by YVETTE BEST

DRUG-RELATED CRIMES account for the majority of deportations from North America, Europe and the rest of the Caribbean to Jamaica, Trinidad and Guyana.

These three countries have the highest number of deportees among the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) states.

Between 1990 and 2005, 71 per cent of deportations to Jamaica, 53 per cent to Trinidad and 52 per cent of those to Guyana were connected to illegal drugs.

Speaking Tuesday at the Inter-sessional meeting of the Association of Caribbean Commissioners of Police (ACCP) at the Amaryllis Beach Resort, Dr AnnMarie Barnes said that Jamaica had the highest deportation rate in the period under review.

The representative from the Ministry of National Security in Jamaica said there were 33 268 deportations there between 1990 and 2005. Trinidad recorded 2 983 in the same period, and 932 to Guyana between 2000 and 2005.

Barnes said statistics showed a "consistent increase" in violent crime, particularly murder. She noted there was a strong correlation between increased deportations and the rise in the murder rate in Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago.

The murder rate for both countries increased over the period under review. There was an increase of more than four times in Trinidad and three times in Jamaica.

Repeat offenders

Trinidad had the highest number of repeat offenders. Studies showed that deportees were 3.5 times more likely to be arrested than the average population. An average of 71 per cent of repeat offenders committed more than two crimes in the three countries.

During discussion, political officer of the United States Embassy Ian Campbell reminded the session of law enforcement officials that statistics were "tricky things" and that one needed to be careful how these were interpreted.

Meanwhile, Barbados' Commissioner of Police Darwin Dottin told the DAILY NATION yesterday that his officers monitored deportees "very closely" in relation to the crime they had committed.

He said the police were alerted about the arrival of the deportees and had knowledge of their records. He added that all deportees were met at the airport and debriefed but "we don't have any legislative arrangement to formally keep track of them while they are here".

Dottin explained that statistics were kept on deportee involvement in crime.

"In absolute terms, those persons who come back – it's very low. And also as a portion of deportees who come back, the crime experience is very low as well," he stated.

A total of 554 people were deported to Barbados between 1998 and 2007. They were sent home from North America, Europe and the Caribbean. During that same period, deportees committed 600 offences here.