Georgetown: Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee has announced that the Government will soon present its National Drug Strategy Master Plan (NDSMP) to the public.
The final draft of the plan was slated to be completed by the end of March since consultations were held with the various stakeholders, including law enforcement units and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to have their input.
Minister Rohee stated that the five-year plan will be revealed to the public, detailing how the Government intends to tackle the drug trade.
Rohee made the comments at a graduation ceremony last Friday for 21 members of the Guyana Police Force and Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU), who were trained in the sharing of best practices for the establishment of an interdiction unit, review of computer data analysis methodologies, interviewing techniques, and the conduct of seizure operations.
He added that the formulation of such a plan required extensive consultations throughout the length and breadth of Guyana, noting that the course undertaken by the U.S. Government coincided with the Government’s policy.
The Minister added that the training programme is testimony of the Government of Guyana’s commitment to continuously train law enforcement officers to develop in a specialised area.
Rohee noted that the training is necessary, given the nature of organised crime.
He said gangs are specialised in their respective field; hence, it is necessary for law enforcement officers to be up to speed and to be just as competent as their counterparts in other countries.
“We must be able to identify people who are engaging in illegal activities…”
He added that a large number of people congregate at various points of entry, but more specifically at airports, thus, the interdiction course will allow the ranks to be more vigilant and must be able to apply what they have learnt in an effective manner. He nevertheless stated that he was pleased with the timely training course.
Transnational crimes
The training programme was made possible through funding by the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative launched by U.S. President Barrack Obama at the Fifth Summit of the Americas in Trinidad and Tobago in April 2009. Working together, the U.S., Guyana and other Caribbean nations are combating the drug trade and other transnational crimes that threaten regional security.
Meanwhile, since the previous drug master plan expired in 2009, there has much talk about the crafting of a new plan.
Opposition Leader David Granger recently said the absence of a plan has created more avenues for drugs to enter and leave Guyana, making reference to an airstrip that was built in the Corentyne with the intention of trafficking drugs several years ago.
He said person who built the facility was walking freely, and reiterated that if the National Drug Strategy Master Plan was in effect, the culprit would have been brought before the courts.
In the recent National Drug Report for 2012, compiled by the Task Force on Narcotic Drugs and Illicit Weapons, it was stated that CANU had intercepted 103.66 kilograms of cocaine valued some $93 million, and 111.564kg of cannabis (ganja) valued in excess of $20 million.
During this period, 33 cases were made out and 36 persons charged. Further, the Guyana Revenue Authority’s enforcement unit seized 561.78kg of cocaine, valued $504.9 million, for which two cases were made out and two persons were charged.
In total, 151 people were charged for cocaine trafficking and/or consumption, in a total of 139 cases.
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