Region 1 Commander tackling drugs in schools

Just one week after Guyana opened a special court to help juvenile drug addicts, Commander for Regional Division One, (Barima-Waini) Superintendent Himnauth Sawh has embarked on a mission to tackle illicit drugs.

The Commander and his team visited the North West Secondary School on Friday last, 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.
Only last Tuesday 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 is 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.
Also, last month, the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) said it will be working closely with other sectoral agencies and the Education Ministry to tackle the issue of illegal drugs making their way into schools.
The Head of that drug enforcement body, James Singh noted that his unit has welcomed the collaboration with the joint services to ensure that the schools are rid of drugs, especially ecstasy pills. In the past, those pills have been found in secondary schools.
Four days ago, four schoolgirls of the Patentia Secondary School in Region Three were hospitalised after they allegedly consumed an illegal drug. The incident is currently being investigated by the Guyana Police Force and the Ministry of Education.
Reports are that the girls are being treated at the West Demerara Regional Hospital. Up to press time on Sunday, Police could not confirm the type of drugs the girls consumed, and have not yet issued a report.
In 2019, Police uncovered an organised ring, the players of which were engaged in trafficking of the date-rape drug ecstasy by utilising school-age girls in the trade. This had come to light after a Stewartville Secondary School girl had gone missing.