RC Trebucq's Opening Remarks at the Saint Lucia Development Partners Meeting - Leveraging Partnerships towards: Improving Peace, Security, Justice, and Rule of Law

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

• Honourable Philip J. Pierre - Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Economic Development, Youth Economy Justice and National Security.
• Honourable Dr. Virginia Albert-Poyotte - Minister for the Public Service, Home Affairs, Labour and Gender Affairs
• Other members of cabinet
• Hon. Dame Janice M Pereira, Chief Justice, Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court.
• Mrs. Crusita Descartes-Pelius, Commissioner of Police
• Other officials of the Government of St. Lucia
• H.E. Francis Etienne, Ambassador of France
• H.E Luis Manuel López Moreno, Ambassador of Mexico
• HE Lilian Chatterjee, High Commissioner of Canada
• Other members of diplomatic Corps and Development partners representing the US, UK, EU
• My colleagues UN Heads of Agencies and other staff
• Ladies and gentlemen,

Good morning,  

I am pleased to be back in the Helen of the West Indies (and for some reason I usually tend to be here during creole month).  On behalf of the UN Team in Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, I extend a warm welcome to you all to this Development Partners’ Coordination Meeting, focused on Citizen Security.

Let me start by candidly declaring that as UN, we have been particularly deliberate in crafting a positive outlook for the theme and focus for this meeting. The intention is by no means to raise any alarm or to amplify concerns of peace and security in Saint Lucia.

Last year, in November we held our very first development partners coordination meeting in Saint Lucia.

A key decision taken at that meeting was to convene more focused follow-up development partner meetings based on national priorities.

And so, here we are again, as one development community, to join forces with Saint Lucia to help tackle the key developmental challenges that threaten peace, security, and rule of law.

Such intricately complex and multifaceted challenges demand stronger and more strategic partnerships.

As a country constrained by limited resources and capacity, ensuring that development assistance is relevant and well-coordinated to propel desired impact, is critical.

In the case of Saint Lucia, the 2023 Global SD Report reveals that SDG 16 – Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions is a goal that is lagging behind – and that means major challenges remain to be addressed.

To accelerate progress on this goal, the capacity of responsible state institutions remains central to the delivery of effective protection for the citizen. Elements essential to increasing citizen security therefore include the reform of state institutions to make them more effective, such as the police, customs, social services or the judiciary.

In the specific context of this roundtable, developing a shared understanding of the linkages between Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions can provide important entry points for ensuring citizens security.

The idea of citizen security also places responsibilities on the citizens. They are expected to participate actively in the co-production of their security in partnership with state agencies. This means citizens are to actively engage in problem-solving in their communities.

The creation of avenues for citizen participation and the development of programmes geared towards decreasing poverty and inequality, including gender inequality, are critical to such social integration.

While the Government must be commended for efforts to address those challenges head on, you simply cannot overcome them all alone.

This is where we come in – using our convening power to catalyse concerted efforts to bring all parties, both within and outside the UN system, to the table.

This inclusive approach can allow us to tackle the issue of citizen security in a holistic and integrated fashion.

Having done our homework on the ground, speaking to a wide cross section of the Saint Lucian populace – in government, civil society, private sector, local community residents, the judiciary, the opposition, I think we have a fairly good idea of the issues such as:

• Increasing gangs, particularly in the south.
• Increased trafficking of illegal firearms.
• Unemployment (especially among youth), led to youth seeking alternative illegal economic outlets.
• Eroding community spirit due to the lack of community-based activities and after-school programmes
• High levels of single parents, particularly young single mothers.
• Domestic and gender-based violence.

In response, we have pulled together a UN offer - a package of interventions based on needs identified and framed within the 2022-2026 UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework for the Caribbean region. It seeks to help increasing capacities for law enforcement, citizen security, as well as social cohesion.

Colleagues, this is the beauty of the UNDS at play – several agencies with diverse comparative advantages coming together .e.g., UNODC – police reform, border management; UNDP on Crime data and modernization; UNLIREC on small arms control. UNICEF – education and child protection; UNESCO - youth development; UNWOMEN on GBV; ILO decent work and youth entrepreneurship.

My colleague Lorraine Nicholas will present this UN offer in greater details in session 3 today. All UN colleagues will elaborate further.

That is why we are here today to discuss with all partners how we can translate our respective support into meaningful change in the lives of Saint Lucians.

Based on my interactions during our consultations on the ground, it is clear that we need to pursue an approach that transcends policing, justice, and rule of law to consider also the “softer side” - the social and psycho-social elements.

Because it is proven by research that violence against children, family violence, and community violence are interconnected and perpetuate a destructive cycle.

Hence In order to break the cycle of increasing violence in society, it is critical to address the drivers of violence. These drivers are rooted in social exclusion, vulnerability and poverty.

So, we need to work collectively on prevention, foster safe homes, nurture communities, and promote respect for all, in addition to increasing capacities for law enforcement.

Social cohesion also starts with investing in children and Youth, in their health, their development and education, their protection, and their participation. 

Moreover, a key prevention technique to crime is to address violence that is perpetrated in the home. In that respect the passing of the Domestic Violent Act in 2022 is a very commendable step forward taken by the Government of SLU.

On another hand, the root causes of violent crimes, especially youth crimes and delinquency, include less tangible factors. Paying attention to the root causes therefore also means promoting common integrative identities that bridge social divides.

I can speak of my personal experience during a consultation with residents in Vieux Fort, where I saw first-hand the fear of violence, But I also heard about the positive difference sports and social activities can have on the youth inclusion in the community. Indeed, we have to focus on the holistic needs of young people.

Today’s session will build on these foundations to work collectively as development partners, identify gaps for deepening existing collaboration and synergies and better align development assistance to your national priorities.

We look forward to the presentation by the Police Forces of their Strategic Plan, which is very commendable.  In addition, we want to make an offer to the Government to support the development of a broader, overarching strategy that encapsulates all elements of citizen security.

As I end and as we begin, thank you for coming today. I am sure we will have very rich meaningful discussions that contribute towards enhancing peace, security, justice, and rule of law in Saint Lucia.

Thank you.