Heroin, ecstasy, crack use on the rise in Guyana – US Narcotics Report
Kaieteur News
March 2, 2007
The 2007 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report has pointed to the rise in the consumption of cocaine powder, crack cocaine, ecstasy and heroin in Guyana.
The report, which was released yesterday, said that the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit, CANU, and a study which was reported in the 2005-2009 National Drug Strategy Master Plan had noted that there was increase in the use of the drugs mentioned.
Only recently CANU unearthed a quantity of ecstasy and other illegal drugs.
According to the report, Guyana's ability to deal with drug abusers is limited by a lack of financial resources to support rehabilitation programmes.
Guyana only has two facilities that treat substance abuse - the Salvation Army and the Phoenix Recovery Centre. Both of these facilities are "men only"; there are no treatment facilities for women in Guyana.
There are also no adequate programmes to deal with substance abuse in the prisons, which according to reports, is also rising rapidly.
But while drug use in on the increase locally, the report said that Guyana is a trans-shipment point for cocaine destined for North America, Europe, and the Caribbean.
It stated that in 2006, domestic seizures of cocaine were insignificant.
“The Government of Guyana's inability to control its borders, a lack of law enforcement presence, and a lack of aircraft or patrol boats allow traffickers to move drug shipments via sea, river, and air with little resistance.”
Additionally the government has yet to implement the substantive initiatives of its National Drug Strategy Master Plan for 2005-2009.
According to the US State Department Report, Guyana is a party to the 1988 UN Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (the 1988 UN Drug Convention) but still needs to pass and implement additional legislation to meet its obligations under the convention.
Despite Guyana's status as a transshipment point for cocaine, there have not been any large domestic seizures since a 1998 joint Guyanese/U.S. operation confiscated 3,154 kilograms of cocaine from a ship docked in Georgetown.
The vessel was the Danielson and after the matter was disposed in the courts, it was sold to a local bidder at a public auction.
Guyana's vast expanse of unpopulated forest offers cover for drug traffickers, the report added.
“Timber concessions in the remote interior may allow drug traffickers to establish autonomous outposts beyond the reach of Guyanese law enforcement. In response to controversy surrounding one such permit, the government announced it would propose legislation requiring stronger background checks on investors applying for timber concessions.
“The legislation has not yet been tabled in the National Assembly,” the report stated.
It pointed to the lack of adequate resources for law enforcement, poor coordination among law enforcement agencies and a weak judicial system as factors which undermine the government's counter-narcotics efforts.
“The Guyanese media regularly report murders, kidnappings, and other violent crimes commonly believed to be linked with narcotics trafficking. Guyana produces cannabis, but not coca leaf or cocaine. Guyana is not known to produce, trade, or transit precursor chemicals on a large scale,” the report noted.