[Pages H2078-H2081]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE HOUSE REGARDING CARIBBEAN DRUG CRIME

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the
resolution (H. Res. 865) expressing the sense of the House of
Representatives that the March 2007 report of the United Nations Office
on Drugs and Crime and the International Bank for Reconstruction and
Development makes an important contribution to the understanding of the
high levels of crime and violence in the Caribbean, and that the United
States should work with Caribbean countries to address crime and
violence in the region, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The text of the resolution is as follows:

H. Res. 865

Whereas, in his 2006 New Year's address, then Prime
Minister of Jamaica, P.J. Patterson, said, ``Without a doubt,
the high level of violent crime remains our most troubling
and pressing problem.'';
Whereas, in opening the Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago
in September 2005, President George Maxwell Richards said his
country was in crisis due to the escalating crime rate;
Whereas, in March 2007, the United Nations Office on Drugs
and Crime (UNODC) and the International Bank for
Reconstruction and Development (World Bank) issued a report
entitled, ``Crime, Violence, and Development: Trends, Costs,
and Policy Options in the Caribbean'';
Whereas the UNODC and World Bank report presents detailed
analyses of crime and violence in the Caribbean region and
offers possible policy responses;
Whereas the UNODC and World Bank report draws on input from
governments, civil society organizations, and Caribbean
experts;
Whereas the UNODC and World Bank report that the Caribbean
region has the highest murder and assault rates in the world,
with murder rates at 4 times the level of the United States;
Whereas the UNODC and World Bank report that high crime
levels have long term developmental effects on the Caribbean:
(1) crime cost the Jamaican economy $12,400,000,000 in
Jamaican dollars, 3.7 percent of its gross domestic product,
in 2001; and
(2) reducing the region-wide homicide rate by \1/3\ could
over double the rate of economic growth per capita; and

[[Page H2079]]

Whereas the UNODC and World Bank report reached the
following conclusions:
(1) Caribbean countries are transit points and not
producers of cocaine. Interdiction needs to be complemented
by other strategies outside the region: principally demand
reduction in consumer countries and eradication and/or
alternative development in producer countries;
(2) illegal gun trafficking is a dangerous outgrowth of the
drug trade. Better enforcement methods help, as can improved
gun interdiction in ports;
(3) deaths and injuries from youth violence constitute a
major threat to public health and social and economic
progress across the Caribbean. Youth are disproportionately
represented in the ranks of both victims and perpetrators of
crime and violence;
(4) although the average deportee from the United States to
the Caribbean is not involved in criminal activity, a
minority of deportees may be causing serious problems, both
by direct involvement in crime and by providing a perverse
role model for youth. The report recommends that more
services be offered to reintegrate deportees, with deporting
countries contributing to the cost of these programs;
(5) some types of crime, such as organized crime and drug
and illegal firearms trafficking, are impervious to
alternative prevention initiatives and require an efficient
criminal justice system, and therefore urgent priorities for
improving the criminal justice system in the region include
the development of management information systems, tracking
of justice system performance, monitoring of reform programs,
and increased accountability to citizens;
(6) several Caribbean countries are increasingly investing
in crime prevention--using approaches such as integrated
citizen security programs, crime prevention through
environmental design, and a public health approach that
focuses on risk factors for violent behaviors;
(7) youth violence is a particularly serious problem in the
region, and youth homicide rates in several countries of the
region are significantly above the world average. To address
issues of youth violence, Caribbean policymakers should
invest in programs that have been shown to be successful in
careful evaluations such as: (i) early childhood development
and mentoring programs; (ii) interventions to keep high risk
youth in secondary schools; and (iii) opening schools after
hours and on weekends to offer additional activities and
training; and
(8) many of the issues facing the Caribbean transcend
national boundaries and require a coordinated regional and
international response. Demand for drugs emanates from Europe
and the United States; deportees are sent back to the region
from the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada; and
many weapons that are trafficked are brought from the United
States: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) welcomes the recommendations for more effective law
enforcement and crime prevention efforts contained in the
March 2007 UNODC and World Bank report, ``Crime, Violence,
and Development: Trends, Costs, and Policy Options in the
Caribbean'', to the extent those recommendations do not
conflict with existing U.S. law;
(2) urges the United States Government to consider fully
and carefully the recommendations in the UNODC and World Bank
Report and to take the recommendations into account when
developing United States policy toward the current member
states of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Dominican
Republic;
(3) urges the governments of United States and other drug-
consuming countries to increase counter-narcotics assistance
to the current member states of CARICOM and the Dominican
Republic;
(4) urges the United States Government to increase
coordination on policy development and implementation with
the current member states of CARICOM and the Dominican
Republic to help combat crime and violence in the region;
(5) urges the Department of State and the Department of
Homeland Security to work with the current member states of
CARICOM and the Dominican Republic to mitigate the negative
effects of United States deportation policy;
(6) urges the current member states of CARICOM and the
Dominican Republic to consider fully and carefully the
recommendations in the UNODC and World Bank Report, and to
take the recommendations into account, especially regarding
improvements in their criminal justice systems; and
(7) urges the United States Government to consider the
impact on the current member states of CARICOM and the
Dominican Republic of the proposed Merida Initiative to
combat drugs, violence, and transnational crime in Mexico and
Central America, especially whether a successful plan will
drive narco-traffickers from Mexico and Central America to
the current member states of CARICOM or the Dominican
Republic.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New
Jersey (Mr. Payne) and the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey.

General Leave

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include
extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from New Jersey?
There was no objection.
Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution,
and I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Over the past decade, the level of crime and violence throughout the
Caribbean basin has increased. Last year, the United Nations and the
World Bank issued a joint report titled, ``Crime, Violence, and
Development: Trends, Costs and Policy Options in the Caribbean'' which
confirms this trend.
The report makes a very disturbing finding: Crime and violence have
generally increased in the Caribbean, to the point where the region as
a whole now possesses the highest overall crime rate of any region in
the world.
While I note that each member of the Caribbean community is
different, and that some countries are successful in maintaining
relatively low levels of crime, the report's numbers, while taken as a
whole, are alarming. They document extremely high levels of murder,
rape, and drug trafficking on a massive scale.
If the high levels of crime and violence in the Caribbean persist,
they will undermine long-term economic development by eroding the
region's trade, commerce, and tourism.

{time} 1045

The impact of this regional law and order would have a crisis which
could extend beyond the borders of CARICOM states by impacting
immigration patterns to the United States and by undermining our
efforts to fight organized crime and drug trade. Regional instability
related to crime and violence in the region could also undermine U.S.
border security efforts.
As the report points out, the United States is part of the cause of
some of these problems, and we could also be a big part in the
solution. Our allies in the Caribbean stand ready to partner with us in
finding workable solutions. We have an opportunity to address this
problem before it destabilizes much of the hemisphere and jeopardizes
U.S. security.
I urge my colleagues to support H. Res. 865 and the accompanying
amendment in the nature of a substitute to express the sense of the
House that the United States and its CARICOM allies take up the U.N./
World Bank report's recommendations and work together to solve this
potentially devastating problem before it's too late.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
The alarming rate of crime and violence in the Caribbean region
cannot be ignored. Several countries have reached the point of crisis,
while attempting to counter the social, economic and political
repercussions of organized gangs and narcotrafficking.
Murder rates in the Caribbean are higher than in any other region in
the world, and have risen in recent years for many of the countries in
the region. Recent increases in kidnappings have been observed in the
region over the past few years, and assault rates, based on police
reports, are significantly above the world average.
Serving as seemingly insurmountable obstacles to the economic and
social progress of countries in the Caribbean, the pervasive nature of
crime and violence again cannot be ignored. We have a shared
responsibility to confront this threat and engage in coordinated
efforts that improve the quality of life for all of our communities.
The security threats faced in the Western Hemisphere as a result of
violence and narcotrafficking call for strong action on the part of our
government. So far, our partnerships with countries throughout the
hemisphere are demonstrating significant success in the fight against
drugs and crime; such as the case of Colombia, where substantial
improvements in security have yielded positive patterns of growth,
stability, and investment.
We have good reason to be optimistic, Mr. Speaker. The deadly flow of

[[Page H2080]]

cocaine into the United States has seen a dramatic decline in the last
few months. Purity levels are falling, and retail prices are rising.
We must remain committed to defeating the perilous threats of crime
and violence that endanger the youth and prosperity of our Nations
today. Together, we must tackle these challenges and strive to further
tighten the bonds that hold us together as nearby neighbors.
I am confident that through future cooperation and coordination, we
can continue to see success and support the true potential of our
friends in the Caribbean.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. PAYNE. I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from New York (Ms.
Clarke) who, incidentally, her district has one of the largest
Caribbean communities in the United States, and her heritage is from
the Caribbean. I am so pleased to yield her 5 minutes on her first
resolution in her freshman year. I commend you for that.
Ms. CLARKE. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to thank the Representative from
New Jersey (Mr. Payne) for yielding time, and for his words about this
important resolution.
I also wholeheartedly thank Chairman Howard Berman of the Foreign
Affairs Committee along with Western Hemisphere Subcommittee Chairman
Eliot Engel, full committee ranking member Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, and
subcommittee ranking member Dan Burton for their support and great help
in moving this legislation through committee to the House floor.
The release of the U.N./World Bank report, ``Crime, Violence and
Development: Trends, Costs and Policy Options in the Caribbean'' should
be a wake-up call for every American interested in the security of our
Nation.
As the report points out, a variety of factors, including some for
which we in the U.S. are partly responsible, such as a seemingly
insatiable and heavy illicit legal drug consumption and extremely
problematic deportation policies has contributed to our neighboring
Caribbean region having the highest crime rate in the world.
While today the region remains a wonderful place for Americans to
visit, and most hospitable tourist destination in the world, in the
long term, if this trend continues, it will wreak serious social,
economic, and security troubles for many of the tranquil Caribbean
nations.
Allowing this situation to deteriorate for years to come will
ultimately create a security threat, not just for the Caribbean states,
but, indeed, for our own country, as well as an unstable Caribbean
region, and would create a vast vulnerability in America's border
security.
Many of the problems identified by this report have long been
recognized by Caribbean leadership. These emerging democracies and
developing nations are doing everything within their means to
collaborate on the safety of their respective nations and, by
extension, our hemisphere.
Now, with the confirmation provided by this report in hand, ignorance
is no excuse. The U.S. must partner with its Western Hemisphere
neighbors and allow it to find workable solutions that will help the
people of the Caribbean and ensure long-term security and stability of
our region.
As the daughter of Caribbean immigrants, and a district that boasts
the largest concentration of Caribbean Americans in the Nation, and as
a member of the Committee on Homeland Security, I ask my colleagues to
support this resolution calling for the U.S. to take up the solutions
contained in the very important U.N./World Bank report. If we act now,
we will help our allies to reduce crime greatly at levels before the
situation becomes far less manageable and a threat to the Western
Hemisphere that is, indeed, within our global community.
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support
of H. Res. 865, ``Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives
that the March 2007 report of the United Nations Office on Drugs and
Crime and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development
makes an important contribution to the understanding of the high levels
of crime and violence in the Caribbean, and that the United States
should work with Caribbean countries to address crime and violence in
the region,'' introduced by my friend and colleague Congresswoman
Yvette Clarke, of which I am proud to be an original cosponsor.
Mr. Speaker, I have traveled in the Caribbean recently, and I,
together with many of my colleagues on the Committee on Foreign
Affairs, had the opportunity to meet with CARICOM leaders last year. I
believe that it is extremely beneficial to all our nations, and to the
international community, that we continue this trend of increasing
engagement and interaction. Equally important is that we ensure that,
in our process of engagement, that we are truly listening and
responding to the concerns presented by government and civil society
leaders of the Caribbean nations, as well as addressing our own social,
economic, and security goals.
Crime and violence in the Caribbean region is undoubtedly one area in
which our concerns are in line with local needs. Most observers have
indicated that the level of crime and violence throughout the Caribbean
basin has increased over the past decade, a trend confirmed by a joint
report issued by the United Nations and the World Bank last year. This
report, titled ``Crime, Violence, and Development: Trends, Costs, and
Policy Options in the Caribbean,'' found that crime and violence have
increased throughout the Caribbean to such an alarming extent that the
region, as a whole, now has the highest overall crime rate of any
region in the world.
Mr. Speaker, it is dangerous to characterize an entire region, as
each nation is different; however, there are some general statistics
regarding the Caribbean Community that cannot be ignored. While some
countries have been relatively successful at maintaining low levels of
crime, as a whole, the Caribbean has murder rates four times higher
than those of the United States. Regional rape rates are above the
global average, and three countries in the region are among the 10
countries globally with the highest rate of rape.

In addition to violent crime, trafficking of drugs remains a
significant problem in the region, and one that has a serious impact on
our own country as well. In 2005 alone, for example, 30 tons of cocaine
transited through Jamaica, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic. According
to the White House's Office of National Drug Policy, the Caribbean
Corridor accounted for approximately 8 percent of the total documented
flow of cocaine departing South America in 2004. The region also plays
a prominent role in drug-related money laundering.
Mr. Speaker, these facts combine to create a crisis with long-term
developmental consequences. Trade, commerce, tourism, and social well-
being are all threatened by these crimes, and the nations in the
Caribbean region will not be the only ones to suffer. Declining
stability in the Western Hemisphere will seriously impair U.S. efforts
to fight organized crime and drug trade, while instability in the
Caribbean region has historically impacted immigration patterns to the
United States. The Caribbean Community is one of our most important
allies in ensuring our borders are secure--regional instability means
gaps in our border protection efforts.
The United States must work together with our Caribbean friends and
allies, to develop effective partnerships in search of workable
solutions. If the Caribbean is destabilized, all of our nations will
suffer the consequences. We have an opportunity to address this problem
before it destabilizes much of the hemisphere and jeopardizes U.S.
security.
Mr. Speaker, I strongly urge my colleagues to join me in supporting
H. Res. 865 to express the sense of the House that the U.S. and its
CARICOM allies take up the U.N./World Bank report's recommendations and
work together to solve this potentially devastating problem before it
is too late.
Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res.
865, welcoming the recommendations contained in the March 2007 World
Bank report ``Crime, Violence, and Development: Trends, Costs, and
Policy Options in the Caribbean.'' I would like to commend my colleague
and sister from the Caribbean, Congresswoman Yvette Clarke inroducing
this legislation.
Too often the Caribbean is overlooked when issues of global economy
and diplomacy are discussed. I am pleased that H. Res. 865 urges the
United States, other drug-consuming countries, and the Caribbean
countries to increase counter-narcotics efforts in the Caribbean
region. As a member of the House representing the U.S. Virgin Islands,
I know firsthand the negative impact that crime can have on the economy
of Caribbean islands. The report indicates that high rates of crime and
violence in the Caribbean are undermining growth, threatening human
welfare, and impeding social development. For the most part, the
economy of the Caribbean is tourism driven. Safety and security are
vital to providing quality tourism, and crime is a direct threat to the
Caribbean tourism industry.
One contributing factor to the growing crime problem in the region is
our country's deportation program that sends individuals who have

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lived in this country for years--almost all their lives in some cases--
back to their native country, if they have committed a crime. The
individuals who learned their trade in this country are sent back often
with no notification, many times without any known family and sometimes
not knowing the language, as in Haiti. As long as we continue to deport
criminals as we do now, we will continue to seed the growing drug and
criminal activity in the Caribbean. Churches, especially those
associated with Prison Ministries International are concerned and
actively pursuing programs to address this situation.
Today, H. Res. 865 takes a positive step toward addressing the crime
in the Caribbean by recognizing that a resolution requires an approach
that ``transcends Caribbean national boundaries.'' I am encouraged and
hopeful that this report will provide a basis for developing good
practices to eradicate crime in the Caribbean.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time,
and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne) that the House suspend the rules
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 865, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the resolution, as amended, was agreed to.
The title was amended so as to read: ``A resolution expressing the
sense of the House of Representatives that the March 2007 report of the
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the International Bank for
Reconstruction and Development makes an important contribution to the
understanding of the high levels of crime and violence in the
Caribbean, and that the United States should work with the current
member states of Caribbean Community and the Dominican Republic to
address crime and violence in the region.''.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

____________________