PPP/C, APNU find common ground in drug Master plan preparation

By Leroy Smith

Ideas and initiative of both the Peoples Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) and the A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change+ (APNU+AFC) Coalition Government have been incorporated in the Drug Master Plan which will be launched soon by the Ministry of Public Security.

Some of the plans which would make the strategy a success were already in the pipeline by the previous government, Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan explains.

“The Drug master plan would be an executive unit, it doesn’t have opposition members but I did, before finalising the document asked Mr. Rohee (Former Minister of Home Affairs, Clement Rohee) and he did give a lot of good comments. He participated. As a matter of fact, the drug master plan strategy has a lot of the things that they were doing while they were in government; so I’ve incorporated a number of the things there because they are good and I think they were fair” the Public Security Minister said.

Minister Ramjattan told the News Room that in the draft plan which outlines the plan of action for the next few months is based on statistics on various crimes on which additional focus needs to be placed.

The National Drug Strategy Master Plan (NDSMP) resulted from a review and modification of the NDSMP 2014-2018, triggered by the need to bring it in line with the most recent national and international dynamics of the drug problem. The review was led by the Ministry of Public Security in collaboration with key stakeholders including the Ministry of Public Health and the Ministry of Education.

The Master Plan brings into focus all national concerns about drug control. It explains national policies, identifies priorities and assigns responsibility for drug control efforts. In essence, it guides the operational plans of all government departments and other bodies involved in the reduction of demand, supply control, and all other aspects of the national fight against drug abuse and its associated ills.

The strategies expressed are based on the existing national situation but also take into account several international treaties and agreements, including those proposed by regional, hemispheric, and global agencies.