Skip to main content

About

Our history

A short overview of the founding and evolution of the Caribbean Federation of Police Welfare Association.

The Caribbean Federation of Police Welfare AssociationsCFPWA) is a regional advocacy body established to unify and champion the rights, working conditions, and well-being of rank-and-file police officers across the Caribbean.

Founding and Expansion

  1. Establishment: The CFPWA was officially founded on 25 May 2007 in Nassau, The Bahamas.
  2. The Blueprint: It was formalized through a historic Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed by nine founding member countries:
    1. Jamaica
    2. Trinidad and Tobago
    3. Guyana
    4. Barbados
    5. St. Vincent and the Grenadines
    6. Grenada
    7. Antigua and Barbuda
    8. The Bahamas
    9. Dominica
  3. Growth: Over the years, membership expanded to include other British Overseas Territories and regional states, including:
    • St. Lucia
    • St. Kitts and Nevis
    • The Turks and Caicos Islands
    • The Cayman Islands
    • The British Virgin Islands

Core Purpose and Advocacy

  1. Unified Representation: The CFPWA was formed to bridge the gap between ungazetted rank-and-file officers and high-level administrators.
  2. Collective Bargaining: While regional police commissioners have long-standing historical bodies such as the Association of Caribbean Commissioners of Police (ACCP), the CFPWA was built from the ground up to ensure that officers serving on the ground have a meaningful seat at the table.
  3. Political and Democratic Guardrails: The federation takes a strict stance on upholding transparency within local police welfare elections. It may intervene or issue warnings when local political interests or force administrators attempt to disrupt internal democratic processes.

Modern Milestones

  1. Annual Gatherings: The organization has transitioned from small regional meetings to major intersessional summits and Annual General Meetings (AGMs) rotated across member countries.
    These gatherings address widespread issues such as:
    • Mental health
    • Police housing
    • Equipment parity
    • Uniform regional policing standards
  2. Regional Integration: Antigua and Barbuda was designated to house the official CFPWA Secretariat to centralize operations.
  3. The "True Blue" Initiatives: The federation launched charitable projects and community fundraising events, including the True Blue Pageant, to foster cross-island solidarity and support families of fallen officers.