Georgetown : Vice-President and Minister of Public Security, Hon. Khemraj Ramjattan, and H.E. Mr Perry Halloway, Ambassador of the United States of America, today, signed a Memorandum of Understanding regarding the operation of a vetted counter-narcotic investigative unit programme at the Minister’s Office in Brickdam.
The Minister signed on behalf of the Customs Anti-Narcotic Unit (CANU) and the Ambassador on behalf of the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA).
The mission of the Vetted Unit Program of the Drug Enforcement Administration of the United States is to train, equip and provide necessary assistance to partner countries so that specialized units in those countries can meet certain mutually-determined standards and can increase capacity in integrity, professionalism, and competence in fighting drug crime.
This program is intended to ensure better investigations and interdictions, and to prosecute and dismantle high-value targets in narco-trafficking networks.
Members of Guyana’s Law Enforcement sector who will participate in this Vetted Unit Program will have to pass certain background checks, plus tests as to medical and psychological fitness for duty, polygraph testing and random drug testing.
The DEA will be responsible for all expenses for training, whether this be local or international.
The MOU is to remain in force for a period of five years.
The Minister of Public Security also took the opportunity to request assistance from USA concerning a high-powered portable container scanner to surveil the contents of containers at various wharves in Georgetown. Mr Bryan Hunt, U.S. Deputy Head of Mission informed that the request is actively being looked into and their experts in USA are presently engaged in identifying costs and maintenance arrangement for such a crime fighting asset.
What was also good news for the Public Security Minister was the procuring by the US Government of equipment for virtual police training by trainers out of USA through tele-conferencing. The equipment will be stationed at the Police Academy.
This has now come to fruition because of provision of higher speed internet services provided by G T & T to the Academy.
There will now be more extensive and intensive training of officers and ranks in Guyana without the expenses of having to bring to Guyana USA Trainers, or having to send to the USA the Guyanese Trainees.
In attendance at the signing ceremony was Head of CANU Mr James Singh.
Minister Ramjattan thanked both the Ambassador and the Deputy Head of Mission for the USA’s support.
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