ON the eve of a regional crime talk shop in Port of Spain is a disclosure that Trinidad and Tobago is once again listed as one of the most violent countries in the world.
A reputable international agency that presents several indices has named T&T sixth in the global crime line-up.
Venezuela, with a crime index of 82.6, is identified as the most crime-ridden country, in the latest semi-annual report.
Next are Papua-New Guinea (79.9), Afghanistan (78.6), South Africa (75.4), Honduras (74.2), and T&T (70.6).
That means that T&T is more crime-plagued than several countries with entrenched civil and sectarian crises.
T&T was also rated in sixth place in the previous survey, which was revealed in mid-2022.
The organisation conducting the survey, named Numbeo, said its findings are the result of official crime statistics, data from government institutions, and comments from visitors to its website.
“Quite complex empirical formulas are used” and are written in the Java programming language and computing platform, it was explained.
While T&T is the most violent Caricom country, Guyana and Jamaica are also named as having crime problems.
Leaders of Caricom countries are hosting a symposium on crime, during which they are expected to blame international operatives for gun and drug smuggling, and money laundering.
They are also likely to discuss the impact of music and popular culture on youths, the need to reform the education system, and the creation of new opportunities for young people in at-risk communities.
The regional leaders are also expected to say that crime is a health issue, a subject previously advocated by Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley but never publicly explained.
There may be decisions on a planned common approach to the crime scourge.
But the causes of regional crime have long been identified in various studies, which also proposed various measures to curb the violence.
In T&T, there was a major study a decade ago by several experts, led by Professor Selwyn Ryan, with specific solutions being prescribed.
The recommendations were not implemented, even though many were termed urgent.
T&T has been the butt of several hard-line warnings by countries of the developed world to its nationals visiting the country.
Those nationals have been cautioned about the horrible state of crime and the likely risks to their safety and welfare.
The latest report is yet another indictment against T&T and the government which came into national office with a promise to make the country safer.
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