing number of Caribbean states, "there is also intelligence linking political parties to them as well."
"Intelligence analysts are now detecting a strategic alliance between organised drug cartels and some politicians within the region," he said. "Many persons in the intelligence community are of the view that if pursued successfully, this strategy could very well result in a prime minister or Minister of National Security being influenced by those who head the illicit narcotic trade."
Mr. Forbes also disclosed that the U.S. State Department would be providing funds to assist the Regional Intelligence Sharing System (RISS) so it will be better able to track the movement of suspected criminals, including drug traffickers.
According to him, the RISS will soon be vetting visitors arriving via cruise ships and airlines as well as cargo ships. He said the RISS will be operating on what he calls a pointer system, which will point law enforcement officers to where information is on a particular individual.
"How secure is our cruise shipping industry within our region, which is regarded firstly as the U.S. third border and secondly as a soft target for terrorists?" the Commissioner asked. "Persons must be taught that not every dollar is a good dollar because some are linked to terrorist groups that survive by camouflaging funds constantly."
Looking to the immediate future, Commissioner Forbes pointed out that with World Cup Cricket slated to come to the region in 2007, there is the potential threat of terrorism that must be addressed collectively across the region.
"Not every visitor will be a good person, therefore, we must always bear in mind that a chain is as strong as its weakest link," added Commissioner Forbes. "We must apply that from a regional perspective when thinking about the threat of terrorism."
