Itemiser to help in terrorism, anti-narcotics fight
Guyana Chronicle
March 7, 2007
THE Canadian Government yesterday presented a digital device to the Guyana Government which officials expect will boost the fight against narcotics trafficking.
The Itemiser 111, a digital device that detects illicit substances such as narcotic drugs, arms and explosives, was handed over to Commissioner-General of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) Mr. Khurshid Sattaur and Head of the Customs Anti Narcotics Unit (CANU) Mr. Orvil Nedd.
The GRA said the Canadian Government, through the expertise of Balbir Singh and Camille Giangi, two officers within the Canadian Border Service Agency (CBSA), is also facilitating a one–week training course in the use of the Itemiser. The session, it said, started yesterday in the Customs and Trade Administration Training Room on Main Street, Georgetown.
Sattaur thanked the Canadian High Commission and the government of Canada for the equipment and for providing invaluable training in the use and care of the equipment, which he said will assist efforts to improve border security.
This, he said, will help the Customs and Trade Administration significantly in executing its enforcement duties.
The GRA said he urged the participants to make full use of the training and to pass on their skills to their colleagues.
The authority reported that Nedd also welcomed the initiative and invited more such steps and donations.
According to the GRA, Assistant Police Commissioner K. Lakeraj noted that terrorism and narco-trafficking are great challenges across the world and law enforcement agencies have to network better to counter and suppress these global challenges to world peace and stability.
“The narco-trade is alive here in Guyana and this Itemiser will assist greatly in the narco-fight,” he said at the opening of the training ceremony.
In this regard, he said it is important that other enforcement agencies, such as CANU and the Customs Department, join in expanding the network and fighting narco-trafficking.
The GRA said Lakeraj noted that with Guyana being marketed globally and modernizing its facilities, the machine will also assist in detecting terrorism devices.
“We must see this manifestation as a support measure in the fight against organized crime, drugs and guns, because these are all inter-related,” he said.
He commended the effort and said the Guyana Police Force (GPF) now feels more supported by the GRA in this area.
The GRA said Singh of the CBSA pointed out that this initiative is part of a long-term relationship between the governments of Guyana and Canada which will develop over the coming years and is important for sharing intelligence and knowledge.
He said this type of training is critical to Guyana in detecting various narcotic substances, ammunition and explosive material, especially as the country is about to host Cricket World Cup matches.
The training targets officers from the Customs & Trade Administration, CANU and the GPF and will involve classroom exercises as well as practical sessions to be conducted mainly at the airport.