a1909: Haitian govt receives distinguished experts to reinforcefight agains drugs (PRNEWSWIRE) (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: MKarshan@aol.com

Haitian Government Receives Distinguished Experts To Port-au-Prince to Reinforce Fight Against Drugs
PR Newswire - USA; Apr 30, 2002

President Jean Bertrand Aristide welcomed a seasoned group of international experts to Haiti yesterday to seek their advice and counsel on methods to combat drug trafficking and money laundering in Haiti. This initiative by the Haitian Government is an effort to reinforce measures already in place.

"We welcome the opportunity to work in solidarity with this commission to fight against drugs," President Aristide said at a press conference earlier today. "It is not a war one country can wage alone. The fight against drugs concerns all sectors in all countries. That's why we have the commission with us today to help us in this fight."

Mayor of Houston and former United States Drug Czar, Lee Brown, joined New York City Police Commissioner, Ray Kelly, to lead the seven-person Commission for the Reinforcement of Anti-Drug Efforts. Brown, Kelly and other members of the Commission arrived in Port-au-Prince yesterday for two days of meetings with President Aristide, the Haitian Minister of Justice and members of the Haitian National Police, among other government officials. The commission members also visited APAAC, a drug rehabilitation facility in Musseau.

"During the commission's visit these two days, we have seen clearly the political will of all involved in fighting against drug trafficking. We have learned that drug addiction has recently become a problem in Haiti because some of the drugs transshipped remain in the country," said Irwin Stotzky, chairperson of the Commission, professor of law at the University of Miami and Director of the Center for the Study of Human Rights. "The release of international aid to Haiti would aid it significantly in its efforts to fight drug transshipping through Haiti,"

Recent U.S. government reports on Haiti's efforts in counter narcotics state that transshipping through Haiti has decreased, while seizures of drugs by Haitian police have increased over the last year. The Haitian Government has passed major anti-narcotics and anti-money laundering legislation in the past year, and has implemented anti-money laundering mechanisms in collaboration with the banks. The reports also praise the Haitian National Police for its role in recent regional anti-drug operations with the DEA and other agencies.

"The drug problem is a global problem and concerns all countries, whether they be a place of production, transshipment or use," Brown said. "That's why the war against drugs must be comprehensive."

The commission plans to return several times to Haiti to evaluate the current anti-drug trafficking and anti-money laundering measures already in place, and will present concrete proposals and suggestions to the Government to improve and advance these efforts.

Other members of the commission included Bruce Bagley, Professor at the Graduate School of International Studies at the University of Miami; Paul Browne, Deputy Police Commissioner of New York City; Eduardo Gamarra, Professor and Director of Latin American Caribbean Center at Florida International University; and Bruce Ziegler, President of the Ziegler Group and Ex-Vice President of the Hazeldon Foundation, the largest rehabilitation center in the world. Ira Kurzban, Legal Counsel to the Government of Haiti accompanied the commission members to Haiti.

Global Market Solutions is a marketing communications firm providing services to government and corporate clients worldwide. GMS is also a registered foreign agent of the Government of Haiti.

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