Trinidad and Tobago Government News: Address by the Minister of State in the Ministry of National Security at the National Drug Council Annual Workshop and Christmas Luncheon on December 8, 2011 Address by the Minister of State in the Ministry of National Security at the National Drug Council Annual Workshop and Christmas Luncheon on December 8, 2011 ================================================================================ 08 December, 2011 05:46:00 Thank you Madame Chair and thank you very much ladies and gentlemen. I am very pleased to be here today to participate in this multifaceted programme which includes the launch of this very important public education campaign. I wish to congratulate the National Drug Council on hosting an event that so seamlessly includes technical work, appreciation for those persons who have contributed to their ongoing success and the launch of a programme with such dynamic personalities. Ladies and gentlemen this is clearly a demonstration of the level of cooperation and collaboration that this unit enjoys, with not just its government partners, but also civil society. The work of the Council is directly aligned to the current thrust of the Ministry of National Security, which is to work with all sectors that promote the safety and security of our society. This necessitates the use of law enforcement not only for the traditional roles of search, seizure and security, but also to partner with communities nationwide. This is one of the most important issues that is captured in the Strategic Plan of the Ministry, which is currently being drafted. Consequently, the Divisions of the Ministry have been engaged in activities which contribute to our country’s overall development, these include: * Police – Police Youth Clubs and extension of our Community Intervention Initiative; * Defence Force – MILAT, MYPART, CCC; * Fire – Fire youth clubs; * Prisons – Prisons youth clubs; * The Trinidad and Tobago Cadet Force; * The National Structured Mentorship Programme; and * The Making Life Important Initiative The fact that the “You Decide” project that is being launched today was influenced by the introduction of the breathalyzer is important. Statistics emanating from the Crime and Problem Analysis Unit of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service reveals, that since inception of its use, a total of Five Hundred and Eleven persons (511) have been charged for driving under the influence of alcohol. However, many other persons would have been tested based on the suspicions of the officers on duty. This shows that despite the presence of the breathalyzer, persons have not changed their consumption patterns. This project is therefore extremely important, especially as we approach our festive seasons of Christmas and Carnival. Ladies and Gentlemen, the importance of education in general cannot be overstated, and I am especially pleased to note the information provided by the Chairman of the National Drug Council on the number of educational pieces developed by the Council and its partners, the multiplicity of target groups for the messages, as well as the variety of media used to communicate them. The national community needs to take cognizance of the importance of prevention in both the areas of Supply control and Demand reduction. The United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime annually recognizes International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking on June 26th, with a theme that urges the international community to take action in both areas of supply and demand. This naturally means that agencies must collaborate to bring about effective change, as society is adversely affected by activities in both areas. All of us here are familiar with the sight of dysfunctional substance abusers in our urban centres and sometimes in our own communities; however there are a number of individuals, who are addicted to various substances and appear functional, but create many challenges in their families, work place and communities. All of these individuals are in need of care and attention, because drug addiction is a disease. Our colleagues at the National Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Programme (NADAPP), of the Ministry of Community Development, work tirelessly on prevention, while also helping the national community to come to a place of understanding of the effects of substance use and abuse, as judgment, condemnation and ridicule do not solve the problem. I applaud NADAPP’s undertaking, as these efforts will not only complement the work of the Ministry of National Security and many other agencies, but also reduce it in the medium to long term. The ability to get treatment for persons who are dependent on a substance will redound to the benefit of society as it will reduce the number of crimes associated with drug use. There is also greater hope for individuals and families affected by drug use, as the Judiciary, along with the Ministries of National Security and Justice, in addition to a number of other agencies are currently working toward the establishment of Trinidad and Tobago’s first Drug Treatment Court, which should be launched in the second quarter of 2012. The services of the Drug Treatment Court will also benefit from another programme on which Trinidad and Tobago is working with the Inter American Drug Abuse Control Commission of the Organization of American States. This is the certification of drug treatment providers, as this will assist in providing a group of people who offer critical interventions with a certificate attesting to their competence in the field. Ladies and gentlemen, for persons to use drugs they must have a source of supply. Recent drug seizures of more than $1 Billion dollars provide some indication of the level of drug importation that traverse within our borders; we suspect that a large portion of this stays in Trindad and Tobago for local consumption. These activities stretch the resources of the Organized Crime Narcotics and Firearms Bureau who have been doing a GREAT job of identifying shipments for both local and foreign destinations, persons who are attempting to traffick drugs out of the country and other related activities. The activities of these drug traffickers have the impact not only of creating persons with severe addictions, but also of destroying the lives of those they lure as couriers, and damaging our reputation abroad. Our country can ill afford that type of negative publicity. Despite the best efforts of law enforcement, the National Drug Council, NADAPP and other state and Social Sector agencies, to develop prevention messages and other initiatives to reduce demand and supply, our efforts will be stymied if we do not have support from the corporate sector. The need for consistent exposure to these messages is critical for the continued edification of the public. Media houses, corporate citizens and others with the means to ensure this exposure need to step up and take social responsibility for this issue. It impacts ALL of us personally, professionally, financially and most of all as it affects our feelings of safety and security. I therefore challenge those that have the ability and the resources to assist with increased awareness of these messages, to compliment the efforts of all these persons who volunteered their time to develop this “You Decide” message, and create opportunities for as much public exposure as possible. I want, on behalf of the Ministry of National Security, to thank everyone for their contribution to this activity today. We are especially grateful to all of you who gave so freely of your time to this “you decide” project. Additionally, on behalf of the Minister of National Security, Senator the Honourable Brigadier John Sandy, the Leadership Team and the Staff of the Ministry of National Security, I wish all of you and your families, a very Merry Christmas and a safe and Happy New Year. I thank you.