NEW BODY TO MONITOR DRUG USE

The majority of drug abusers have been found to be in the transport, manufacturing and construction sectors.

And more women are imprisoned for drug trafficking, while men are imprisoned for possession.

This was revealed yesterday at the launch of the National Drug Observatory of Trinidad and Tobago ( NDOTT ) at the La Boucan, Hilton Trinidad.  The Observatory is said to be the first of its kind in the region.

The NDOTT will provide information on the anti-drug initiative, including national, regional and international trends and research in drug use, production and trafficking.  The National Drug Information System, ( NDIS ) is the statistical component of the NDOTT.  The NDIS is a centralised collection point for data from key stakeholders and creates an environment for stakeholders which include the Prison, Immigration, Police, Tobago House of Assembly, NADAAP, and the Counter Crime Task Force, to collaborate, network and exchange information.

The launch was attended by members of the representing groups, and had as the feature speaker Minister of State in the Ministry of National Security, Fitzgerald Hinds.

Also addressing the gathering was a representative from Director of the Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce, Andrew Johnson, who presented Minister Hinds with a study done by the Chamber on "The Impact of the Drug Problem on The Business Sector in Trinidad and Tobago."

According to Johnson the report focussed on demographics, working environment, perceived problem prevalence, business impact, productivity and performance, risk assessment and corporate responses to the increasing prevalence of illegal drugs in our society.

He said the study showed the sectors with the highest prevalence of abuse and misuse were the transport, manufacturing and construction sectors.

"Attention needs to be focused on the psychological and social state of our workforce and we need to implement effective management solutions to deal with the problem," Johnson said.

Esther Best of the National Drug Council in displaying to the attendants how the Observatory works said according to data collected, of all the females under the age of 35 who have been incarcerated for drug related crimes, the majority of them were incarcerated for trafficking.

Best questioned if it was a case of greed for the women, that they were into trafficking, and if the men just had drugs for their own use.

Best said with the high numbers for possession, there was more need for research to find out who should be in the prison system and who should be sent for help and rehabilitation.  She said with the Prison system, now looking towards reform and rehabilitation these are issues to be considered.

Hinds in his address said that very often the issue of drug abuse is regarded as someone else's problem.

"I can assure you, however, that the more of our young productive population that is imprisoned for drugs and other criminal activities, the greater the responsibility that is placed on all our shoulders to get involved and actively contribute to addressing this problem."

He also pointed out that the drug trade was arguably the best example of the free market at work.

"Even in the face of hostility from state forces everywhere, the constant need for clandestine operations and without the benefit of formal advertising, the drug market is truly international in its reach and whenever there is a weak and poor soul, the drug merchants can supply his addiction," he said.

The Observatory also seeks to educate the general public on government's policies, projects and initiatives aimed at combating the problem of illicit drugs in the country, while highlighting activities being undertaken by non-governmental organisations.