Britain reinforces its commitment to help Caribbean countries arrest spiralling crime

n a significant move to combat crime and gang violence in the Caribbean, Britain has unveiled a £27 million ($69 million) funding package to enhance law enforcement, reinforce justice systems, and provide vital opportunities for at-risk youth throughout the region, the UK foreign secretary announced here on Thursday.

Another £5 million ($13 million) has been allocated to the One Safe Caribbean Fund, the regional arm of the Inter-American Bank-sponsored Alliance for Security, Justice, and Development between Latin America and the Caribbean to support regional security systems.

Speaking during the alliance’s launch, Foreign Secretary David Lammy noted the UK’s commitment to addressing what he described as shared challenges of illicit funding, corruption, and organised crime.

“And because these are threats to all of us, we are committed to doing more to tackle them with you all,” Lammy said.

“We all know what’s needed: stronger borders, stronger law enforcement, stronger courts, better information sharing between jurisdictions, and clamping down on corruption,” he said, adding that availing opportunities to young people as alternatives to gang life is also important.

He further stressed that a multi-faceted approach which addresses both “upstream and downstream” issues is essential for meaningful change.

London’s funding will be directed toward enhancing intelligence-gathering capabilities for law enforcement agencies, particularly in the northern and eastern Caribbean, equipping them with tools to combat criminal networks effectively.

Public campaigns discouraging violence will also be supported under this initiative.

In addition to these measures, the UK is extending its joint support with the US for criminal justice reforms in the Caribbean, including in Barbados.

The three-year extension will focus on strengthening legal systems to ensure justice and accountability, which Lammy described as essential for long-term security.

The official also announced an increase in the UK’s shareholding in IDB Invest, the Inter-American Development Bank’s private sector arm.

Lammy said that this move is expected to double the IDB’s financing capacity in the Caribbean.

Sharing on the additional $13 million earmarked for the One Safe Caribbean Fund to further efforts to address security and governance challenges, he noted the UK’s desire to see “the IDB’s work in this area go from strength to strength” and further urged other international partners to contribute to the cause.

Lammy also underscored the UK’s resolve to address corruption, both domestically and internationally.

He also used the platform to announce the appointment of Baroness Margaret Hodge as the British prime minister’s new anti-corruption champion.

“For too long, it’s been too easy for criminals to launder their money in the UK and other financial centres,” Lammy said. “This is changing.

“We will work with you to clamp down on corrupt criminals in your country and to keep your people’s wealth safe from their grasp.”

Lammy also highlighted what he described as an urgent crisis in Haiti, where unchecked gang activity has left one million children out of school, even as a cholera outbreak threatens public health.

He praised the Kenyan-led multinational security support mission there and committed another £5 million to support its human rights monitoring capacity.

Declaring Britain’s dedication to fostering security and prosperity for citizens across the region, he said: “This is about ensuring that all of our citizens, whether in the Caribbean or the UK, have secure and prosperous lives.”