The 39th Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Conference of the Association of Caribbean Commissioners of Police (ACCP) officially commenced on Monday at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre in Guyana, under the theme “United Against Crime.”
Hosted by Commissioner of Police Mr. Clifton Hicken of the Guyana Police Force, the conference has drawn participation from over 24 Commissioners of Police and their delegations from across the Caribbean region.
The opening ceremony was attended by distinguished guests, including His Excellency Dr. Mohammed Irfaan Ali, President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, and the Honourable Prime Minister, Retired Brigadier Mark Phillips, MSS. Several regional diplomats and security experts were also present to commemorate the occasion.
A major highlight of the conference was a presentation by Commissioner of Police Fitz Bailey, titled “Regional Response to Stymie the Tentacles of Transnational Organized Crimes.” Commissioner Bailey underscored the growing threat posed by transnational organized crime (TOC) networks operating across the Caribbean with alarming ease. He identified a spectrum of illicit activities—drug trafficking, human and migrant smuggling, money laundering, environmental crimes, cybercrime, and illicit firearms trafficking—that are conducted with relative impunity due to porous borders and limited regional coordination.
Commissioner Bailey stressed the urgent need for a unified regional strategy, stating that “criminals operate with no respect for judicial boundaries,” and called on member states to adopt a collective approach to combat these threats. Commissioner Bailey also addressed the types and calibres of weapons being trafficked, methods of concealment, and the critical need for tighter regulation and accountability within courier services.
In his concluding remarks, the top cop urged member nations to support the implementation of coordinated regional roadmaps, strengthen capacities for detection, investigation, and prosecution, and launch joint operations in collaboration with international partners such as
INTERPOL. He also called for the establishment of evidence-based monitoring systems to track arms trafficking more effectively.
The week-long conference features both open and closed sessions, fostering inclusive dialogue and enabling strategic discussions.
A key objective of this year’s AGM is to enhance cross-border collaboration, disrupt transnational criminal networks that threaten regional security, and promote safer communities for all Caribbean citizens.