National Security Minister the Honourable Peter Bunting has indicated that the Ministry of National Security is determined to take the profit out of crime in a bid to drastically reduce the nation's crime figures.

Giving highlights from a new National Security Policy which should be unveiled in March, at a post-cabinet press briefing earlier today, Minister Bunting noted that crime is profit driven and therefore the most effective attack against criminal organizations is to strike at the root - their money.

The National Security Ministry will therefore be seeking to amend the Proceeds of the Crime Act (POCA) to give the courts power to seize assets, not just from criminals, but also from the facilitators of their crimes. Minister Bunting stated that these facilitators might include lawyers, real estate brokers, bankers, accountants and corrupt public officials who enable criminals to operate with impunity.

By G. Anthony Hylton

For the twentieth consecutive occasion, on Tuesday, October 25th, Cuba will submit for the consideration of the UN General Assembly the draft resolution entitled "Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States of America against Cuba".

Last year, 187 UN member states voted in favor of this resolution, which is irrefutable proof that the battle for the lifting of the blockade has the recognition and support of the vast majority of the members of the international community.

The economic, commercial and financial blockade against Cuba remains in place and is further intensified despite the repeated and almost unanimous demand by the international community, particularly the United Nations General Assembly, for its elimination. This results from the September 14, 2009 Presidential Order to extend the application against Cuba of the Trading with the Enemy Act, keeping in place the legal framework in which the policy of blockade against Cuba in 1962 is based.

The measures taken by President Obama on the travel and remittances by Cuban émigrés do not change the complex framework of laws, regulations and provisions of the blockade policy against Cuba. Besides, US citizens are still prohibited from travelling to Cuba, with very few exceptions and through very strict regulations.

As a result of the strict and re-newed enforcement of these laws and other normative provisions, Cuba continues to be unable to: freely export or import goods and services to or from the United States, use the US dollar (which is the global reserve currency) in its international financial transactions, have bank accounts, in US dollars, in banks from third countries.

The extra-territorial application of the blockade has been extraordinarily reinforced, as proven by the strengthening of the sanctions and prosecution against third countries' citizens, institutions and companies that establish or intend to establish economic, commercial, financial or scientific and technical relations with Cuba. The US government thereby abrogates the right to decide on matters that are relative to the sovereignty of other States.

Cuba continues to be unable to trade with US companies in third countries. Likewise, entrepreneurs from third nations who are interested in investing in Cuba are threatened and placed on a black list.

The extraterritorial effects of the blockade have particularly impacted on the monetary and financial sphere. In fact, the increased survaillance of Cuba's international financial transactions, (including those coming from multilateral organizations for the cooperation with the island) has been one of the distinctive features in the implementation of the blockade policy under the current U.S. administration.

From March 2010 to April 2011, there were significant multi-million dollar fines imposed on US and foreign banking institutions for engaging in operations connected in one way or the other with detterrent . These kinds of sanctions have had an effect and, in the case of banks in particular, entail breaking relations with Cuba and/or forcing Cuban transactions to be made under more precarious conditions. These include banking arrangements with financial institutions here in Jamaica

Cuba continues to be unable to have access to bank credits from banks in the United States, their subsidiaries in third countries and from international institutions such as the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the Inter-American Development Bank.

No blockade has ever been as far-reaching, prolonged and impactful against a people as the one being implemented by the United States against Cuba for half a century.