A total of two million rounds of assorted small arms ammunition were disposed of in a joint operation conducted by the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force and the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service at Camp Omega, Chaguaramas (Trinidad) on 25 July 2024.
An official ceremony was held by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Implementation Agency for Crime and Security( IMPACS) and the Mines Advisory Group (MAG) to celebrate the impressive milestone. The continuing initiative is funded by the United States (US) State Department’s Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement and the United Kingdom’s (UK) Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
Personnel received training from technical experts in safe disposal practices and will continue to dispose of obsolete and surplus ammunition as a priority. The disposal of obsolete and surplus ammunition reduces the risk of unplanned explosions and removes the opportunity of theft from criminal groups, resulting in increased safety and security for the people of Trinidad & Tobago.
UK High Commissioner to Trinidad and Tobago, Harriet Cross, commended the project implementing teams and noted “The Caribbean deserves a symphony of opportunity, not a cacophony of violence. Our project disrupts the cycle of harm, dismantles the instruments of destruction, and empowers communities to build a future brimming with peace and possibility. By stemming the tide of violence, we unlock the potential for a Caribbean where every life can flourish.”
Highlighting the importance of such activities, Her Excellency Candace Bond, US Ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago, said: “Transnational criminal groups and drug traffickers continue to illicitly proliferate small arms and ammunition throughout the Caribbean. This ongoing threat not only undermines regional stability, but also drives irregular migration and jeopardizes our communities.” Ambassador Bond continued, “The United States is committed to addressing this issue head-on. We understand that securing vulnerable weapons, improving security at munitions depots, destroying excess guns and ammunition, and providing specialized training to those who manage these stockpiles are crucial steps in this fight.”
Mr. Earl Harris, Assistant Director, Corporate Services, CARICOM IMPACS commented on the significance of the event which took place at Camp Omega, the site where six personnel lost their lives due to an unplanned explosion at an ammunition bunker in 1988. Mr. Harris said: “Our efforts to safely and efficiently dispose of ammunition are about more than just preventing accidents. We are actively combating the risk of illicit proliferation and safeguarding our communities.”
He explained that the consequences of the diversion of conventional ammunition and unplanned explosions are devastating, with effects that are far-reaching and long-lasting. “These incidents not only destroy lives but also disrupt communities, harm livelihoods, and cause severe socioeconomic, environmental, and public health impacts that can last for generations. Furthermore, the destruction of essential infrastructure can set back national development and exacerbate existing challenges,” he lamented.
Mr. Harris noted that recent incidents in Barbados and Guyana have further highlighted the risks. For example, on 20 April 2020, an explosion at the Arms Store Complex at Camp Stephenson Base in Guyana tragically claimed the lives of three members of the Guyana Defence Force while on 12 June 2020, two officers of the Barbados Defence Force were injured in explosions at the Paragon base.
He stated that these incidents demonstrate that safe and effective weapons and ammunition management is not just important - it is essential as inadequately stored or obsolete munitions pose severe risks that cannot be ignored.
MAG CEO Darren Cormack underscored the importance of the partnership between MAG and CARICOM IMPACS, saying, “With their guidance and knowledge, we are proud to play a vital role in lessening the far-reaching impact on human security and public health caused by the diversion and proliferation of illicit weapons and ammunition not just in Trinidad & Tobago but right across the Caribbean.” Mr Cormack spotlighted the support of the US and UK governments and that their “financial commitment makes a tangible difference to the day-to-day work of the Police Service and Defence Force as they perform their duties to protect the citizens of Trinidad & Tobago.”
NOTES TO EDITORS
CARICOM IMPACS (IMPACS) was established by the Twenty-Seventh Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM in July 2006, in Bird Rock, St. Kitts and Nevis, as the implementation arm of a new regional architecture to manage CARICOM’s action agenda on crime and security.
At this meeting, the heads of government signed an Inter-Governmental Agreement establishing IMPACS as a legal entity, with direct responsibility for research, monitoring and evaluation, analysis, and the preparation of background documents and reports, as well as project development and implementation of the regional crime and security agenda.
For media enquiries, please contact:
Ms. Allison S. Ali: Communications and Public Relations Officer
Mobile: (868) 349 2365
allison.ali@carimpacs.org
Mines Advisory Group
MAG is a global humanitarian and advocacy organisation that finds, removes and destroys landmines, cluster munitions and unexploded bombs from places affected by conflict. MAG also provides risk education programmes, particularly for children, so people can live, work and play as safely as possible until they clear the land.
The organisation, which employs some 6,000 people in 30 countries, also delivers work to reduce armed violence by educating people about the risks of small arms and light weapons and by destroying and marking weapons and helping authorities to safely store arms and ammunition.
Since 1989, MAG has helped over 20 million people in 70 countries rebuild their lives after war. In 1997, MAG shared the Nobel Peace Prize for its role in banning landmines.
For media enquiries, please contact
