Transnational organised crime labelled Caribbean’s greatest security threat

Transnational organised crime remains the most significant security threat facing the Caribbean region, Jamaica’s Ambassador to the United States, Major General (Ret’d) Antony Anderson, reiterated during a recent public forum in Washington, DC.

Anderson was addressing a forum hosted by Georgetown University’s Law Center under the theme “Jamaica’s Role in Regional Security: US–Jamaica Cooperation” on Thursday, February 5.

“Transnational organised crime that manifests through violence is the most significant threat to the security of our nation and the region,” Ambassador Anderson stated. “For a long time, it has impacted all states in the region, including the United States. It is a business, and to sustain that business and its networks, those involved rely on violence or the threat of violence, undermining governance and exploiting borders in ways no single country can confront alone.”

Referencing the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) 2023 Global Study on Homicide, Ambassador Anderson noted that the Caribbean records the highest homicide rates globally, with 50 per cent of all homicides linked to guns and gangs, compared to a global average of 24 per cent.

SECURITY GAINS

Drawing on his experience as Jamaica’s Commissioner of Police from 2018 to 2024, Ambassador Anderson highlighted Jamaica’s recent security gains. In 2025, Jamaica recorded its lowest homicide rate in over three decades, reflecting a 40 per cent reduction, or 24 per 100,000, following declines of 8 per cent in 2023 and 19 per cent in 2024. The downward trend has continued into 2026, with January recording a 55 per cent reduction, the lowest monthly figure since records began in 2001.

“What you are seeing is the result of political focus, sustained strategies, and consistent investment in a security architecture tailored to our realities,” he explained. “We decided as a country to take ownership of our problem. No one is coming to fix it for us. Reform requires persistence, even through the difficult phases.”

Ambassador Anderson underscored the importance of leadership and institutional reform, noting Jamaica’s efforts to modernise its security forces. “You must empower your own people. No one understands your circumstances better than you do. We undertook a transformation process to build a capable, modern police force, ISO 9001-certified in quality management, technology-driven, and supported by expansive intelligence capacity. Strong leadership and succession planning remain central to this progress.”

While acknowledging Jamaica’s evolving security governance framework, the Ambassador emphasised the enduring partnership between Jamaica and the United States.

“There is no question that the United States is the most powerful country in this hemisphere,” he said. “Jamaica has a longstanding relationship with the US and one of the strongest law enforcement cooperation arrangements in the region. That cooperation has disrupted major narcotics trafficking networks, strengthened information sharing, and enhanced operational interoperability. We were particularly encouraged by bipartisan support in addressing the flow of illegal firearms into the Caribbean, alongside Jamaica’s own legislative reforms to the Firearms Act.”

Looking ahead, Anderson framed Jamaica’s security progress as a pathway toward sustainable peace.

“Peaceful societies are not docile societies,” he observed. “They are societies where competition does not become conflict. The trends show we are moving toward safety, not just in reducing murder, but across all crime categories. The next stage is peace. Our challenge is to channel ambition and drive into productivity, development, and collective national progress as we pursue economic and political sovereignty.”

In closing, Anderson issued a call to document and share Jamaica’s security model.

“We must capture this experience,” he urged. “While some countries are trending in the wrong direction, they need not repeat the long route we have taken. Jamaica has always been willing to share, as demonstrated by our regional Training Centres of Excellence. What affects our neighbours affects us all, and our responsibility extends beyond our own shores.”