A four-year master plan aimed at tackling the rising use and transport of licit and illicit drugs was on Friday launched by Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan.
Following a review and modification of the 2014-2018 master plan, a need was found for it to be brought in line with the most recent national and internal dynamics of the drug problem.
Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan, who also led the review of the master plan, said that a drug use in school survey and the recommendations made had
Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan at the Drug Strategy launch on Friday
also influenced the new master plan.
According to Ramjattan, the master plan has as its aims to reduce the use of drugs in the communities and realise they cause to the community at large and the individual users.
“This involves what the experts have talked about extensively namely, a multipawned strategy in that first reducing demand, reducing supply, reducing drug related harm, providing treatment options, developing a scaled workforce to reduce drug use, cooperate internationally and then adopting controlled measures especially the distribution of pharmaceutical products and monitoring the activities to prevent diversion of those products.”
According to the master plan, Government is committed to ensuring that sustained safety and security of its citizens well into the future against the drug problem. The master plan also utilises as balanced approach between public health and public security. It addresses demand and supply reduction, control measures, intuitional strengthening and policy coordination, as well as international cooperation.
Equally the master plan brings into focus all national concerns about drug control. It explains national policies, identifies priorities and assigns responsibility for drug control efforts.
The strategies expressed are based on the existing national situation but also take into account several international treaties and agreements, including those
The Diplomatic Corps among invitees at the launching ceremony on Friday
proposed by regional, hemispheric and global agencies.
Ramjattan at the launching stated that the drug problem clearly requires holistic, balanced and multidisciplinary responses and in order to deliver, the plan was fashioned utilising a common and shared sense of responsibility among all sectors and stakeholder agencies. It is therefore based on the principle of the shared responsibilities.
The launching ceremony, which was held at the Police Officer Training Centre, was also attended by the diplomatic corps including US Ambassador Perry Holloway, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo and Ministers of State and Public Health Joseph Harmon and George Norton.
