Guyana and Venezuelan authorities agreed to strengthen cooperation to combat the drug trade during a meeting in the Venezuelan capital earlier this month.
A release yesterday from the Ministry of Home Affairs said that on November 4 and 5, a delegation from Guyana comprising former Commissioner of Police, Floyd McDonald DSM, who represented the Ministry of Home Affairs; Seelall Persaud- Assistant Commis-sioner and Head of the Criminal Investigation Department, Guyana Police Force; and James Singh- Head of the Customs Anti Narcotics Unit, attended a meeting of the Guyana/ Venezuela Mixed Commission on Drugs in Caracas, Venezuela. Guyana’s delegation was augmented by the presence of Guyana’s Ambassador to Venezuela, Odeen Ishmael as Head of the delegation and two staff members of the Guyana Embassy in Caracas. The release stated that the meeting was held with the National Anti Drugs Office, (ONA) of Venezuela at their Headquarters in Caracas.
During the meeting a number of issues of mutual interest in the fight against drugs were discussed and agreed on. The matters ranged from mutual cooperation to the exchange of information. Thirteen items were identified for follow up action to be taken by both countries, the release stated.
It was agreed by both delegations that the cooperation between the two countries to combat the drug trade should be strengthened and intensified, the Ministry said.
Most of the cocaine transiting Guyana is believed to come from Venezuela by boats. Several boatmen have been murdered in recent times in drug-related attacks. Much of the cocaine that passes through Guyana is shipped out to other countries.
The PPP gives new meaning to the term “empty rhetoric”
B.R , what would you do to address this problem? Seems that you can solve the drug problem without help.
Even with the all the first world efforts put together, no progress has been made. So B.R lets hear from you.
Maybe Guyana should follow Colombia’s lead and have the US station military personnel on its border with Venezuela to help fight drug trafficking. Then again, maybe that would only happen under a new government in Georgetown. Brin gon the change in 2011 so we can protect and develop our North West.
Dandy they would not do that. The PPP always wanted to engage itself with the Chavezes Government and the incident on Lethem open up the door wider for them to do so.
Now, you will see more drugs coming into Guyana. This is not the same group that was functioning when Roger Khan was killing and dealing with drugs and guns in Guyana…..Guyana need help, we need a new Government.
Why not get the US government to take care of all the coke heads and junkies in the US and then there would be no need to involve Guyana and Venezuela in the war on drugs.
Simon Lessik,you are on to the major root of this scourge called illicit drugs
Extracted: “A release yesterday from the Ministry of Home Affairs said that on November 4 and 5, a delegation from Guyana comprising former Commissioner of Police, Floyd McDonald DSM, who represented the Ministry of Home Affairs…”
EXCUSE ME! FLOYD McDONALD is now working with the Home Affairs Ministry? So he finally got the job he was initially offered on retiring after the Phantom Squad fiasco went public. This is one guy who has a lot of questions to answer for during the period of the Phantom Squad operations and Ronald Gajraj’s time at Home Affairs. No wonder Merai could have been promoted! What a mess!
Do not expect much to come out of this agreement. The drug business is so widespread in Venezuela that the corrupt authorities there do little to curb it. Nationals of Venezuela would tell you ‘in Venezuela coca no problem.’
A commendable story. SN must be complemented..
us govt said some 25%of G.D.P comes from drugs,
This seems like a good opportunity for guyana to do something about the drugs coming into guyana from neighboring countries, i support any move to curtail drugs, but i believe it’s a loosing battle, the best thing is legalization and taxation.
EX GDF OFFICER U ARE SO CORRECT THOSE PEOPLE RUN THE COUNTRY VENEZUELA GUYANA NEED AMERICA TO HELP U ON THIS ONE AND THAT GROUP FROM MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS THEY CAN EVEN BE GOOD SCOUT LEADERS
Hope they make good use of this gesture.
First, the government needs to protect its borders and vunerable waterway and the large influx of illegal visitors entering through the backtrack.
Honey please tell me how they will do that? The drug dealers are packing ( HEAT ) and their weapons are serious. The joint services don’t have the weapons and knowledge to curb the drug trafficing and the last thing some of them are ( BRIBE-TAKERS ) so some will allow the trade to continue or may be hold one or two people and seize a little something and say that they escaped. hahahahahahahahahahahaha remember I said a little something or should I say it like the Jamaicians say a lil sutton……lol,lol
Laughable! I’m with Bismattie on this one. Remember Uncle Sam and Uncle Tom is watching and waiting.
hahahahahahahaha, this is a good one. i wonder who is being fooled here.
ow john don’t be too harsh let’s give them a chance, and then we can say i told you so.
what drugs did to mexico, its doing to guyana,ship gone-a-sail,good change does not come easy. the foolish is being fooled.
The cancer has already spread throughtout guyana and because of the potential for people to make big bucks and lack ,jobs this problem would take a long long time to cure!!!!
So far there is no cure for this one.
light-hearted,indeed there is a cure,curb the ferocious appetite the Americans have for illicit drugs.