“Be prepared for intelligent criminals”, Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan charged ranks of the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) at the opening of its annual counternarcotics staff training on Monday.

Mr. Ramjattan said CANU must ensure it is prepared for the new generation of crime and criminals and he believes the Unit can only do so through continual professional education and with the right resources.

The Minister said CANU also needs to improve on its convictions, conducting better quality investigations and ensuring that its record of interdictions remains high.

The Public Security Minister reminded the CANU agents that convictions are important.  “When you get a conviction that’s the big six that we all should be aiming for,” he added.

He noted, however, that when persons are acquitted, it shouldn’t be seen as an indication that they did not commit the crime. He also said that CANU ranks must not become frustrated when they lose a case in the Court, but strive to do better.

Ramjattan, a former Prosecutor himself, said CANU must seek to ensure that the evidence it gathers when building a case is strong enough to give then convictions each time.

“Smuggling narcotics is dangerous to our democracy. The dangers are to the economy and moreover our children might indulge and bring down our humanness,” he noted.

The Minister also cautioned ranks not to become part of the trade by facilitating the passage of the illegal drugs.

He said while it has made some persons rich, the expense of its destruction to families cannot be replaced. “Refuse the temptation,” the Minister told the more than 50 ranks gathered for the training.

He also sought to encourage better relationships with co-workers and asked that they be their brothers and sisters keepers. “You have to pull them [your co-worker] back if they are going the wrong way… humans are not angels and we are going to have some rotten ones, even Jesus had his Judas.”

Ramjattan said the government is looking for a transformation in several government agencies, including CANU and it must come from staff members who maintain a certain level of integrity.