Something must be horribly wrong

The number of people being arrested while attempting to smuggle cocaine out of this country through the main international airport has remained fairly constant over the years, regardless of the deterrents that have been put in place to curb the illegal practice. This suggests that people are still bent on trying every means to get the drug into markets that promise a lot. Before the beefed-up security at the airport, one could only imagine the quantity of drugs that passed through. Many people grew rich beyond their wildest dreams and it was no secret that Guyanese were moving drugs into the United States, Europe, and even the Caribbean. Then came September 11, 2001, and the demand by the United States that security be enhanced at the various international airports. We in this country found very scarce resource to install cameras, equipment capable of testing the density of cocaine even as it is hidden in luggage and other articles; and to train people to operate these pieces of equipment. However, for some strange reason, cocaine continues to slip through the airport. The government has spent millions to install security cameras at the airport.  These cameras are intended to cover the entire airport and so provide people with an opportunity to monitor the shenanigans at the facility, especially when it comes to loading and offloading aircraft. But every so often we hear that people are arrested at the other ports with drugs loaded in Guyana. Outside the terminal there are supposed to be cameras to monitor the actions of those entrusted with loading the aircraft. These cameras are attached to terminals inside the airport and at several strategic locations in the city. The reason for the installation of terminals away from the airport was to allow people other than airport workers to monitor the operations at the airport. With all these monitoring capabilities, it is indeed strange that people actually conduct illegal acts under the noses of those bent on ensuring the security integrity of the airport. Something must be horribly wrong. It is either that we monitor the airport having spent a lot of money to beef-up the security, or we allow things to happen as they used to before our multi-million-dollar expenditure. Some people avoid travelling with luggage that has to be checked in. That speaks volumes. The United States, in particular, is intent on seizing every opportunity to emphasise the drug trade reality in Guyana, as well as advance its concept of how this nation should respond. There have been comprehensive reviews of the issue, with consensus among the authorities that the relatively unchecked drug trade rips through the fabric of Guyanese society in many ways, compromising police operations, threatening citizens’ security, and blocking avenues for honest work and investment. Perhaps, an effective way to enthuse Guyanese regarding the fight against the drug trade would be to appeal to their commitment to democracy and reinforce the point that the drug trade diminishes democracy in every possible way. Surely, the ill-gotten fortunes of those in the trade would be used to corrupt every part of society that has a bearing on their nefarious line of business.  This would necessarily lead to the progressive undermining of the institutions charged with upholding the rule of law and preserving the integrity of administering Guyana’s affairs. In effect, this would be the undermining of Guyana’s quest for democracy. It does not require much common sense to figure out that those involved in the drug trade would try to get as much leverage as they can in the judicial and administrative arenas in Guyana. It is an open secret that there is already some level of infiltration, the nature and extent of which may never be known. This is the frightening dimension of the drug trade in Guyana, one that demands the most careful consideration by all right-thinking Guyanese.