“Woe to you, My Princess, when I come I will kiss you quite red and feed you till you are plump – you shall see who is stronger, a gentle little girl who doesn’t eat enough or a big wild man who has cocaine in his body. In my last severe depression I took coca again and a small dose lifted me to the heights in a wonderful fashion…”

When Sigmund Freud, the Austrian neurologist and father of psychoanalysis, wrote these words, he was clearly addicted to cocaine, the so-called “wonder drug”. The drug trade in Guyana, which blossomed during the PNC era, but escalated to new heights under the PPP now threatens the very fabric of our society. The Roger Khan affair is still fresh on our minds. Narco-trafficking or the drug trade involves a) the production and manufacture of drugs, b) sophisticated money laundering techniques to hide the income earned from the illicit drug trade, and c) the use of precursor chemicals used to manufacture  illicit drugs, all of which require global cooperation through an international regime on narco-trafficking to contain their proliferation. The most commonly used drugs in Guyana are marijuana and cocaine. Marijuana use is more widespread, but cocaine, given its higher market value is becoming a much more lucrative commodity for international trade.

Consider the impact of the drug trade on Guyana. The GPF, CANU, and GRA reported drug-related seizures worth millions of dollars in 2014 and in previous years. In the first 6 months of 2014, the GPF reported seizing 92.77 kilograms of cocaine and 339.95 kg of cannabis. CANU reported seizing 75.84 kg of cocaine and 10 kg of cannabis last year. The US International Narcotics Control Strategy Report, which profiles drug-related crimes around the world noted that “Guyana is a transit country for cocaine destined for the United States, 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 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.”

Aside from the 1990 Narcotic and Psychotropic Drugs Act, several laws, including The Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Act, the Interception of Communications Act and the Criminal Law Procedure Act, were passed to enhance the investigative capabilities of law enforcement authorities and obtain convictions of drug traffickers. To date, however, the government has sought no prosecutions under these laws. In May 2014, the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) identified Guyana as a “money laundering and terrorist financing risk” to the international financial system after Guyana failed to amend its anti-money laundering laws, placing Guyana under targeted review by the Financial Action Task Force. The coalition Government recently took actions to correct this problem, despite its opposition under the PPP. Weak enforcement measures, as well as endemic corruption within the police force make it difficult to carefully monitor this problem, much less limit its proliferation. The massive power, sophisticated organisational network, and resources controlled by drug traders have the potential to corrupt even the most moral citizen. Guyana lacks a robust demand reduction strategy that adequately addresses drug rehabilitation. In addition, Guyanese deportees involved in drug-related crimes in the US continue to pose a security concern.

Marijuana is more widely cultivated in Guyana’s hinterland. One Guyanese, Clairmont Lye, had advocated for the legalisation of marijuana, as well as large scale production for international trade. However, while it is true that several countries (like Jamaica,, Ecuador and US) have decriminalized small amounts of marijuana for medical use, it would be a mistake to enter the “marijuana trade” for a number of reasons: the international regime does not facilitate the drug trade, the negative effects of marijuana have been documented, marijuana is considered a gateway drug, and Guyana simply has too many societal vices to worry about rather than taking on additional problems related to the drug trade.

The US, largest consumer of illicit narcotics, has promised technical and material support to Guyana. Among other things, Guyana needs drug “sniffer dogs” at the airports, a pro-active DEA in Guyana and closer collaboration with the US and surrounding states to ensure that money laundering laws are strengthened and Guyana can access resources needed to interdict traffickers. The Granger Government needs to get ahead of the curve and address this scourge in our society.

Dr. Ramharack is an Associate Professor of Political Science (adj) at Nassau Community College. Send comments to BRamharack60@gmail.com