 Prime Minister Hon. Philip J. Pierre concluded the annual Regional Security Systems RSS meeting, which was attended by ministers responsible for national security, commissioners of police, and international development partners in Grenada from March 22nd, 2023. Discussions centered around regional issues of illegal arms trade, narcotics, and the trafficking of persons. A major focus of the meeting, as identified by the keynote Dr. Jean Léault, president of the Caribbean Development Bank, was the nexus between development and security. President Léault cautioned leaders that, quote, there will be no development without security and no security without development. He cautioned that security issues, if left unattended, would have serious impacts on the development of individual countries and the region, and appealed for partnership and shared ownership, quote, towards the long-term success in addressing security, end of quote. The nexus between security and sustainable development is not a new one, as this has been long recognized since the mercantilist era. Neither is it unique to the Caribbean region, but our mostly porous borders, along with the overlapping of exclusive economic zones, mean that we face significant challenges to the management of safe and legitimate movement of goods and people. This point highlights the fact that a more robust collective regional approach by all policy practitioners is necessary to achieve our full potential. The Prime Minister echoed the importance of collaboration and coordination among the various security agencies, and urged his counterparts to work together to ensure the safety and security of their citizens and the region. He also assured attendees of the Government of St. Lucia's full support to the RSS as their service to St. Lucia and the region continues to aid in efforts to maintain law and order. I propose therefore that we move away from the current structure of bilateral support and discussions to a transformative agenda which puts regionally owned cooperative solutions and integration at the heart of security preparedness. There is no denying that such a transformative agenda will lead to improved conditions for sustaining economic growth and development from a regional perspective. This transformation agenda that I speak of is urgent. Let's start it today, not tomorrow, not next year. Security will remain high on the regional agenda when car come heads of government meet in Trinidad and Tobago for a symposium on crime and violence in the region under the theme violence as a public health issue, the crime challenge. This meeting will focus on devising approaches that would benefit the region as a whole.