In 2001 a Situational Analysis on Drug Demand Reduction issues in the Region was conducted to ascertain the status of drug use and policy and programmatic responses in CARICOM Member States. The Analysis revealed:

• That capacity within the institutions for demand reduction is weak.
   
• That most strategies in the region to address drug demand reduction have been heavily weighted towards primary prevention – the Master Plans indicate some priority setting, but implementation problems arise from the scores of recommendations from past reports.
   
• That Member States have made insufficient progress to improve demand reduction efforts in the Region.
   
• That there was not much focus on data collection to inform policy decisions.
   
• That country’s priorities were not always in favour of drug abuse epidemiological efforts – research and development have not been key foci of national drug councils.
   
• The virtual non-existence of treatment and rehabilitative services in the smaller islands.
   
• That treatment and rehabilitation needs are not addressed – for example no minimum standard of care for treatment and rehabilitation.
   
• That the most visible efforts in the region to combat drug use went into the enhancement of law enforcement capabilities.
   
• The limited resources (financial and human) of national drug councils.
   
• That prevention education programmes have proven to be ineffective.
   
• That there were no broad-based holistic approach to dealing with drug demand reduction in the context of other social issues affecting population groups – for example, issues with HIV/AIDS, crime and violence, sexual practices, etc.

As a result, and through a process of consultation with Member States, regional experts, and the Caribbean Epidemiological Centre (CAREC), the Regional Strategic Framework for Drug Demand Reduction was developed in 2001. The process was facilitated by CICAD. The Framework was approved in April 2001 in Antigua by CARICOM Meeting of the Inter-governmental Task Force on Drugs and Crime (IGTF). The draft Framework was submitted to and reviewed by a group of National Drug Councils (NDC) and Non-governmental Organisations (NGO) on 15 - 16 September 2001 in Georgetown, Guyana.

Later, in October 2001, the Framework was presented to, and endorsed by the Fifth Meeting of the Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD) which was held in Georgetown, Guyana. The Framework highlights the regional problem and outlines the goals, strategies and interventions in five categories for addressing the existing situation.

In November 2005, the Strategic Framework was reviewed by the Directors of the National Drug Council at its first meeting in Montego Bay, Jamaica. While the strategy was found to be still relevant and useful it was believed that critical issues such as HIV/AIDS and Substance abuse and interests for vulnerable groups, needed to be addressed as a priority. In this regard recommendations were made to update the Strategy to reflect the changes.

MEETING OF THE DIRECTORS OF NATIONAL DRUG COUNCIL AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A TECHNICAL ADVISORY BODY (TAB) FOR THE REGIONAL DRUG DEMAND REDUCTION

The 1st Meeting of the Directors of National Drug Council was held in November 2005 in Montego Bay, Jamaica with support from the Government of Spain. It was during this meeting that the Technical Advisory Body (TAB) for the Regional Drug Demand Reduction Strategy was established to provide oversight for the implementation and fast-tracking of the Regional Drug Demand Reduction Strategy.

Terms of Reference (TOR) for the Technical Advisory Body for Regional Drug Demand Reduction Strategy

The Terms of Reference was reviewed at the Second and Third meetings of the TAB, convened in September 2007 and February 2008, respectively.

The Technical Advisory Body for Regional Drug Demand Reduction Strategy (RDDRS) will include Directors of National Drug Councils, representatives from regional institutions / other territories and NGOs in the field of demand reduction and at least one high level representative from the regional task force on crime and security. The TAB will seek to extend technical support to the non – CARICOM countries in the interest and recognition of the implications of all Caribbean States and non- States and to advance the work to reduce illicit drugs in the region.

THE ROLES AND FUNCTIONS OF THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY BODY

The Technical Advisory Body will, inter alia:

1) Identify and advance critical issues on drug demand reduction to the Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD) and provide oversight to the implementation of the RDDRS. More specifically, the Technical Advisory Body will:

(a) Review national anti-drug policies and plan

(b) Assist national drug councils/agencies in the development of work plan/programme in keeping with the Regional Strategic Framework for Drug Demand Reduction

(c) Provide technical support at multi-sectoral meetings convened to identify synergies and mechanism for the inclusion of these in work-plans/programmes at the national level

(d) Provide technical assistance and monitor the implementation of the drug demand reduction strategy at national level

(e) Conduct annual review/evaluation of the status of implementation of the drug demand reduction program in Member States

(f) Provide technical advice for the development of project proposals and funding to support drug demand reduction programmes

(g) Evaluate the regional plan every three years and revise as appropriate

(h) Advocate for, and provide technical assistance for the establishment of National Drug Councils in Member States where these do not exist.

(i) Advocate for and identify strategies/best practices for integrating supply and demand reduction initiatives at regional and national levels.

(j) Build linkages and strengthen cooperation with other regional and international programmes.

(k) Mobilize resources for the implementation of the Regional Strategy for Drug Demand

2) The service provided by the members of the Technical Advisory body will be voluntary in nature.

3) Members of the Technical Advisory Body will be issued official letters of appointment.

4) The life of the TAB will be reviewed every three (3) years.

5) TAB members will be eligible to serve a term of three years herein after they can seek reappointment to serve another term.

6) The composition of the TAB will be expanded to include additional members in order to engage necessary stakeholder in the work of the group.

7) TAB members will be given opportunities to increase capacity by attending regional/international meetings.

Members of the TAB were peer selected based on their expertise in the field of Drug Demand Reduction. The present composition of the TAB is as follows:

CURRENT COMPOSITION OF THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY BODY
FOR THE REGIONAL DRUG DEMAND REDUCTION STRATEGY (2005 – 2008)

                       

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ACHIEVEMENTS (2005 – 2008)

•  The 1st Meeting of the Directors of National Drug Council (supported by the Government of Spain).

Resource Mobilization:

• 800 000 Euros became available under the 9th EDF for capacity building in the area of drug demand reduction.

Capacity Building:

•  Demand Reduction Workshop in the area of “Policy, Research and Policy Development”,  10-14 September 2007

- 45 Practitioners from the 15 Member States

•  “Monitoring and Evaluation” 26-28 March 2008:

- 13 Practitioners from 9 Member States and 1 Associate Member trained.

- Training Manuals developed.

Strengthening Information Systems:

•  Monograph on Substance Abuse and its Related Studies (1990 -2007).

•  Establishment of a web-based information system which aims at strengthening Caribbean Drug Networks.