BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC):

Attorney-General Dale Marshall says Barbados has already begun to see some evidence of criminal activity occasioned by the country's participation in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Single Market and Economy (CSME).

Addressing the two-day annual police conference in Barbados, Marshall said despite its obvious benefits, the CSME would test the mettle of regional police forces and would present great challenges to individual police forces.

"The free movement of persons throughout the region has the potential to include the criminally minded as well, and I believe we have already seen evidence of this in Barbados," said Marshall.

"I am aware that discussions are being held at the regional level to determine an approach for controlling this phenomenon. In this regard, the ongoing work of the CARICOM machinery to deal with crime and security for the short, medium and long term is of great importance," he added.

Marshall also said he was hopeful that the experience of the security platform put in place to facilitate the region's hosting of the Cricket World Cup would serve as a pilot from which valuables lessons could be learnt and strategies implemented to deal with issues of crime on a regional level.

Marshall went on to say despite the crime challenges, the police force in Barbados could take credit for keeping the crime rate from spiralling out of control.

"The fact that the current level of crime is closer to the level of what obtained some 15 years ago is indeed an accomplishment of which you can be justly proud, particularly when compared to other jurisdictions," he said.

"No doubt much of this success can be attributed to the fact that the force remains committed to a more proactive style of policing," he added.

The Attorney-General said the March 5 to April 28 World Cup would also be one of the greatest challenges facing the region within recent memory and would be a tremendous test for regional police forces.