Above: Hubert Charles, Dominica’s Permanent Representative to the OAS (OAS Photo/Juan Manuel Herrera)

By the Caribbean Journal staff

Dominica is the latest Caribbean nation to receive a firearm marking machine from the Organization of American States.

The OAS firearm marking initiative, which is currently being implemented in a number of Caribbean countries, aims to combat the trade in illegal arms.

The machine was donated during a ceremony at the headquarters of the Police of Dominica in Roseau.

The donation was funded by the government of the United States.

The OAS also submitted a special computer to Dominica in order to facilitate the process of record-keeping on marked firearms.

The regional body’s Department of Public Security will hold a training workshop on the use of firearms equipment with 10 Dominican police officials as well.

Dominica is the 21st country in the region to have signed a cooperation agreement with the OAS to participate in the firearm marking programme.

Last week, Jamaica received two machines from the OAS.

The list of participating countries including Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Guyana, Honduras, Jamaica, Panama, St Lucia, St Kitts and Nevis, St Vincent and the Grenadines and Trinidad.