– National Drug Report 2012 launched, highlights ongoing commitment to fight drug trade

MINISTER of Home Affairs Clement Rohee, yesterday, reaffirmed the Government of Guyana’s zero-tolerance policy on all drugs that are deemed illicit, including marijuana, whose legalisation has recently sparked significant debate at the international level.The minister was at the time speaking at the launch of the National Drug Report for 2012, compiled by the Task Force on Narcotic Drugs and Illicit Weapons, at his Brickdam Office.
This report is produced annually by the Ministry of Home Affairs through support from the Task Force, the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU), the Narcotics Branch of the Guyana Police Force, the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) and the Financial Intelligence Unit.

It highlights the actions taken by the Government through the various agencies, to curb both the demand for and the supply of drugs.
It also reviews policies and results achieved from a balanced, multi-sectoral approach in dealing with challenges of trafficking and substance abuse.
Minister Rohee said that far too often, the constant fight against the drug trade is taken for granted, and due recognition is not given to the relevant agencies in the security sector who continue to wage wars against drug cartels, and battle with this scourge on behalf of the Government and people of Guyana.
He lauded all the operatives from the various agencies, and the task force for coordinating and combining those efforts.
“This document shows the extent to which national efforts are being made in this direction,” the minister said.
Recognising that this is a global fight, Guyana has been partnering with various countries and organisations. The country has, over the years, developed close cooperative relations with neighbouring Brazil, Venezuela and Suriname (formal agreements have been entered into with all three countries).
At the multilateral level, the country is cooperating with the United Nations Office on Drug and Crime (UNODC) and the World Customs Organisation (WCO) which has resulted in the establishment of the container control programme at the ports of entry.
There is also ongoing cooperation with the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD) at the level of the Organisation of American States (OAS). Additionally, there is also regional cooperation at the level of CARICOM and at the continental level through the Union of South American States (UNASUR).
“Our global, continental, and regional reach is quite satisfactory, but like everything else, there will always be room for improvement and the Government is committed to carry to the international level, Guyana’s support and solidarity with the international community in their contribution to deal with this issue,” the Home Affairs Minister stated.
He added that as a country, Guyana continues to be challenged by its own peculiarities, such as its extensive borders and limited resources (both human and otherwise) to effectively prevent the penetration of illegal drugs and firearms into the national territory.

DUE RECOGNITION
Pointing to the elevated recognition of the booklet this year because of the significance of drugs in today’s context, Minister Rohee said that “too often we take the fight for granted and do not give due recognition to the operatives in this sector, who are on a daily basis carrying out a fight on behalf of the people and Government of Guyana.”
On this note, Rohee said CANU, the Guyana Police Force Narcotics Branch and GRA’s Drug Enforcement Unit, as well as the Task Force on Illicit Weapons and Narcotics must all be given their due recognition and credited for the work they have done in this regard.
Pointing to Guyana’s solidarity with the international efforts to collectively fight drug trafficking and this country’s many partnerships in the struggle, Rohee observed that, “our global reach is quite satisfactory in that respect but there is room for improvement.”

‘The booklet will surely serve to improve public awareness of Guyana’s efforts in the fight against the drug trade and its associated ills’ – Major General (retd) Atherley.

Here in Guyana, Rohee said, the Task Force on Illicit Weapons and Narcotics meet on a monthly basis to assess their role and the challenges to effectively manage border control and curtail the penetration of illicit drugs and weapons into the national territory.
Meanwhile, Coordinator of the Task Force on Illicit Weapons and Narcotics, former Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force, Major General (ret’d) Michael Atherley said that drug abuse and illicit trafficking are global occurrences which indiscriminately affect the individual, the family and all segments of society.
He stated that aside from being a major public health concern, illicit narcotics are key generators of crime, including domestic abuse, theft, driving under the influence, gang activities, other violent crimes and money laundering.
Atherley added that, unfortunately, Guyana is located in the hub of the trans-shipment route from the cocaine producing countries of South America to the North American and European markets.
He pointed out that drug cartels operating there seem to feel that the profits gained from the North American and European demand are large, despite the risks associated with illegal production and trafficking, and Guyana is not spared the devastating consequences of this scourge.
Atherley told the media that in response to this growing threat and our over-arching national development plan, the government of Guyana has initiated a series of measures to combat this problem of demand and supply.
He noted that publishing the international drug report is a common practice and the United Nations Office for Drugs and Crime and the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission both put out reports annually.
Atherley added that the United States also publishes its drug strategy control report annually on the drug situation in most countries in the world.
He said that it is reasonable that individual states as well, such as Guyana, should do reports accurately reflecting their own position.

MULTI-SECTORAL APPROACH
The National Drug Report 2012 reviews national policies, priorities, implemented measures and results achieved from a balanced and multi-sectoral approach dealing with the enduring challenges of trafficking and substance abuse, Atherley said.
He pointed out also that the report reflects commitment to regional and international collaboration, such as information sharing, training, and reporting of best practices in law enforcement in keeping with government’s counter-drug policies.
Atherley added that the booklet will surely serve to improve public awareness of Guyana’s efforts in the fight against the drug trade and its associated ills.
Present at yesterday’s launching of the National Drug Report 2012 was Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law Enforcement) Seelall Persaud, Head of CANU James Singh and members of the Task Force on Illicit Weapons and Narcotics.
According to the report, cannabis and cocaine continue to be the two main types of illicit drugs which are being trafficked and consumed locally, based on the seizures. However, confiscation of small quantities of ecstasy, heroin, and hashish over the past two years has been a new development.
During 2012, CANU made seizures amounting to 103kilogrammes (kg) and 660g of cocaine (with a value of G$93,600,000) and 111kg and 564g of cannabis (with a value of G$20,160,000). During this period 33 cases were made out and 36 persons were charged.
Meanwhile, the Guyana Revenue Authority’s enforcement unit seized 561kg and 780g of cocaine (G$504,900,000) for which two cases were made and two were charged.
In total, 151 people were charged for cocaine trafficking and/or consumption from 139 cases.