— youth arm calls for review of laws relating to marijuana possession

SEVERAL public security hiccups over the last month have not diminished the level of confidence the Alliance For Change (AFC) has in its Chairman Khemraj Ramjattan, who serves as public security minister.
According to the party in a release on Sunday, their support for Ramjattan was reaffirmed through a motion which was unanimously approved at the AFC’s third National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on Saturday.
“A motion was unanimously approved that the party reposes its full and complete confidence in its Chairman Khemraj Ramjattan as minister of public security,” the release from the party said.
On July 9, the country witnessed the most destructive fire at the Georgetown Prison, which also resulted in several prisoners escaping. While most of them have been recaptured, three of the escapees are still on the run.
Subsequently, on July 24, 13 prisoners who were being held at a holding facility at Lusignan – due to the July 9 fire – escaped. Eleven were recaptured, one was killed and one remains at large.

The AFC said it was noted at the meeting that despite the challenges, public order has been maintained and that the recapture of most of the escaped prisoners was done in a relatively short period of time and largely without incident.
The party said the motion specifically took into consideration, the decades-long historical and systemic difficulties relating to the public security sector.
Meanwhile, at that forum, Youths For Change (YFC) – the party’s youth arm – made “robust and vigorous” representation to the committee and the party’s leadership for review of the laws relating to marijuana possession.
The AFC noted that this case was presented by YFC President, Cynthia Rutherford, who pressed the party’s leadership to lobby for reform of the laws on this matter. Rutherford is a budding attorney.

AFFECTS YOUTH
Discussions, according to the party, highlighted the magnitude of this issue which particularly affects youth.
“During extensive discussions, it was noted that the current laws result in many young people — particularly young men and numerous mothers of young children — being imprisoned for possession of small quantities of marijuana, at maximum detention facilities alongside hardened criminals.”
The incarceration of mothers and youths in Guyana for small quantities of marijuana has been a bitter issue for many. Almost on a daily basis, social media sites are littered with comments criticising authorities for not striking down the law which criminalises marijuana possession.

Jamaica is the only country in the Caribbean which has decriminalised the use of small quantities of marijuana.
This issue has been championed for a number of years by party veteran, community activist, executive member and Member of Parliament (MP) Michael Carrington. Carrington some time ago tabled a bill in the National Assembly, calling for the removal of the mandatory sentencing which prevents magistrates from using their discretion.
The party stated that YFC specifically urged changes to the law as it relates to mandatory imprisonment for possession of small quantities of marijuana, an overhaul of existing guidelines for sentencing, and the granting of bail for narcotic offences.
After the youth arm had presented its case, the committee agreed that modification of the existing laws, will among other benefits, lend to reduction of the overcrowded prison population.

UNANIMOUS REAFFIRMATION
The AFC also reported that the committee unanimously reaffirmed that it is still against the parking meter contract in its current form and until otherwise advised, the party will remain in “vehement disagreement” with the contract.
Party Leader Raphael Trotman detailed the countrywide outreaches executed by the party over the past three months, along with one major outreach to the New York Chapter of the party.
He urged the committee members, particularly parliamentarians, to utilise the period of parliamentary recess to conduct more outreaches on the coastland and in hinterland communities to strengthen and expand the party’s membership.
Political advisor and elder statesman of the party, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, presented an extensive report to the NEC on three major advances on governance matters at the national level.

Those include constitutional reform, a code of conduct for public officials, and passing of the Broadcasting Amendment Bill 2017.
The prime minister highlighted that these successes formed collective evidence that the AFC was keeping its covenant with, and promise to, the people, to advance these fundamental matters in the interest of all Guyanese.
In addition, the party noted that a comprehensive report was presented on the Cummingsburg Accord – the agreement signed between AFC and APNU for shared governance — and the NEC reaffirmed the united strength of the coalition Government. Building on that, the AFC said that committee urged implementation of inter-coalition mechanisms for regular and routine dialogue amongst parties.
Also underscored at the meeting by Chairman Ramjattan, Vice-Chairperson Cathy Hughes and General-Secretary Marlon Williams, was the “significant successes” made by the party in 2017. The three executive members urged the committee members to continue the work at the grassroots level.