Guyana’s Opposition Leader, Brigadier (Rtd.) David Granger has described as “bogus”, the efforts of the President Donald Ramotar administration to fight the drug trade and narco trafficking in Guyana.
Last Friday, the Customs Anti Narcotics Unit announced the discovery of a semi submarine vessel in Guyana’s Waini river. It is believed that the vessel was being used to ferry drugs into and out of Guyana.
Mr. Granger said the President’s response to that discovery was “weak”. When asked at a Press Conference about the discovery, President Ramotar said “We will spend whatever is necessary; I can’t say that we will spend unlimited amounts. We have limited resources, and we have competing areas that we want to put our money into.”
According to the APNU and Opposition Leader, President Donald Ramotar “must do more than talk to stop narco-trafficking. He must become personally involved in directing the war on illegal narcotics which, apparently, are now being exported on an ‘industrial scale.”
The Opposition Leader said the President must immediately execute a credible national drug strategy master plan establish an effective national enforcement structure if he is serious about the drug fight. Additionally, Mr. Granger would like to see the government enforce current legislation vigorously; and equip the security forces with the assets to curb the trade.
Granger told the media conference that it is clear that the Drug and Law Enforcement Agencies are being starved of the resources needed to fight drug trafficking in Guyana. He highlighted the fact that the Customs Anti Narcotics Unit is without an air or sea wing to better take on the fight against narco trafficking. With Guyana’s porous border, the Opposition Leader believes there is a clear need for increased monitoring across the country, especially in the hinterland region where it appears as though the drug king pins are able to ply their trade with little or no interference.
According to Granger, a government under his leadership will put all the necessary systems and resources in place that would make its fight against the drug trade effective.
The US Government has repeatedly named Guyana as a drug transhipment point for cocaine destined for North America, Africa and Europe. While there have been increased efforts to tackle the export of cocaine, not much has been done to cut back on its importation.
“The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) for over two decades has demonstrated a lack of ‘political will’ to eradicate narco-trafficking. The public is fed up with the PPP/C’s false promises, failed plans, the rate of ‘execution’ murders and the bogus war on narcotics-trafficking. President Donald Ramotar must accept responsibility for the failure of the PPP/C’s counter-narcotics campaign”, Granger said.
Filed: 22nd August, 2014
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