r. 1.2 Despite the fact that the Commission went about its task immediately after its 8,ppointmeIl;t. it is regretted th
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Pages INTRODUOTION
•••
TERMS OF REFERENOE
OF THE COMMISSION
7
THE TASK DIMENSIONS
7-18
OF THE PROBLEM
INTERNAL
F AOTOR
EXTERNAL
FAOTOR
19-27 28-30 30-35
GENERAL POLIOE INVOLVEMENT ILLEGAL IMPORTATION
AND POSSESSION
I OF. FmEARMSfVIOLENT
CRIMEjCOml'TERFlllITING
35-4.2 42-43
SOOIAL/EOONOMIO
FACTOR
43-46 EDUOATION
HEALTH
FAOTOR
F AOTOR
CONOLUSION-SUMMARY
OF FINDINGS
48-51
51-58 REOOMMENDATIONS
)
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House Paper No.2
of 1987
M.P. No. ,
Parl.
,
Report of the Commission of Enquiry into the Ext e n t of the Problem of Drug Abuse in Trinidad and Tobago INTRODUOTION
1.1 The Commissioners were directed to hold the Enquiry
in private
and took appropriate steps
to ensure the secrecy of their hearings and discussions. Memoranda were invited fsom members of the public through notices in the 'press, radio and television, Unfortunately,
this approach was not
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very fruitful and only through careful and persistent efforts were suitable witnesses identified and
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their testimony obtained. Each 'witness who appeared before the Commission gave sworn testimony and was very strongly warned to be silent about having given evidence.
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1.2 Despite the fact that the Commission went about its task immediately after its 8,ppointmeIl;t it is regretted that it has taken almost two years to produce this Report. It must be stated that the Commission endeavoured to obtain the broadest possible view of the situation in order to appreciate the extent of the problem. In so doing, it was necessary to obtain witnesses not merely from the urban areas of Port- of-Spain and San Fernando, but rural places such as Cedros, Toco, Rio Claro and districts in between, and also Tobago. Such.an undertaking inevitably took much time, added to which, your Commissioners were not relieved of their normal full-time responsibilities which from tim~ to time, inhibited the pursuit of th~ task. In addition, its progress was considerably hampered from time to
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time due to unavoidable absences from the country of one or other of its Commissioners.
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1.3 The Commission was aware that it had been preceded by an earlier Enquiry into Drug Addiction which produced very valuable data, relevant to the sociological, religious, moral, medical and legal viewpoints. It was of the view, therefore, that much valuable data was already available on the causes of the problem and its influence on health. Accordingly, the Commission was of the opinion that its attention ought to be directed to establish the extent of the problem of drug abuse from such aspects as the range of drugs involved, trends in the activity also the number of people involved in trafficking and in its consumption. However, in so doing, the Commission did spend time on the aspects mentioned in the earlier Enquiry to an extent unavoidable in the circumstances. , :' , 1.4 In addition to several meetings amonlst the Commissione;s to de~ermine procedural matters and strategies,.a total of forty-four (44) hearings took place during which testimony was recorded from thirty-nine (39) witnesses from various professions, occupations and strata of society. In some instances individual witnesses gave testimony at more than one sitting. The Commission also submits a survey on Drug Abuse .among the Secondary School Students of Trinidad and Tobago which was undertaken, at its request, by Mr. Lionel Remy, Psychiatric Social Worker II.
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1.5 At the end of February, 1985, the Commission submitted an Interim Report on the Enquiry; However, it must state that although it is convinced that more very valuable information may yet be obtained, it is of the opinion that it would be prudent for it to submit a full report on its findings at this stage due to the obvious and extreme gravity of the situatio~ and also the dire need for early introduction and continued implementation of remedial measures appropriate to the circumstances. Accordingly the Commission now submits its report under secret cover. 1.6 For reasons of secrecy the Commission has not included names of any of its witnesses in this report but a listing of these persons, together with a verbatim recording of all testimony given before it, is available. 1.7 The Commission finds that it would be very remiss were it not to place on record its sincere appreciation ofthe work of the many persons who assisted it and particularly those who gave testimony 'of avery delicate nature and in many instances at extreme personal risk. The Commission also wishes ,to place on record its deep appreciation and gratitude to the four members of clerical staff for t!,teir unstinting devotion to their tasks which took them on very many occasions long beyond their normal hours of work and at times even compelled them to forego their leisure on many non-working days.
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OFRlllFERENOlll OF T1!ECOMMISSION The terms of reference of the Commission were set out on the Warrants which were issued by His Excellency the President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago to each of its members at the time of being sworn. A reproduction is made hereunder: TliraMs
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"REPUBLIOOF'I'RTh-n>AD ANDTOBAGO By HIs EXOELLENOY ELLIS EMMANUE INNOCENT CLARKE, T.O., Presiden and Commander-in-Chief of the Republi of Trinidad and Tobago.
(Sgd) Ellis Clarke Pre8ident Greeting : To; GARVIN SCOTT, E8quire DR. MICHAEL BEAUBRUN LOUIS J. RODRIGUEZ, Esquire '
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'WHEREASby section 2 of the Commissions of Enquiry Act Chap. 19 :01 it is provided int alia that it shall be lawful for the President whenever he shall deem it advisable to issu Commission appointing one or more commissioners and authorising such Commission or any quorum. of-them therein mentioned to enquire into any matter in which an enqui would, in the opinion of the President be for the public welfare. fu'fD WHEREASI have deemed it advisable that an enquiry be held into the extent' _ the problem of drug abuse in Trinidad and Tobago, '-",,1' , AND WHEREASI have deemed it advisable that the said enquiry be held in private. Now THEREFORE,I ELLIS EMMANUEL INNOCENTCLARKE,President as aforesaid d..
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