CANU hamstrung by manpower shortage -sources
Stabroek News
January 27, 2004
More than one third of the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit's (CANU) staffers have quit over working conditions, poor security and other reasons, according to sources.
Stabroek News has been reliably informed that the unit is in dire straits as its staff complement has been severely depleted. CANU officials could not be contacted yesterday to comment on this situation.
And sources said contrary to some beliefs the officers have not ditched the unit because they are now being subjected to polygraph tests before their contracts are renewed.
Minister of Home Affairs, Ronald Gajraj, at a press conference on December 19 had stated that the officers are being sent abroad to determine whether their contracts will be renewed, adding that the tests "will be extended to other security agencies that operate within the context of the state."
The minister had said that this is why a number of vacancies at the unit were not filled adding that he and the CANU head were in discussions and they are looking at recruitment aspects.
"Some people because of fear; some people because of other reasons, have chosen to leave CANU... some of them, without giving requisite notice. But we have implemented certain systems based on certain reports that have engaged my attention and there are a number of CANU ranks that are subject to certain tests, with the clear understanding that their contracts would be renewed depending on the results of those tests."
According to reports reaching Stabroek News, officers who have been very instrumental in the unit's successful drug operations, have since decided to leave the unit because they feel that their safety was not being taken seriously.
This newspaper understands that following the gunning down of the unit's second in command, Vibert Inniss in 2001 in Buxton, officers decided to leave the unit in fear for their lives. More officers left several months after when another of the unit's top brass, Harold Duncan, was gunned down in Agricola.
Sources told this newspaper that the officers who put their lives on the line when conducting drug operations were not satisfied with the way they were being treated. Some also left because their contracts were not being renewed and they felt their jobs were in limbo.
Administratively, CANU comes under the Ministry of Finance while officers answer to the Ministry of Home Affairs on operational matters.
Government is being assisted in the maintenance of the unit, which is said to be the country's top drug fighting agency, by the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA).
Several top posts in the unit are now vacant and from all appearances they will not be filled in a jiffy.
Because of the depleted numbers at the unit, ranks have not been involved in a major drug operation for sometime now. It is understood that the last major operation the officers were part of was in March of last year when they busted a man in Canal No. 2 Polder, West Bank Demerara, with a number of passports and unlicenced firearms.
Sources told Stabroek News that at the moment the officers are involved in intelligence gathering, which is funded by the DEA.
Further, as a result of the reduced manpower the unit does not have officers to be stationed round the clock at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri.
One source commented that as a direct result of not having sufficient officers at the airport more drugs are being shipped out of the country. The source made reference to the recent `Operation Snow Storm' at the JFK Airport in New York, which resulted in a number of persons being charged in the USA. Some of the drugs involved in the operation were shipped from Guyana.
Reports state that some of the former officers were not only frustrated but they also felt that they were not valued. They also felt that they were being left out in the cold as it appeared as if they had no one to whom they could turn to. It is understood that valiant efforts were made to keep some of the officers who were very dedicated to their job but they are now in the USA.
Sources have indicated that the polygraph test is not something new as it has been in operation since before Inniss' death. It was stated that officers who were involved in very sensitive matters were sent to Trinidad for the lie detector tests.
In relation to the recruitment of new officers, sources told Stabroek News that applications were made to the unit, interviews conducted and several persons were short-listed. Their names, Stabroek News understands, were sent to the Minister of Finance for their contracts to be drafted and other administrative matters dealt with. However, while this was done since in September of last year there has been no word on when any of the persons will be hired and in the meantime the unit is suffering without the required amount of employees. "[The unit] is in dire straits and needs the manpower now," one source said.