Defence Minister Wayne Sturge has warned that the Caribbean is facing a firearms crisis.

He was speaking at a regional workshop on firearm trafficking hosted by CARICOM IMPACS and the United States Department of State on Monday.

The workshop saw representatives of various regional national security bodies gather to discuss methods to address illegal weapons trafficking in the Caribbean.

Noting that illegal firearms are driving gang violence and organised crime across the region, Minister Sturge emphasised that the situation has grown from a law enforcement challenge to a regional crisis.

“The Caribbean is not facing a firearms problem. It is facing a firearms crisis, and the distinction matters because problems can be managed incrementally, while crises demand a very different type and quality of response.”

Highlighting the growing use of technology, Minister Sturge warned that intelligence-driven, collaborative action must be taken as criminals are adapting faster than authorities.

“They are coordinating better and exploiting every operational and intelligence gap available to them. Ghost guns, 3D-printed guns, encrypted logistic networks are not scenarios from a theoretical security briefing paper. They are active, evolving, real threats which confront law enforcement agencies across the Caribbean basin.”

He commended CARICOM IMPACS for building a culture of collective security and thanked the United States for its continued support.

“No single State, regardless of capacity, can address transnational firearms trafficking in isolation. The harmonisation of investigative approaches, the strengthening of border security mechanisms, and the sustained development of regional operational capacity are not simply aspirations. They are now much-needed requirements if we are to transition through what is a truly dark period.”

Minister Sturge noted that the workshop has the potential to save lives across the region, describing it as a strategic investment.