hi, I'm just trying to figure out if this is the same katim touray I went to 6th form with,89-91. my name is tida m --- [log in to unmask] wrote: > Judging by recent news accounts, illegal drug > trafficking is no longer a > creeping societal menace. Instead, the nation has in > it's hands a full blown > crisis. If one attributes much of the increased > prosecutions or interdictions > on vigilant law enforcement particularly on the part > of the drug squad, you > are left to wonder whether the sheer size or > frequency of cases don't point > to a marked increase in the overall volume of drug > dealing. From the seaport > to the airport not to mention at the numerous porous > borders, police are said > to be seizing large volumes of drugs that seem to be > headed to third > countries primarily in Europe. Over the years > dealers have evolved a rather > sophisticated method of operation that relies on > moving the drugs from > producer countries, taking them to transshipment > countries and finally to > consumer nations. Typically the dealers look to > small and strategically > located countries like those in the Caribbean for > dealers interested in the > US market and West Africa for dealers angling for > Western Europe. Countries > where there is a penchant for corruption and greed > become particularly > susceptible as the dealers are more than willing to > aggressively buy access > and influence. Even individuals who up until the > drug proliferation have been > engaged in legitimate business may not be immune to > the ever present desire > to make quick money relatively easily either through > participation in > laundering transactions or serving as conduits > during transshipment. Our > country fits this rather ominous bill and I fear the > emerging trends point to > a nation at the cusp of being gradually overwhelmed > by crime syndicates who > want to use Gambia as a major drug transshipment > point by taking advantage of > the nation's weak capacity for law enforcement and > overall border insecurity > and pervasive corruption. We don't frown on much > less investigate folks who > display sudden wealth. Instead they can expect much > adulation and respect > thus fueling the never ending myth that there is > indeed easy and fast money > to made out there. Once we manage to get stuck with > the dubious distinction > of being a major drug transshipment point, we will > find out that it is almost > impossible to shake off such a label. Just ask the > good people of Nigeria who > must endure humiliating treatment as they travel the > world. Bad reputations > on nations are often like albatrosses; they > persistently hang on the necks of > citizens. As a result a legitimate businessman who > just wants to come to New > York or Madrid to buy merchandise for his store in > Albert Market would find > himself subject to endless scrutiny for simple > business visa application that > should be routine and automatic. > Consequently, list members I would suggest the > government do two things > as a matter of urgency. First enact into law severe > penalties that includes > mandatory sentences for those found guilty of > possession, distribution and > laundering drug proceeds. The current laws are > inadequate to serve as a > deterrent. Secondly the scope, training and > resources of the drug squad has > to be vastly increased if the problem can even begin > to be addressed. One way > to make the unit more effective is to reconstitute > it to incorporate a marine > detachment that would be assigned through a > defense department laison , a > similar detachment from customs specifically trained > to look for drugs and a > phalanx of trained detectives all under the overall > command of the director > of the drug squad. This would enable the unit to > have better surveillance > especially at the airport and at the sea where the > transshipments must occur. > The idea is to choke off the dealers ability to ship > the drugs out of the > Gambia to the consuming markets assuming he has an > easier time getting it in > through the porous border. While I do not > underestimate the threat drugs pose > to our own people considering all the attendant > problems of crime and other > ills drug consumption precipitates, the real > incentive for these hideous > dealers is the richer overseas markets. We must slay > this monster before the > nation is overwhelmed. The resources for a revamped > drug squad should come > from existing government allocations. I would get it > from two sources; from > the D60 million allocated to the Presidency over > D3million of which is slated > to be paid to Yahya Jammeh as perdiem and personal > allowances for the > nonsensical trips he makes the world over. The rest > would be the entire > allocation for the N.I.A for fiscal 2000. They ought > to be disbanded , and > be asked to hand in their radios and expensive cell > phones and summarily > dismissed because they are up to no good other than > hauling reporters and > other innocent civilians to their dingy offices to > visit evil on them. > If we don't do anything soon, we will find ourselves > run by drug kingpins. > > Karamba > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of > postings, go to the Gambia-L > Web interface at: > http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Talk to your friends online with Yahoo! 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