Antigua and Barbuda is taking formal steps to hitch the San Jose Treaty, a serious regional settlement geared toward enhancing cooperation in maritime and air drug interdiction.
The transfer was introduced throughout the opening of a two-day workshop hosted on the American College of Antigua, in partnership with CARICOM IMPACS.
Lawyer Basic Sir Steadroy Benjamin declared, “On the subsequent sitting of Parliament, the Treaty of San Jose shall be ratified, and you may inform your colleagues in CARICOM IMPACS that on the sitting thereafter, the regulation shall be drafted to make it relevant to Antigua and Barbuda.”
The San Jose Treaty — formally titled The Settlement Regarding Co-Operation in Suppressing Illicit Maritime and Air Trafficking in Narcotic Medication and Psychotropic Substances within the Caribbean Space — was concluded in 2003 however has seen sluggish uptake amongst Caribbean nations. Till 2021, solely Belize had each signed and applied the treaty. Whereas Haiti and Jamaica have signed, they’re but to ratify it. Trinidad and Tobago has not too long ago authorized the settlement, and St. Kitts and Nevis is reportedly within the remaining phases of accession.
Callixtus Joseph, Assistant Director of Coverage, Technique and Innovation at CARICOM IMPACS, emphasised the treaty’s relevance throughout the workshop. “This framework will assist regulation enforcement higher perceive methods to conduct maritime drug interdiction operations throughout jurisdictions,” he stated, noting Antigua and Barbuda’s dedication to ratification inside two months.
The treaty permits taking part states to conduct cross-border regulation enforcement actions at sea, together with the suitable to pursue vessels into territorial waters, mechanically board stateless vessels, and request expedited nationality verification. It additionally establishes a authorized foundation for intelligence sharing, joint operations, and streamlined prosecution processes — whereas preserving flag state jurisdiction.
Joseph addressed longstanding sovereignty considerations which have hindered broader adoption. “One of many key points nations have with something is about problems with sovereignty. What we’re doing at CARICOM IMPACS is clarifying that challenge of sovereignty, displaying that it’s not taking away your sovereignty from you,” he instructed Observer media.
Brigadier Basic Telbert Benjamin, Chief of Defence Employees of the Antigua and Barbuda Defence Drive, underscored the treaty’s worth for smaller nations. “In an surroundings that’s resource-weak, treaties similar to this play an incredible function in making certain that we will maximize on our restricted assets,” he stated. “It performs an incredible function to make sure that we will have interaction, not solely with our sub-regional companions however our wider regional and worldwide companions.”
The workshop additionally highlighted the evolving safety challenges going through the area, together with the rising use of containerized delivery to site visitors narcotics. Joseph famous that a number of main European drug seizures have been linked again to the Caribbean, the place gadgets produced regionally have been used to hide illicit cargo.
