FROM JAMAICA in the northern sub-region, to here in Guyana on the South American mainland, with a number of CARICOM states in between, the common thread running through official complaints is one of ‘unfairness’ and, worse, ‘hostility’ as routinely reflected in  annual US State Department International Narcotics Control Reports. The latest example is the virtual simultaneous response on Friday by Guyana’s Minister of Home Affairs, Clement Rohee, and his Jamaican counterpart, National Security Minister, Dwight Nelson.  Both have condemned what they separately dismissed as “untruths” and “contempt” by US authorities relating to levels of cooperation being provided in the ongoing challenges from narco-trafficking and related crimes.

In referring to sections of the just-released 2010 US International Narcotics Report, Minister Nelson told the media he had noted a surprising “deviation from authentic information” that Jamaica had provided and wondered aloud his concern why a position should have been adopted.

For his part, Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee revealed more militant language at a press conference when speaking to the 2010 report.

It was, he contended, “downright deceptive and misleading,” and argued that the contents generally confirm to a pattern of blame from the US authorities involved in the compilation and distribution of this document released in the name of the State Department.

CARICOM states have frequently been chastised by the USA for failing to do what’s expected of them in the fight against trafficking in drugs, guns and persons. They get little, if any, credit for the gains achieved with comparatively limited financial resources and facilities.

At the present time, Jamaica has been  pushed on the defensive in a rather hostile manner by Washington in a dispute over Kingston’s handling of a request (more like a demand) for the extradition of a noted drugs baron, Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke (see page ??).

Prime Minister Bruce Golding felt sufficiently offended to declare in undiplomatic language last week that matters of “individual rights” and “sovereignty” were not to be determined at the US Embassy in Kingston.

As the public sparrings were occurring over this latest US Narcotics Strategy Report, there were indications that efforts would be made at this week’s CARICOM Inter-Sessional Meeting of Heads of Government in Dominica for a common position in rejecting the pattern of general condemnation and false claims to be found in these annual documents released by the State Department.

While we know for sure the extent of willingness by Guyana to cooperate generally with foreign governments and their relevant agencies to significantly curb trafficking in persons, drugs and guns, we are unaware of ANY of our CARICOM partner states that can honestly be deemed to be “un-cooperative” in battling these very dangerous crimes that severely affect our region.