In support of setting up a narco court in Guyana

Dear Editor,

Please allow me space in your newspaper letters’ column to express my views in support of the setting up of a special court to deal with narcotics-related matters. This view has long been mooted by various stakeholders but I am wondering the reason/s for it not being given much serious consideration. Perhaps it is time that you use your newspaper also to give a bit more publicity to the matter as it would hopefully spark other persons’ interest. Maybe it would be interesting if the government and the legal community were to let their views be known on the subject matter so that we know where they stand.

I have read in your newspaper that amidst a backlog of narcotics matters still to be completed in the courts, Customs Anti Narcotics Unit (CANU) Director, James Singh saying that it was time a special court is established for the hearing of drug cases.

In giving a detailed breakdown of the situation, Singh was quoted as saying that over the past three years, more than 80 charges have been instituted against drug traffickers in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, but due to constraints of the magistracy, to date about 38 of those cases are still pending. Eighteen of the 38 cases have been pending since 2009.

Hence, in light of the present statistics, Singh said, establishing a court to address primarily narcotics cases will be beneficial, not only to the organisation, but also the offenders.

In 2010, 26 cases were made against 33 persons with seven of these cases dismissed; 11 convictions were made, and eight cases are still pending.

In 2011, there were 30 cases made against 38 offenders which saw 14 convictions. Ten of these cases have been dismissed or withdrawn, while six of them are pending.

Singh noted that while charges are being instituted, in some cases, they are thrown out or withdrawn due to the lack of sufficient evidence.

The pending ones were transferred from one court to another for either a hearing or trial. As we know, when someone is charged with trafficking in narcotics or possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking, it is mandatory for them to make an appearance before the chief magistrate, who will in turn distribute the cases to other courts.

The Preliminary Inquiry has to be done, and once there is sufficient evidence, the matter goes to trial.

However, for several years, concerns have been raised over the slothfulness of the judiciary and snail-like dispensation of justice. Most of the narcotics cases are high profile cases, while others simply involve marijuana or other illegal substances.

Editor, I agree with Singh’s position on the issue that justice must be served in the quickest time possible, and considering the present situation, setting up of a special narco court may be one option that the authorities may wish to consider.

Yours truly,

Raymond Persaud