Passing grade from US for Barbados’ drug fight

www.barbadosadvocate.com Web Posted - Wed Mar 05 2003 By Shawn Cumberbatch

BARBADOS has received a passing grade from the United States for its efforts to arrest illegal drug activity. Concern remains, however, that the island continues to be “a transit country and hub” for major producers of the illegal substances.

In its annual report card on illicit drug control worldwide, the International Narcotics Control Strategy Report 2003, the US lauded Government and other members of civil society for their efforts to control illegal drugs.

The Americans were also happy with joint efforts between themselves and authorities here, noting the governments of Barbados and the US had “brought into force three important agreements that will facilitate counter-narcotics cooperation”.

They were referring to a maritime agreement with overflight authority, an extradition treaty and a mutual legal assistance treaty.

US officials were also happy that Attorney-General Mia Mottley had publicly committed support to the Commissioner of Police Grantley Watson’s intention to “root out suspicious officers in the uniformed services, individuals who had been corrupted by narcotics traffickers and other criminal actors”.

Barbados was also lauded for its penal system that “provides alternative sentencing options beyond prison and fines”, and the fact Government planned to “develop a drug court that will specialise in providing non custodial sentences for drug offenders if appropriate”.

Another plus, thought the US, was the Proceeds of Crime Act which provides for the confiscation of property shown to have been derived or obtained through illegal means like drugs and money laundering.

Additionally, Barbados’ passing grade included its decision to establish a National Commission on Law and Order and the introduction of wire tapping legislation.

“The Government of Barbados’ National Council on Substance Abuse (NCSA) and the Attorney General’s office endeavoured with some success, to link law enforcement and demand reduction organisations in the framing and execution of the national plan,” the narcotics report noted.

It emphasised, though, that Government alone could not receive the praise since a number of Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) had continued to play important roles. The US singled out the National Committee for the Prevention of Alcoholism and Drug Dependency (NCPADD) as one such NGO which was “very active and effective”.

All of this notwithstanding, the Americans said more work still needed to be done since Barbados was “a transit country and hub for cocaine and marijuana products, and less frequently, heroin and designer drugs, entering by sea and by air”.

The report said these drugs came from a host of nations including Colombia, Venezuela, Trinidad and Tobago, and Guyana.

“These drugs often enter Barbados in container vessels, while smaller vessels also bring in marijuana from St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Container freight forwarders and cruise lines are also reported to transport cocaine via Barbados,” the report claimed.

It said most cocaine shipments transiting Barbados were destined for North America and Europe.