CANU to continue fight against narcotics use in schools – Singh

The Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) in collaboration with the Education Ministry will continue to tackle the use of illegal drugs/narcotics in schools across the country in 2023.

Head of CANU, James Singh made the disclosure on the sidelines of an exercise early Saturday. “Since last year we began a programme with the Ministry of Education to sensitise both teachers and students in the various schools…I am happy to say that we have a programme that continues into this year,” Singh is quoted as saying.
The CANU Head said the agency aims to roll out this programme in every school across Guyana. “There is no specific school, the aim is to cover all the schools in the various communities but we want to do it with the Ministry of Education, so it’s a collaborative effort,” he noted.
In 2022, CANU worked collaboratively with the Education Ministry to address the use of narcotics in the various schools and this has proven effective.
“I think based on the feedback from the teachers, from the Ministry of Education, it’s now making persons a lot more aware …And so far, just from the feedback from the teachers at the various schools, they’re happy about it and they’re asking us to engage on a regular basis not just on a monthly but to have a constant visit,” Singh revealed.
In 2022, there were several reports and busts involving drugs within the school system.
On May 3, 2022, Guyana Times had reported that investigations had found that school-aged children in Region Nine were engaged in the sale of illicit drugs. This prompted swift action by Police officers in the division, which led to the arrest of the adults suspected to be giving the minors narcotics to sell. This was revealed at the time by Regional Division Nine Commander, Superintendent Raphael Rose, during a conversation on policing, community relations, and partnerships in that region.
At a Police outreach in the Karasabai District, Commander Rose said, ranks were informed by a teacher of a teen boy being accosted with drugs while at school.
The teenager, he noted, indicated that an adult was giving him the narcotics to sell. Commander Rose said ranks interviewed the child, and were able to arrest the adult.
There was also a similar case in the Annai District, he revealed, adding that Police had received information about persons selling drugs at the Annai Secondary School. He added, “We received information from the teachers and other persons in the school, and we were able to arrest the adults who gave the children the [narcotics].”

Outreaches
In an effort to fight the drug scourge, Commander Rose had said, “We continue to follow up with the schools by keeping daily outreaches with them, sensitising them in many areas, not just drugs alone, but teenage pregnancy… At times, we have reports of teenage pregnancy.” He said the Police in that division continuously work with schools and all the youths in the region.

To this end, an outreach was recently held at a playground in Lethem, during which Police ranks encouraged youths to do meaningful things with their lives and take part in the Police Force’s training programme. Most of them, Commander Rose said, signalled their intention to join the programme.
Also in May 2022, Commander for Regional Division One (Barima-Waini), Superintendent Himnauth Sawh had embarked on a mission to tackle illicit drugs in schools. The Commander and his team had visited the North West Secondary School, where he interacted with teachers and students of the school.
While there, he lectured students on a number of topics including the possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking, types, and use of illicit drugs, along with immigration services.
He then engaged students with an academic exercise where he rewarded the winning class with prizes.
In May 2022, the Judiciary of Guyana launched 12 courts to deal specifically with juveniles who are substance abusers.
These courts are located in Georgetown, New Amsterdam, Whim, Fort Wellington, Linden, Lenora, Wales, Vreed-en-Hoop, Suddie, Charity, Sparendaam, and Vigilance.
The mission of the initiative was to reduce crime and substance use among adolescents through therapeutic interventions and judicial supervision.
These will also include youths who are charged with minor or nonviolent criminal offences and may have serious drug abuse disorders. The courts will offer treatment for this kind of disorder
The treatment plan has four stages which will last for about 10 months or more. It will also be supervised by a team. These include a state counsel, probation and social officers, drug abuse treatment providers, the case manager, representatives from the Ministries of Education and Health, and family members.