CobbTHE UNITED States Embassy has announced a donation of $57 million to Jamaica's counter-narcotics fight, to strengthen marine interdiction, port and border security, law enforcement and demand reduction.
The US$1.17 million agreement signed recently between US Ambassador Sue Cobb and National Security Minister, Dr. Peter Phillips, is in addition to the more than $106 million that the US government gave to Jamaica's anti-narcotics fight in 2001.
The funds are slated to provide Jamaica Defence Force Coast Guards with advanced training from the US Coast Guard, as well as new equipment, including night vision goggles, to boost their ability to catch drug smugglers using go-fast boats. The money will also cover maintenance and repairs to the Coast Guard's current fleet.
The agreement also boosts the Jamaica Constabulary Force's investigative abilities, with funds earmarked for improving the force's case investigation, analysis and record keeping, as well as its counter-narcotics, ganja eradication and fugitive apprehension.
The US donation includes funds for the improvement for local port security, in an effort to wipe out drug smuggling through air and seaports. Jamaican authorities will get new equipment and training to help this effort.
In addition to the sizeable support for law enforcement, the US-Jamaica agreement includes funds for an epidemiological survey to determine the extent of drug abuse among the population. Both countries will use the study to guide further demand reduction efforts by the Jamaican government across the country.
