 It is a pleasure for me to be here to bring greetings on behalf of our Minister of National Security, the Honourable Mr. Robert Montecue, at the Seventh Global Operational Fugitive Symposium. It is even more of an honour as it is being held in Jamaica and I welcome you to our beautiful island. For those of you who are here in Jamaica for the very first time, I hope you'll be able to spend some time outside of these walls and enjoy some of our Jamaican culture. And for those of you who are returning to Jamaica, welcome back. The Government of Jamaica is cognizant of the importance of having the International Criminal Police Organisation, Interpol, as a strategic partner in its fight against transnational organised crime. We sincerely appreciate Interpol for convening and organising this conference in collaboration with the Jamaica Constabulary Force and for allowing us the opportunity to host it on this occasion. As we live in this global world, we face many benefits and corresponding challenges. The use of technology has allowed us to transact legitimate business quicker and easier. While this has benefitted many countries in the form of increased trade, it has also increased and expanded criminal activity. It has allowed persons to move between and hide amongst our countries and our neighbours both near and far. Criminal actions are no longer limited to the country where you are located. It transcends borders. It is an issue that we must tackle together. Locating fugitives requires a high level of cooperation between governments, police authorities and international organisations. And in order for us to effectively deal with this issue, a concerted and collaborative approach is required at the global level. We are grateful to Interpol for its ever-expanding role it plays in this fight. Through its global police network and technical tools, Interpol provides systematic and proactive assistance to member countries in order to locate and arrest fugitives. Within Jamaica and the Caribbean, we continue to face challenges with respect to international criminal activities. The ability to identify and locate persons on the international radar calls for a more integrative and cooperative approach. We recognise the need for this approach and we welcome your support, training and involvement. We are very appreciative of the professionals who are here with us today and who will impart their knowledge and offer their expertise over the course of this symposium. We thank you for your tireless effort in ensuring that this world is a safer place for us all to live. On behalf of the Government of Jamaica, I wish to thank Interpol's Fugitive Investigation Support Hub Directorate in collaboration with the National Intelligence Bureau branch of the Jamaica Constabulary Force for hosting this very important symposium. Bringing together 120 representatives from approximately 20 countries is no easy feat. It demonstrates your commitment and the commitment of all countries represented here today. And with this level of exchange and dedication, there can only be positive results. The sharing of crime-fighting initiatives and intelligence in this global environment is a necessity. Initiatives such as these with the guidance and support of those involved here will no doubt help to bring these fugitives to justice. To address today's security challenges, we therefore need an approach that transcends national borders as well as various disciplines. We will therefore continue to work together closely with our regional and international partners to establish, maintain and strengthen strategic partnerships in addressing the issues of crime and security. We look forward to the next few days of talks and deliberations and we remain committed to this cause. I once again would like to thank both Interpol's Fugitive Investigation Support Hub Directorate and the NIV of the Jamaica Constabulary Force for organizing this symposium. This event was primarily funded by Interpol and the Government of Jamaica sincerely thanks you and appreciates your contribution. Your support today is invaluable as border security strengthening remains at the forefront of securing all our nations. This symposium brings together a broad range of talented persons and widely respected organizations which is important because it is only by combining all of our efforts that we can create a more secure world. In concluding, I look forward to hearing about robot solutions oriented discussions on emerging global regional threats and proposed efforts to come to them as well as the building and integrating of regional capabilities and outcomes. Thank you.