Only two days after Shaheed ‘Roger’ Khan had been jailed in New York for several crimes including importing cocaine into the USA from his base in Georgetown, Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee found it appropriate to congratulate the Customs Anti-Narcotic Unit and pour praise on its personnel for their “work in the suppression of illicit trafficking in narcotics.”
Missing the irony of the coincidence of the two events, Mr Rohee praised CANU − the country’s youngest law enforcement agency − for having displayed “accelerated maturity” in the “successes” achieved with limited resources at its disposal. Soberly, however, Rohee admitted that CANU’s full potential and scope of operations are still unrealised and that deficiencies “are currently being addressed.”
In a flight of fantasy, Minister Rohee conjectured that the Unit had “the potential to become a National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, commanding the respect of other law enforcement agencies in Guyana, CARICOM, the hemisphere and the international community, forging genuine linkages with kindred organizations and networks to develop intelligence in the fight against international drug trafficking.”
Missing the irony of history as well, Mr Rohee cited as the only example of “success” an incident that occurred eleven years ago when the Unit was under different management. That was the apprehension of 6,940 pounds of cocaine valued at US$288 M on the MV Danielsen in October of 1998.
It is public knowledge that the most recent US Department of State’s International Narcotics Control Strategy Report issued only eight months ago still describes Guyana as “a transit point for cocaine destined for North America, Europe, West Africa, and the Caribbean.”
The Report pointed out that, in 2008, “domestic seizures of cocaine fell more than 50 percent from 2007” and mentioned the fact that the Government of Guyana’s National Drug Strategy Master Plan for 2005-2009 had achieved “few of the plan’s original goals. Minimal cooperation among law enforcement bodies, weak border controls and limited resources for law enforcement have allowed drug traffickers to move shipments via river, air, and land without meaningful resistance.”
The report criticised the Government of Guyana for not having “identified or confronted major drug traffickers and their organizations” and pointed out that “efforts by the Guyana Police Force Narcotics Branch and CANU have been limited to arresting low-level drug couriers at Guyana’s international airport, who carry only small amounts of marijuana, crack cocaine or powder cocaine.”
Everyone knows that trafficking in narcotics has been booming not shrinking. An impressive 1,100 m-long illegal airstrip with a burnt-out Let 410 UVP-E turboprop aeroplane with a payload of 1,615 kg − was ‘discovered’ near Wanatoba, 130 km up the Corentyne River. Another burnt-out aircraft was ‘discovered’ on the airstrip at Bartica in December 1998. Another burnt-out aircraft was ‘discovered’ at Mabura Hill in July 2000. An abandoned aircraft was ‘discovered’ at Kwapau in March 2005. How is it that all of these ‘discoveries’ occurred without prosecution of the culprits during CANU’s existence?
CANU has not been able to identify the criminal cocaine cartels which have been constructing illegal airstrips and coordinating the air traffic enabling the large-scale importation of illegal narcotics into the country. In its entire history, CANU has not been able to arrest and bring to trial a single significant narco-trafficker.
Mr Rohee could have done better by mentioning what headway had been made in arresting the killers of two CANU members − Vibert Inniss, the deputy Head, in August 2002 and Harold Duncan, an agent, in January 2003 − during Shaheed ‘Roger’ Khan’s enforcement operations.
The minister should be ashamed to lavish praise on an agency which has so staggeringly underperformed. CANU’s 14th anniversary is nothing to celebrate.
Thankfully, this opinion piece is about a fourth of the length of the usual long winded, repetitious, poorly researched and pompous space fillers we mostly -in fairness, some are well reasoned and praiseworthy– get as editorials from the co called “serious” Guyanese paper.
It’s easy to write about challenges. Drug trafficking is a reality in the Caribbean rim and Guianas area.Barbados police regularly have shoot outs with traffickers bringing stuff on boats from neighbouring islands.
It’s a pity the editorial writer didn’t think of factors such as “regional context”, “availabibility of fight back resources including possible help from those countries which get the drugs” and “Priorities” and write a more balanced and fair minded piece including lauding of this important anti illegal drug entiy which has had some successes and needs the support of all patriotic Guyanese.
I generally read only a few lines of most reports in the papers. This comment is not related to the editorial itself, but just an observation that SN seems to be editorilising anything and everything about the govt lately, even the most frivilous of moves. Imagine a simple statement of praise to the GPF is being given its own negative context. No wonder the govt, or for that matter most sensible readers, do not take anything SN reports seriously.
The article is excellent in context. The history of under achievement,the omission of the officers who were assassinated because they were an obstacle in the path of the notorious Roger Khan. The public must be kept aware of the politics which have created the two monsters (drugs and murder) now ravaging Guyana. They need to see the link between the officers murders and the activities of Roger Khan,who claimed he had the blessings of the administration in his drug operations and his phantom operations.
Reddy and Dude, SN is not a government newspaper. If you want pro-government op-eds then go to Guyana Times and Chronicle. The editorial reported what Rohee said in his complimentary remarks about CANU and then contrasted the remarks with a set of obvious failures to address major drug smugglings that were never addressed by CANU. You guys can stifle your conscience as much as you want, but it says a lot about your government when Roger Khan can be named by the US in a 2005 narcotics report as a major drug smuggler operating in Guyana, yet the government never ordered CANU to probe Khan.
Reddy is becoming so obsessed with what SN writes that some of us wonder why he continues to read the SN and not seek to either publish his own newspaper in Guyana or seek alliance with a newspaper there that more meets his standards in journalistic approach to issues dear to his heart.
Meanwhile those of us who see SN as trying to meet our desire for analytical and other coverage will take the ‘good and the bad’ and filter for views and analysis.
On the topic here, I note that Reddy has referred to ‘regular’ attempts by the Barbadian police to either apprehend or dissuade trafficers bringing stuff to Barbados. Is this not what SN suggests our own drug agents seek to do in Guyana?
Dont you think that those of us patriotic Guyanese outside of Guyana bear the brunt of critical comments and hope to be able to point to something more positive and successful that we can support and shout about?
Go figure!
The captain of the Danielsen boat went to prison for about 5 months no one in Guyana was jailed… It was the DEA who provided the info on this ship they were there when the hold was cut open revealing the drugs.. ..The DEA is now persona non grata in Guyana.
A very enlightening and bold piece. The truth needs no defense but the media has a responsibility to put events in perspective so that the public can be informed. Your research and analysis has exposed the hollow ring of the Minister’s words. It is so shameful when our leaders attempt to hide the truth.Good work,keep it up and stay on the case of all who want to deceive the public!
Jus asking was Rohee in his pj’s when he made those comments?
All a dem ministersis a waste of time and space especially dem ones there in Guyana now.