Ausbert Regis is the national security advisor.
An ongoing process to standardise police recruit training in the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) is being regarded as a step towards the possibility of forming an OECS police force.
On Monday morning, the Regional Security System (RSS) Institute began a two-week recruit training manual development activity for the OECS. This manual, when completed, will be used in the sub grouping to train all new police officers.
Talks have been ongoing over the prospect of installing an OECS police force as a means of increasing the capacity and efficiency of policing in the region.
National Security Advisor Ausbert Regis, who spoke at the opening ceremony of the gathering Monday, said the development of the training manual opens more doors towards an OECS police force.
“It is no secret that the governments of the sub-region have proposed the possible establishment of an OECS police force because with the free movement of persons within the OECS. The intention is to eventually allow the sub region to become one domestic space. [And] with one domestic space, essentially, what you have is one police force. Yes, there will be various territories but it has to be a seamless operation and you can only achieve effective law enforcement … if there is standardization in the training,” he said.
With regards to the recruit manual development, RSS officials said that a needs assessment conducted on its members states revealed that while each country wants to remain independent with regard to the delivery of its training, they all agreed that standardization of the training material is necessary.
The RSS comprises the islands of Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, the Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.