Regional factors mar Caribbean gun control measures

Subject

Inflows of illegal weapons to the Caribbean.

Significance

There is a long-standing problem of illegal firearms entering the Caribbean, going back at least to the 1970s with the increase in politically related violence in Jamaica. However, today there are broader concerns that the importation of illegal firearms (often related to the trade in narcotics) is threatening the social fabric of many countries across the region.

Impacts

• US budget cuts could further undermine regional efforts to curb illegal firearms.
• Instability in Venezuela and Haiti will also help to drive the trade in small arms trafficking.
• High Caribbean crime rates are undermining efforts to encourage investment and improve socio-economic indicators.