Georgetown: The United States government has acknowledged the strides Guyana has made in its drug fight, but is looking forward to tangible progress on investigations, prosecutions, extraditions, security sector, and port security capacity enhancement.
It also said serious work needs to be done to engage at-risk communities and enforce laws against money laundering and financial crimes. The comments were contained in the U.S. 2014 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report (INCSR).
The report is an annual publication by the Department of State to Congress prepared in accordance with the Foreign Assistance Act.
It describes the efforts of key countries to attack all aspects of the international drug trade in Calendar Year 2013. Volume I covers drug and chemical control activities, while Volume II covers money laundering and financial crimes.
In the report, the U.S. said efforts to increase law enforcement capabilities, protect borders and ports, strengthen workforce development, and promote anti-money laundering effectiveness directly address priority concerns shared by Guyana and itself. Washington said the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI)-funded programmes support Guyana’s maritime operations by providing interdiction assets, including riverine patrol boats delivered in December 2013 and relevant command and control systems, as well as associated logistical support and training.
In 2013, the U.S. provided port and maritime training to Guyana’s Coast Guard.
“Initiatives also target law enforcement professionalisation, and more effective narcotics investigations,” the report states, adding that by strengthening Guyana’s counternarcotics capabilities, the U.S. seeks to enhance interagency coordination and help gather better intelligence on drug trafficking routes.
“The United States would welcome increased levels of cooperation with the Government of Guyana to advance mutual interests against the threat of international drug trafficking,” the report continues.
According to the U.S., Guyana is a transit country for cocaine destined for its shores, Canada, the Caribbean, Europe, and West Africa. Cocaine originating in Colombia is smuggled to Venezuela and onward to Guyana by sea or air.
Smugglers also transit land borders with Brazil, Venezuela, and Suriname. Cocaine is often concealed in legitimate commodities and smuggled via commercial maritime vessels, air transport, human couriers, or various postal methods.
The U.S said too that the influence of narcotics trafficking is evident in the country’s political and criminal justice systems. “Traffickers are attracted by the country’s poorly monitored ports, remote airstrips, intricate river networks, porous land borders, and weak security sector capacity,” the report states.
Additionally, the report states that Guyana has legislation in place that could enable a more effective response to the threat of drug trafficking.
Investigative capabilities
“The Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Act of 2009, the Interception of Communications Act of 2008, and the Criminal Law Procedure Act (revised in 1998) were designed to enhance the investigative capabilities of law enforcement authorities and prosecutors in obtaining convictions of drug traffickers. To date, however, the government has sought no prosecutions under these laws.”
Washington mentioned that the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) has informed Guyana that failure to demonstrate effective implementation of anti-money laundering mechanisms could lead to Guyana being designated internationally as a country with significant financial sector risks. Such a designation would increase the costs of Guyana’s international financial transactions and also impact insurance rates.
Guyanese authorities have pledged to increase efforts to comply with international anti-money laundering standards and have presented amendments in Parliament to improve existing legislation. America supports the Government of Guyana’s efforts in this area and has offered technical assistance.
Meanwhile, the report notes that Guyana is drafting anti-gang legislation and developing an Integrated Crime Information System to monitor trends in crime through a network linking the Home Affairs Ministry to the public hospitals, prisons, and police stations. Some police stations in remote areas, however, continue to lack reliable telecommunication service, the U.S. observed.
Guyana is party to the Inter-American Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters, and the Inter-American Convention Against Corruption.
The 1931 Extradition Treaty between the United States and the United Kingdom is applicable to the United States and Guyana. In 2008, Guyana acceded to the Inter-American Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters, to which the U.S. is also a party. The country has since filed information requests under the treaty.
In the area of drug seizures, the report notes that the Guyana Police Force (GPF); Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU); and the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) have reported drug-related seizures and convictions for the first six months of 2013. Through June, the GPF reported seizing 418.09 kilograms (kg) of cocaine and 125.61 metric tonnes of cannabis. CANU reported seizing 55.39 kg of cocaine and 2.62 kg of cannabis. The GRA seized 359.8 kg of cocaine, but no cannabis. Guyanese authorities convicted 201 persons on drug-related charges during the first six months of 2013.
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