Eight locals will undertake a micro-credential course on transnational organised crime (TNOC), which will be recognised at an Australian university level.

This week, Pa Enua community leaders along with members from government agencies and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) participated in a three-day workshop facilitated by the Australian National University’s Pacific Security College to help Cook Islands build local capacity.

All 20 attendees received certificates of participation presented by the Australian High Commissioner to the Cook Islands, Phoebe Smith, on Wednesday at the Arepua Community Centre in Takuvaine. The certificate was an acknowledgement of their participation in the course and do not serve as a formal qualification.

Of the 20 attendees, eight will proceed to do a micro-credential course on Transnational Organised Crime, which will result in the awarding of an Australia National University micro credential recognised for university credit.

Danielle Watson, the associate professor at Queensland University of Technology and facilitator of this week’s workshop, explained that this course was about the security, governance and developmental challenges posed by transnational organised crime to the Pacific Islands region.

It introduced participants to a range of conceptual lens by which to analyse the diverse actors, intersecting trends and complex multi-domain dynamics of transnational organised crime in the Cook Islands.

Watson said: “Participants engaged in informed discussions about the strengths and weaknesses of the current TNOC security architecture in the Cook Islands; the role of non-states actors such as churches and communities on the frontline of combating transnational crime; the relationship between law enforcement and national security within the Cook Islands; and the role of local partners in preventing and responding to transnational crime.”

“We also explored the ways in which transnational crime intersects with current and emerging threats and the nexus between transnational crime, globalisation, development and geopolitical contestation.”

According to Watson, the primary goal of the workshop was accomplished. It was to provide a context where key local stakeholders are able to engage in informed and purposeful discussions about transnational organised crime at international, regional and national levels with a view of charting a course for the development of Cook Islands TNOC strategy.

Some of the key points raised were:

• the need for the establishment of a TNOC working group or review committee to identify key stakeholders, determine existing TNOC documents (legislations, policies, SOP’s by-laws), and develop a document sharing platform,
• the need for considered expansion of CLAG (Combined Law Agency Group) membership and greater flexibility in existing agencies with decision making powers,
• the need for guidelines and stipulations on stakeholder engagement,
• the need for more context and audience relevant platforms to improve TNOC awareness, and
• the need for increased as well as shared TNOC capacity building trainings.

Participants highlighted the need for similar workshops to be delivered in the outer islands as well as more regularly in Rarotonga.

The lack of resources and security in the Pa Enua to tackle transnational crimes were the key factors driving community leaders from the outer islands to participate in the workshop.