Joint workshop discusses Guyana anti-terrorism initiatives
THE Ministry of Home Affairs, in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), hosted a one day workshop, on Tuesday, September 14, at Regency Suites Hotel, in Hadfield Street, Georgetown.
Discussion at the forum was about anti-terrorism initiatives by the Government of Guyana (GOG) and participants were drawn from several State agencies, including the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and the Guyana Defence Force (GDF).
Three officials of the UNODC were the facilitators.
One of them, Mr. Hernan Longo, in his remarks during the opening session, thanked the GOG for facilitating the exercise.
He said the objective was to provide Guyana with assistance to incorporate the UN instruments into its domestic laws, as part of the global legal framework against terrorism.
Minister of Home Affairs, Mr. Clement Rohee, in the feature address, welcomed the collaborative effort between the GOG and the UNODC, particularly in the area of the technical assistance being provided to this country to help it combat terrorism at the national level.
He cautioned those participating in the programme against viewing terrorism only as an international issue.
Rohee pointed out that Guyana has ratified 12 of the 16 UN anti-terrorism instruments and is in the process of drafting an anti-terrorism bill.
Topics covered during the Tuesday deliberations included, the global legal framework against terrorism; international cooperation in criminal matters; technical assistance provided by the UNODC and the UN Security Council Resolution 1373 requirements for implementation.
At the conclusion, the Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mrs. Elisabeth Harper said that the exercise was timely, especially since the world was reflecting on the 9/11 attacks on the United States.
She expressed appreciation to the UNODC for its continued support to the GOG.