Marks talks mutual cooperation with Holder

WASHINGTON:

Cooperation between Jamaica and the United States on security issues highlighted discussions as Jamaica's ambassador to the United States, Audrey Marks, visited US Attorney General Eric Holder on Thursday, October 28. The meeting was held at the US Department of Justice in Washington, DC.

Holder reiterated the support for the country he had shared in May, following the loss of lives during the security forces' operation in west Kingston.

Marks and Holder agreed that a partnership was vital to the success of Jamaica's efforts to combat organised criminal activities.

During her meeting, the Jamaican ambassador cited the downtown Kingston revitalisation efforts as a critical component of efforts to fight crime. She said that it could provide the necessary socio-economic intervention and infrastructural development to generate economic opportunities for inner-city residents.

Holder agreed with the necessity for socio-economic intervention to counteract crime and, most important, ensure sustainability of the current efforts.

He noted that there were many models in the United States where inner-city communities were converted from being dens of criminal activity to thriving residential and commercial centres, for which the Department of Justice could provide resources. Ambassador Marks welcomed the offer of support and noted that the future success of such an effort could serve as a model for the rest of the Caribbean region.

Other matters discussed included the need for deeper cooperation with the United States to improve Jamaica's intelligence-gathering mechanisms, as well as to strengthen resources to promote security.

Holder welcomed the initiatives the ambassador outlined, and emphasised that these were particularly important, given the links between US regions with large Caribbean communities, including Jamaicans, and criminal networks back in the Caribbean.

He said that his government saw Jamaica as a linchpin for the Caribbean and thus it would be important to support efforts for a strong and clear signal to criminal networks in the region.

Ambassador Marks invited the attorney general to pay an official visit to Jamaica. Holder said he looked forward to a visit and reaffirmed the Obama administration's commitment to working with Jamaica, and Caribbean countries, to increase their ability to effectively fight organised crime, including drug trafficking.

- JIS