CASTRIES, St Lucia (CMC) – The St Lucia Government says the Islamic group, ISIS, poses a major threat to the security of the Caribbean.

“Obviously we must have serious concerns,” said National Security Minister Victor La Corbiniere, noting that the Caribbean Community (Caricom) Single Market and Economy (CSME) allows for the free movement of skills, labour, goods, and services across the region.

“That is obviously going to create a greater challenge than normal,” La Corbiniere told reporters.

However, he disclosed that advanced training had been given to the members of the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force and Regional Security System (RSS) for the capacity to cope with the threat.

“We are constantly monitoring as we do both in relation to our own information and also information given by partner nations. That is ongoing,” he said.

Earlier this month, a top United States military official had expressed deep concern about the ISIS threat to the region.

General John Kelly was concerned that a small number of motivated Islamic State fighters could commit acts of terror in Caribbean nations.

He revealed that about 150 Islamic extremists left the Caribbean region to join ISIS in the Middle East last year, 50 more than in the previous year.

However, he said, the biggest threat might not be the extremists who leave to train and fight with the Islamic State, but the ones who stay behind.