Lucky: UNC left weapons for Govt to fight drug war

THE People’s National Movement (PNM) Government could have done more to wage war on illegal drugs despite the 18-18 stalemate arising out of the the 2001 general elections. This was the opinion yesterday of United National Congress (UNC) MP for Pointe-a-Pierre Gillian Lucky as she commented on the 2002 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report (INCSR) which was released in the United States earlier this week.

According to that report, the various security agencies in Trinidad and Tobago seized 227 kilos of cocaine and 175 kilos of marijuana. Figures from 2001, show that the Police and Defence Force seized 772 kilos of cocaine and 634 kilos of marijuana. The report said notwithstanding the 18-18 deadlock, the TT Government continued to participate actively in counter-narcotics intiatives and took steps to upgrade the facilities of the law enforcement agencies — acquiring additional aircraft for the Defence Force’s air wing and upgrading the radar capability. Lucky told Newsday that when the UNC was in government, there was holistic and comprehensive legislation to deal with drug trafficking, money laundering and drug-related crimes. She said that even though there was no sitting Parliament arising out of the 18-18 deadlock, the ruling PNM had legislation at its disposal to deal with the scourge of illegal drugs and all spin-off crimes. The Opposition MP claimed the PNM’s approach to governance at the time, gave criminals the impression there was a complete breakdown of law and order and they had a free hand to do whatever they wanted.