DATE=10/16/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-240296
TITLE=CARIBBEAN DRUG CONFERENCE (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=MICHAEL BOWMAN
DATELINE=MIAMI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 1630 EDT 10/15
INTRO: WHITE HOUSE DRUG POLICY DIRECTOR BARRY MCCAFFREY SAYS
MORE INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION IS NEEDED TO WIN THE WAR ON DRUGS
IN THE CARIBBEAN. MR. MCCAFFREY MADE THE REMARK IN MIAMI, WHERE
HE IS HOSTING A CARIBBEAN REGIONAL DRUG CONTROL CONFERENCE.
REPRESENTATIVES OF MORE THAN 30 NATIONS AND TERRITORIES ARE
PARTICIPATING IN THE TWO-DAY EVENT (WHICH BEGAN THURSDAY).
V-O-A'S MICHAEL BOWMAN HAS THIS REPORT.
TEXT: THE CONFERENCE IS A FOLLOW-UP TO LAST YEAR'S SUMMIT OF
CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY (CARICOM) LEADERS IN BARBADOS, AT WHICH
PRESIDENT CLINTON AND OTHER PARTICIPANTS RECOGNIZED THE UNIVERSAL
THREAT POSED BY ILLEGAL NARCOTICS. DRUG POLICY DIRECTOR
MCCAFFREY IS CALLING FOR COUNTER-NARCOTICS COOPERATION ON A
VARIETY OF FRONTS.
/// MCCAFFREY ACT ///
TWO KEY ELEMENTS ARE EXTRADITION OF CRIMINALS -- SO THEY
CAN'T HIDE IN ANOTHER NATION -- AND ASSET FORFEITURE.
WE HAVE TO TRACK DOWN MONEY, WHETHER IT'S IN THE CAYMAN
ISLANDS OR MIAMI, AND ENSURE THAT HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS
OF [DOLLARS IN] ILLEGAL PROFITS ARE SEIZED.
/// END ACT ///
THE U-S DRUG ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATION ESTIMATES ROUGHLY
30-PERCENT OF U-S-BOUND DRUGS PASS THROUGH THE CARIBBEAN. PUERTO
RICO-BASED SPECIAL AGENT MIKE VIGIL [PRON: VEE-'HEEL] SAYS
INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION ON INTELLIGENCE MATTERS IS A KEY TO
EFFECTIVE DRUG INTERDICTION.
/// END ACT ///
WE HAVE A LOT OF DRUG TRAFFICKING ORGANIZATIONS
THAT OPERATE IN VARIOUS ISLAND NATIONS. IT'S
NOT THAT THEY ARE STRICTLY FOCUSED ON ONE AREA.
AND THEREFORE SOME OF THESE COUNTRIES HAVE
INFORMATION THAT, WHEN SHARED WITH ONE ANOTHER,
CAN PUT INTO BETTER PERSPECTIVE THE EXTENT OF
THE DRUG TRAFFIC AND ALSO ALLOW THEM TO BE MORE
PRO-ACTIVE IN SOLVING THOSE PROBLEMS.
/// END ACT ///
SONITA ABRAHAMS, HEAD OF A DRUG AWARENESS AND TREATMENT CENTER
("ADDICTION ALERT") IN (KINGSTON) JAMAICA, SAYS THE WAR ON DRUGS
IS A CAMPAIGN OF EDUCATION.
/// FIRST ABRAHAMS ACT ///
WE NEED TO BEGIN AT THE VERY BEGINNING: FROM THE
HOME, WHEN THE CHILDREN ARE REALLY YOUNG, AND
INTO THE SCHOOLS AND INTO THE COMMUNITY AT ALL
DIFFERENT LEVELS.
/// END ACT ///
MS. ABRAHAMS SAYS SOCIO-ECONOMIC ISSUES ALSO ARE A FACTOR.
/// SECOND ABRAHAMS ACT ///
IF THERE IS A LOT OF POVERTY, IF YOUNG PEOPLE
CAN NOT LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING JOBS ONCE THEY
HAVE LEFT SCHOOL, THEN THEY ARE VERY OPEN TO
BECOMING NOT ONLY DRUG USERS BUT ALSO DRUG
TRAFFICKERS.
/// END ACT ///
// BEGIN OPT // MANY CARIBBEAN AND CENTRAL AMERICAN OFFICIALS
SAY THEY ARE GRATEFUL TO THE UNITED STATES FOR PROVIDING
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE IN THE WAR ON DRUGS. BUT ONE CONFERENCE
PARTICIPANT SAYS U-S LEADERSHIP IS LACKING IN A CRITICAL AREA.
GRENADA'S MINISTER OF STATE, PATRICK BUBB, SAYS THE ROOT CAUSE OF
THE DRUG PROBLEM IS THE WIDESPREAD DECAY OF MORAL PRINCIPLES AND
THE DISINTEGRATION OF FAMILY STRUCTURES. MR. BUBB SAYS ONE LOOK
AT AMERICAN TELEVISION -- INCLUDING NEWS COVERAGE OF PRESIDENT
CLINTON AND MONICA LEWINSKY -- SHOWS THE UNITED STATES HAS
STRAYED FROM WHAT HE CALLS THE RIGHTEOUS PATH.
/// BUBB ACT ///
WE LOOK TO AMERICA FOR GOOD EXAMPLE. WE LOOK TO
AMERICA FOR MANY THINGS. BUT WHAT WE FIND
COMING FROM THAT SOURCE WHERE WE LOOK FOR GOOD
IS NOT GOOD. WE WOULD WANT TO SEE AMERICA
RETURNING IN A REAL AND TANGIBLE WAY TO SUPPORT
A FAMILY LIFE.
/// END ACT /// /// END OPT ///
THE CARIBBEAN REGIONAL DRUG CONTROL CONFERENCE CONCLUDES TODAY
(FRIDAY). (SIGNED)
NEB/MB/WTW
16-Oct-98 11:04 AM EDT (1504 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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