Sunday Times 2
National Dangerous Drugs Control Board falling short
A drug addict injecting himself
The National Dangerous Drugs Control Board (NDDCB) which did not generate publicity for its performance, but came into the limelight during the last presidential election, thereafter after the general elections in January and more recently in the month of November 2015 when two heads rolled.
The NDDCB was established by an Act of Parliament with specific functions. The functions of the board are as follows:
1) Formulate and review a national policy relating to the prevention and control of the abuse of dangerous drugs and to advise and make recommendations to the Minister on such policy;
2) Call for such information and particulars from individuals, organisations, government departments and public corporations as may reasonably be necessary to exercise the powers of the Board;
3) Provided however that no member shall disclose any information or particulars obtained under the provisions of this paragraph, except where he is required to do so by a court of law or in order to comply with any other provisions of this Act.
4) Co-ordinate the activities of agencies engaged in the prevention and control of dangerous drugs.
5) Promote treatment and rehabilitation measures for drug dependent persons and conduct national drug abuse and preventive educational programs for children and adults.
6) Conduct and undertake research studies into the prevalence, aetiology and legal, medical, social, cultural and economic implications of the abuse of dangerous drugs.
7) Maintain liaison with national, regional and international organizations and agencies involved in drug control activities.
Of the functions detailed above, to my mind the two most important functions have not been touched upon or implemented by the NDDCB during its existence. Of the two, the function mentioned under No.1 above i.e. “Formulate and review a national policy relating to the prevention and control of the abuse of dangerous drugs” and the second function which has been reflected under No.4 above i.e “Co-ordinate the activities of agencies engaged in the prevention and control of dangerous drugs,” have to be given top priority.
The NDDCB has miserably failed during the past twenty years or so in not focusing on these two matters which are very vital to curb the demand and supply of various narcotic drugs of which cannabis and heroin are used widely. When the NDDCB was established, some of the chairmen, whose names I recollect as Mr. Hema Weerasinghe – retired Police Officer, Professor Kodagoda, Dr. Diyanath Samarasinghe, Mr. C.T. Jansz a former Commissioner of Prisons, and a few others were not political appointees but appointed due to their ability in managing the affairs of the NDDCB. Collectively, they performed their tasks satisfactorily and achieved a certain amount of success in co-ordinating the activities of all the Law Enforcement Agencies which are empowered to act under the Poisonous and Dangerous Drugs Act (PODD).
It is unfortunate that the successive governments who came into power after 2000 appointed chairmen who were party supporters in order to give them important jobs or to accommodate some heads of departments who were dislodged from their permanent positions due to some reason or other. Some individuals who had no connection with the law enforcement or in some way linked to the administrative and medical field were appointed as chairmen. Males who were known to be as party supporters and for the first time a lady, who had excelled in the marketing of telecom products, were appointed as chairman of the NDDCB.
With the advent of the new Yaha Palanaya, a medical doctor was appointed. It was expected that he being young and enthusiastic would take up the challenge to make the NDDCB a strong and viable organisation to tackle the drug trafficking problem in our country which is growing steadily. One cannot imagine a head of the NDDCB going to the headquarters of a political party and holding a press conference from this headquarters and insinuating that he has a list of names of politicians involved in drug trafficking. It was evident to all by his address from the headquarters of a particular party that he was referring to the names of candidates of the opposition parties. Having said this, he claimed that his life was in danger and asked for Police protection which was provided. Now we learn that he has asked for political asylum to go and settle in a foreign country.
None of the chairmen of the earlier 2000 era ever got involved in any political activities. Whilst the learned doctor was still designated Chairman of the NDDCB, the government blundered by appointing another Chairman who is a retired DIG. It was indeed a comedy of errors. A retired DIG occupying this seat and claiming that he had been appointed as the Chairman whilst the incumbent Chairman claimed that he had not been asked to vacate his post. What a tragedy? At last some sense has dawned upon the heads of the government authorities and they have appointed a respectable, reputed medical Professor Ravindra Fernando as Chairman. The government has done the correct thing. The new Chairman has to focus on the two important matters of “Formulating and reviewing a national policy relating to the prevention and control of the abuse of dangerous drugs” and “Co-ordinating the activities of agencies engaged in the prevention and control of dangerous drugs”.
I am aware that there are several committees functioning under the chairman on specific subjects as Legal Committees, Law Enforcement Committees etc. There are a few Law Enforcement Agencies such as the Police, the Customs and the Excise Department who act under the Poisonous and Dangerous Drugs Ordinance (PODD). Of the three, the Police have established a specialized Unit with experienced Police Officers, which is known as the Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB). If available records are perused, it will show that the representatives of the PNB who were members of the sub-committees have played a leading role in formulating new legislations as well as the co-ordination of all the other agencies. In most of the other countries the NDDCB is a pro-active organization with powers for law enforcement. The NDDCB too should be empowered with law enforcement. The NDDCB should activate and formulate a Special Task Force under the leadership of the Chairman of the NDDCB, consisting of Officers of the PNB, Customs and Excise Department to trace and apprehend financiers, smugglers and drug traffickers. A Drug Intelligence Unit has to be established by this Special Task Force to collect intelligence regularly as well as with the assistance of the other foreign Law Enforcement Agencies who are ever willing to help the NDDCB to identify and apprehend big time drug traffickers. The Navy, Army, STF and the Air Force can be supportive agencies to this Special Task Force whenever the necessity arises to conduct air surveillance, sea surveillance and apprehend or to conduct raids. This is not a difficult task.
The NDDCB is the only “focal” and contact point for all foreign Law Enforcement Agencies as well as foreign countries who offer assistance in training, financial grants, supplying equipment and vehicles etc., to the legitimate agencies in Sri Lanka. It is also the liaison agency with the drug law enforcement branches of the United Nations. The NDDCB has to come out of its shell as only a data collecting and propaganda unit.
I am certain that with the appointment of the present chairman we could experience a new change in arresting the supply of narcotic drugs, especially from across the sea from India and Pakistan. He should consider urgently setting up the Special Task Force to undertake law enforcement activities under his supervision.
B.Anton Jeyanathan is a retired DIG of the Sri Lanka police