ACTION AGAINST TERRORISM

Feature Address at the Opening Ceremony of the Conference on Legislative Action Against Terrorism in the Eastern Caribbean. Sponsored by the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and the Organisation of American States, Sunday May 22, 2005, at the Peace Memorial Hall, Kingstown, St. Vincent and the Grenadines. By The Honourable, Dr. Ralph E. Gonsalves, Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

I am most pleased that the Department of Democratic and Political Affairs (DDPA) of the Organisation of American States (OAS), the Inter-American Committee Against Terrorism (CICTE), and the Secretariat of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) are partnering with the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines in hosting this Conference on Legislative Action Against Terrorism in the Eastern Caribbean. You have all chosen a majestic land and magnificent people to be among for the next two days to reflect upon terrorism and to elaborate a legislative plan of action to combat this hemispheric and international perfidy and barbarism. Accordingly, I reiterate the earlier welcome to our visitors issued by our esteemed Chairman.

Although hemispheric and international terrorism pre-dated the criminal acts of September 11^th, 2001, in the United States of America, it is true to say that the enormity of this senseless barbarity placed the fight against terrorism at the centre of public policy in individual nations in this region, hemisphere, and the world over. This Conference is held against the backdrop of the barbarism of September 11^th, its consequences, and the response to all of it by right-thinking peoples and nations, internationally.

On October 1, 2001, a mere three weeks after those dastardly terrorist occurrences, I addressed the Permanent Council of the OAS in Washington. I have been advised that I was the first head of government or state to have so addressed the OAS after September 11^th. In that speech I said the following, among other things:

• "The recent terrorist acts have undoubtedly had a profound impact on the peoples of this hemisphere and elsewhere. The immediate loss of life, personal injuries on a large scale, psychological trauma, physical damage, economic loss and human pain, suffering and grief, have, among other things, been the terrible consequences. But equally, the evil and barbarism of the terrorists and their sponsors have prompted right-thinking, civilised people, and peace-loving nations to coalesce in an organized, determined effort to cripple, and hopefully defeat terrorism, if not fully, at least in its more malignant and destructive forms. I speak here hopefully, but cautiously, since it appears that there is in the human condition, a permanence of evil jostling for supremacy with that which is good, noble and redemptive. All nations across the globe must henceforth act in a coordinated manner with a defined purpose to ensure that evil does not come anywhere near to triumphing. On the contrary, it is our goal to vanquish it."
• "Fundamentally, the terrorism of September 11^th, was a massive blow against the poor worldwide. Much of the resources which were earmarked for poverty alleviation will inevitably be diverted to national security and law and order,narrowly defined.
• "Further, the terrorist assaults on the United States have stirred in the breasts of many worldwide, a quest to curtail individual liberties, to pursue racial profiling, to promote religious bigotry and to narrow democratic, and even sovereign, spaces and governance. Some such persons were already pre-disposed to embark upon such a quest; the terrorist acts now induce them to travel upon that unfortunate and wholly wrong path.
• "It therefore pains me greatly to hear some supposedly well-meaning voices with the prattle of excuses for the terrorist assaults upon the United States of America. It is only a distorted mind and flawed logic that can blame the victim as the cause of this massacre and the loss of innocent life. Only an obtuse moral relativism – an acute sophistry which distinguishes not between good and evil – and a cynicism, born of extreme Romanesque comfort or personal degradation, can find any justification whatsoever for these dastardly, and yes,cowardly acts. It is part of our duty here at the Organisation of American States (OAS) to make solid judgments founded on high principle as the basis upon which to act in these times of profound crisis. We must eschew the usual tendency in diplomatic circles to have angels dance on the head of a pin. Clarity of thought and firmness of purpose are among the cornerstones for concerted action against terrorism and its consequences.
• "This moment of crisis represents, as always, a moment of, and for, change. It cannot be for us in the OAS or in any other international forum, business as usual. Global terror has no doubt been facilitated by the globalisation of the world financial system and the revolution in information technology. A New World Order has to be constructed to confront global terror but the haunting questions must be answered with clarity: "What’s new?" "Which world?" and "Who gives the orders?" Unequivocal answers to these troubling queries must be given by the leaders of nations, in concerted dialogue, across the world. That is part of our current leadership obligations. It cannot be ducked".
  
  
• This Organisation, founded 57 years ago, is well-placed to provide substantial leadership in these difficult, troubled times. Its very purpose demands our nations’ and our peoples’ immediate focus:

Each of these worthy objectives must no doubt be pursued with its appropriate emphasis at this precise historical juncture. And in their pursuit we ought not to exclude the participation of any nation in this hemisphere. Cuba ought formally to be included. In this process we ought not to imprison ourselves with ghosts from the past or to permit old battles to prevent or restrain cooperative efforts in the overwhelmingly challenging present.

As the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines sees it, our current priority is basically two-fold: first, the regional security of this hemisphere; and secondly, the economic and social stability of the nations within it. In a fundamental sense, these twin issues constitute, in this new period, a quintessential security one with its many-sided dimensions. By this I mean, the maintenance and promotion of regional security from the real threat of terrorism cannot be isolated from day-to-day terrors such as child poverty, HIV/AIDS, natural disasters, illiteracy and the trafficking in illegal drugs.

In St. Vincent and the Grenadines, we take our security responsibilities most seriously, at the national, regional and hemispheric levels. Since the election of my Government four years ago, we have implemented a series of measures on the security front, including:

1. The strengthening and reforming of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force so as to make it a more efficacious machine in the fight against crime and terrorism.
2. The establishment of a Finance Intelligence Unit (FIU) which has been elected into the elite body of FIU^s internationally known as "The Egmort Group". The FIU, among other things, addresses measures to battle money laundering and the financing of terrorism.
3. The revamping of the former Offshore Finance Authority and its transformation into the International Financial Services Authority so as to strengthen its regulatory and supervisory functions over offshore banks and other offshore financial institutions in order to ensure that neither money-laundering nor the proceeds of crime find a place within our financial system.
4. The reviewing of the Regional Security System (RSS), and the beefing up of its intelligence gathering and analysis apparatuses so as to narrow the space of potential terrorists and other dangerous criminals.
5. The enhanced cooperation with the United States of America, Britain, France and other of our traditional allies on matters touching upon security, terrorism, and criminal matters generally.
6. The signing and ratification of the Rome Statute establishing the International Criminal Court.
7. The pursuance of all practical measures relating to the implementation of our country’s obligations under the United Nation’s Security Council Resolution on the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism.
8. The shouldering of our country’s many-sided anti-terrorist obligations in the Regional Security System (RSS) the OAS and the United Nations.
9. The implementation of the International Shipping and Port Security (ISPS) Code and the parallel regulations for aircraft and airport security.
10. The passage of relevant legislation against terrorism. Since March 29^th, 2001, when my Government came into being, the Parliament of St. Vincent and the Grenadines has passed the following legislative measures:
11. The Proceeds of Crime and Money Laundering (Prevention) Act of 2001. This has been hailed by responsible international experts as a model piece of legislation.
12. The United Nations (Anti-Terrorism Measures) Act of 2002;
13. The Anti-Personnel Mines (Prohibition) Act of 2002;
14. Against the Taking of Hostages Act of 2002;
15. The Internationally Protected Persons Act of 2002; and
16. The Protection of Aircraft and Airports Act of 2002.

There were, of course, other pieces of legislation on the statute books which are of relevance but each of them requires updating to suit these challenging times. These include the Fugitive Offenders Act and the Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters Act.

The cost of fighting terrorism is huge and the financial burdens for a small country like St. Vincent and the Grenadines are immense. But we have no alternative but to play our part to the fullest in this regional, hemispheric and international war against terrorism. Our duty is to defeat terrorism. Despite the burdens upon us in this war, the problems for us would be even more severe if terrorism is not contained and crushed. After all, one terrorist act in one Eastern Caribbean country can undermine our tourism — the major foreign exchange earner — and send our economies into a tail-spin with severe consequences to the well-being of our people.

It is self-evident though that in shouldering our obligations in the war against international terrorism St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and other Caribbean countries, need material and other forms of assistance urgently. Thus, this Conference is timely.

At this gathering it would be remiss of me not to raise two issues:

• First is the matter of Luis Posada, the alleged mastermind of the terrorist act of blowing up a Cubana aircraft off Barbados in October 1976 and killing dozens of persons, in excess of 70 persons, including young athletes from this region and elsewhere. Luis Posada is being sought by the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela for his alleged crimes. He is currently in the United States of America. I feel sure that a country like the USA which is steeped in civilised jurisprudence and is in the forefront, justifiably, in the war against terrorism, would cooperate fully with the authorities in Venezuela in ensuring that Luis Posada have his day in the criminal courts. Venezuela and the USA are countries of laws, and not of men, and are members of the OAS. I expect to hear a swift, positive resolution of this issue as a matter of urgency.

• Secondly, is the case of Mr. Yvon Neptune, the Prime Minister under President Aristide’s government in Haiti. Mr. Neptune has been in custody for over 10 months now. He is ill and is dying. He has not been charged with any criminal offence. He is being denied basic, fundamental human rights. I urge that the authorities in Haiti release Mr. Neptune unconditionally. Surely, if he had committed any crimes, he would have been brought already to the bar of justice.

As I conclude, I ask that you enjoy yourself in this nation of peace and tranquility. The painful and joyous journey which has brought the Caribbean to its current condition of calm and joyful expectation has been a marvel. We will not allow the terrorists to disfigure our Caribbean. We pledge our continued cooperation with the OAS in this war on terrorism.

Thank you. And May God Bless All of Us!

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