Drug strategy, draft TIP master plan completed

GINA, GUYANA, Thursday, September 15, 2016

The National Drug Strategy Master Plan and the draft Trafficking in Persons (TIP) master plan have been completed with input from the political Opposition party.

This was revealed by Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan who was responding to questions from the media on Wednesday. “I recently completed the final draft of the TIP master plan. I also completed the drug master plan strategy and I sent both documents to Clement Rohee (General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party) and he gave some very good comments which we have incorporated,” Ramjattan said.

The minister was responding to queries that the opposition input was usually ignored by the government. “I always listen to the opposition and everything we do we listen with a view of the opposition because we would like to ensure their views are heard. That’s what genuine democracy and genuine democrats are made of,” Minister Ramjattan explained.

The National Drug Strategy Master Plan includes innovative strategies to combat the challenges faced by agencies in the drug trafficking fight.

The Public Security Ministry had launched a review of the previous administration’s drug strategy plan last year. The review was led by Major General retired Michael Atherly with the view of implementing aspects of that plan.

A major component of the completed National Drug Strategy Master Plan will be the establishment of a National Anti-Narcotics Agency (NANA). This agency is intended to strengthen the coordination between others involved in combating illicit drug trafficking such as the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU), the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) and the Guyana Police Force (GPF).

Meanwhile, the draft TIP master plan comprises greater public awareness activities and training of police ranks and persons from other agencies to identify perpetrators and victims of TIP.

Government had re-established the TIP Ministerial Task Force earlier this year, which is headed by Minister Ramjattan.  The Combatting of Trafficking in Persons Act of 2005 makes provision for this unit.