The Caribbean Community's (CARICOM) Inter-Governmental Task Force on Drugs and Regional Ministers of National Security expressed concern at the high levels of illicit drugs remaining in the Caribbean out of the cargo being transhipped to external countries.

At their two-day Meeting in Georgetown, Guyana which ended on Thursday at the CARICOM Secretariat headquarters, they agreed to give a higher priority to demand reduction programmes in the Region. It was the first time that the Task Force and the Ministers had met and Jamaica's Minister of National Security and Justice, the Hon. K.D.Knight presided over the session.

The opportunity was taken at the Meeting to review and assess progress on various projects and programmes designed to fight the trade in illicit drugs and associated crimes including money-laundering and the regional justice protection programme . Among these projects and programmes were those agreed to in the Barbados Plan of Action for Drug Control Coordination and Cooperation in the Caribbean developed in 1996; the Plan of Action arising out of the Caribbean/US Summit held in May 1997; and at the Second Summit of the Americas in April 1998 as well as those funded by the European Union (EU). The Meeting also reviewed the programmes and recommendations put forward by the Association of Caribbean Commissioners of Police (ACCOP), the Caribbean Customs Law Enforcement Council (CCLEC) and the Caribbean Island Nations Security Conference (CINSEC).

The Meeting reaffirmed their commitment to a unified position in dealing with drug trafficking and agreed on a mechanism to be put in place at the CARICOM Secretariat to ensure co-ordination among the programmes and in the determination of Caribbean priorities. Member States reiterated the high priority placed on demand reduction programmes and agreed to advance efforts to combat drug abuse within the Community.

There was also endorsement of the EU/Caribbean/Latin American Co-operation Mechanism and agreement to examine the best way forward in ensuring the efficiency of this mechanism.

The Meeting expressed appreciation to the UNDCP, the EU and other funding agencies for the financial support provided for the implementation of national and regional programmes.