The Caribbean

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COPOLAD III accompanies 12 Caribbean countries in the implementation of their national drugs policies, through technical support for 22 national actions and 3 regional initiatives.

The actions cover the main strategic pillars of the programme: the generation of evidence and strengthening of the National Drug Observatories (NDO) in 5 countries; the strengthening of the systems for reducing demand, and the reinforcement of supply reduction policies.

At the regional level, COPOLAD III has consolidated its work with organisations such as the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) and the Caribbean Community Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (CARICOM-IMPACS).

Furthermore, the programme has promoted the development of a regional document for positioning the impact of the stigma on drug users, with special emphasis on women and vulnerable populations.

In the area of political dialogue and bi-regional cooperation, COPOLAD III has played a key role in supporting Caribbean countries within the EU-CELAC Coordination and Cooperation Mechanism on Drugs.

How do we support this region from COPOLAD III?

STRENGTHENING DRUG OBSERVATORIES

Jamaica, Suriname, Dominican Republic and Trinidad & Tobago

1 national research network in each country led by its National Drug Observatory following the mapping of human, financial and institutional resources.
1 Scientific Committee on Drugs in each country to systematically advise each observatory.
Elaboration of the national drug agenda in Jamaica, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago in which the research priorities in each country will be specified.

Suriname

Support for the adaptation of a research questionnaire on drug use for the LGTBIQ+ population.

Cuba

Support to the Cuban National Drug Commission in the creation of its first National Drug Observatory (NDO).

Jamaica

Support of COPOLAD III and the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) in the launch of the Drug Early Warning System (EWS) by training local experts on new psychoactive substances and consumption practices.

FIGHT AGAINST DRUG TRAFFICKING AND ORGANISED CRIME

Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF)

Training on new money laundering risks arising from the use of virtual assets such as cryptocurrencies for analysts and technical staff of financial intelligence units.
Development of a Technical Guide on Financial Investigations and Analysis of Emerging Money Laundering Risks.

Caribbean Community Implementation Agency for Crime And Security (CARICOM IMPACS):

Two training courses on tools to fight drug trafficking mafias, and on drug law enforcement strategies to include new psychoactive and synthetic substances.
Two reference guides with the results of the courses for Caribbean countries.
Training in forensic laboratories for the analysis and detection of new psychoactive and related substances.

REDUCING THE DEMAND FOR DRUGS

Bahamas

Support to the National Drug Council to promote a territorialization strategy in the islands of Abaco and in the community of Fox Hill (New Providence).
Alliance with local governments and civil society to attend to the Haitian migrant population, particularly exposed to drug use, micro-trafficking and human trafficking.

Belize

Community treatment in Dangriga as part of support to the National Drug Abuse Control Council Support.
Improved care for alcohol, drug and homelessness problems of migrant population.

Jamaica

Pilot project in the drug affected and homeless community of Falmouth (Trelawny).
Updating of the Tek it to Dem programme to prevent young drug users from homelessness.

Dominican Republic

Support to the Bani-Mujeres Correction and Rehabilitation Centre for the implementation of Alas de Transformación (Wings of Transformation) programme for women in prison.

Suriname

Project in the Hazard prison (Nickerie) in the framework of the National Rehabilitation Plan.
Intervention guide to articulate the efforts of education, leisure, social security and housing initiatives, with a gender approach and a more effective collaboration with the network of community resources.

Trinidad & Tobago

Support to the National Drug Council in the development of a community-based treatment project in Penal. The initiative assists the Ministry of Health’s Drug and Alcohol Abuse Prevention Programme (NADAPP).

Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Jamaica, Suriname and Trinidad & Tobago

Position paper on stigma and drugs as a reference for policies, actions and strategies for the comprehensive care and treatment of women and other groups at risk of exclusion who use drugs.

PROPORTIONALITY AND NON-CUSTODIAL PENALTIES

CONTROL OF CHEMICAL PRECURSORS

Dominican Republic

Support for the development of an operational protocol for the implementation of a Comprehensive Restorative Justice Programme, aimed at young people involved in minor drug offences, promoting rehabilitation and social reintegration processes.

Trinidad & Tobago

Technical support in the elaboration of a normative proposal for a model of Dissuasion Commissions, based on the experience exchanged with Portugal.

Antigua & Barbuda and the Dominican Republic

Technical support aimed at strengthening the control of chemical substances by updating national regulations related to precursors.

Dominican Republic

Diagnosis on the management of precursors in the country in order to develop a comprehensive manual for the management and final disposal of chemical precursors.

Saint Lucia

Support in the formulation of a national protocol for the control of precursor chemicals.

Antigua & Barbuda

Support for the design of a computerised system for the analysis of transactions involving controlled substances.

INTEGRAL AND SUSTAINABLE ALTERNATIVE DEVELOPMENT (AD)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

The Cannabis Medicinal Authority (CMA) has participated in several forums and exchanges of experiences in the cultivation and industrial production of medicinal cannabis.