The United States government has given Caribbean countries more than $560 million over the past ten years to fight the illegal trafficking of drugs and firearms and to boost security.
Barbados, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic have been the major beneficiaries.
However, in a federal report released last week, the US admitted that it did not know if the initiatives had worked because the US State Department had not created a plan to assess the overall progress.
The money was allocated for the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI) between fiscal years 2010 to 2018 to reduce illicit trafficking (such as narcotics and firearms), improve public safety and security, and promote social justice in 13 nations, most of them Caribbean islands, along with Guyana and Suriname.
Funds were used for training, purchasing of equipment such as vessels and aircraft, and social programmes, among others. (MB)
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