US attorney general on Caribbean tour

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC - United States Attorney General Eric Holder arrives in Barbados on Wednesday as part of a visit to several Caribbean countries.



Holder will also visit the Dominican Republic and will attend the Organization of American States (OAS) Third Meeting of Ministers Responsible for Public Security in the Americas (MISPA III) in Trinidad on Thursday.



The two-day meeting will focus on the topic of police management as a key factor for progress in achieving better security for the citizens of the Americas.



The OAS said that the high-level authorities will seek to build on three major areas including modernizing police institutions within a democratic framework; supporting police professionalization and training; and strengthening cooperation on police information systems and enhanced use of technology.



While in Barbados, Holder will hold bilateral meetings with Prime Minister Fruendel Stuart and Attorney General Adriel Braithwaite.



He will also meet with the Attorney Generals from Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean in a discussion on continued cooperation in fighting transnational crime, including through the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI).



A release from the U. S. embassy here said that in the Dominican Republic, Holder will be participating in a ministerial conference and will deliver a speech on the importance of law enforcement cooperation.



He will also participate in a roundtable discussion with Dominican civil society representatives on the role of civil society organisations in advocating improving governance, promoting transparency and strengthening overall government accountability.



In Trinidad and Tobago, Holder will also hold talks with Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar and senior officials.



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