US Government seeks for partners to fight drug menace
Kaieteur News
March 19, 2007
The United States Government is looking for partners to assist in stamping out the drug trade.
In an invited comment, the US Ambassador to Guyana, David Robinson said, “I do appreciate (President Bharrat Jagdeo's) remarks that the US has a drug problem. We are aware of it and that's why we are looking for partners in the region.”
He said that he is looking forward to the opportunity when the two governments can ‘hammer out' a comprehensive plan, “…That will help us to work well together to stem the transit of drugs through Guyana.”
Earlier in the month, President Bharrat Jagdeo, at the opening of the Annual GDF Officers' Conference of the Guyana Defence Force, accused the United States Government of hypocrisy and of being one of the biggest drug havens in the world.
This outburst was apparently his reaction to the U.S. State Department International Narcotics Control Strategy Report. Another report by a US organisation focused on human rights.
President Jagdeo argued that with its limited resources, Guyana has been fighting against an increasing drug problem. He made reference of the pittance the American Government gives to Guyana to assist in the fight.
The US Ambassador said that his country has been very supportive of Guyana and continues to offer more help. He said that among the programmes here are the Peace Corps and USAID. “We also run an effective programme – the Guyana Trade and Investment Support Programme. This looks for markets for Guyanese products in the United States.”
Recently, the Guyana Government received a multi-million-dollar warehouse from the United States Government. This is to assist the Civil Defence Authority to respond to national disasters in Guyana and regionally.
The warehouse contains a number of potential life saving items including medical supplies.
Ambassador Robinson said that the United States spent some US $500,000 on the warehouse and an additional US $250,000 to stock it. The project was funded by the United States Government and is a part of a venture for CARICOM countries through the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency's regional warehouses. (Melissa Johnson)