Narcotic Trafficking and National Security

The magnitude of the destabilizing threat of trafficking in illegal narcotics was vividly brought home with the recent testimony before the Senate Armed Services subcommittee on emerging global threats by Mr. William F. Wechler, deputy assistant secretary of defense in the United States and an internal Justice Department report leaked to Mexico’s El Universal this week.

Mr. Wechler said that when we discuss the transnational nature of this threat, this includes criminal activities that take place outside as well as within the United States. “The drug trade is inherently associated with creating instability” and is “often a localized funding source for insurgent and criminal groups.” He went on to say that the drug cartels had extensive operations within the United States. The Justice Department report indicated that Mexican drug-trafficking organizations have affiliates in at least 1,286 U.S. cities, with 143 reporting directly to cartel leaders.

The murder and mayhem associated with the operation of the drug cartels along both sides of the Mexican border with the United States has escalated to the level of a major conflict with the death tolls rivaling those of declared wars.

Besides the deaths caused by gang warfare and terrorist activities, there is the corrosive effect of bribery of public officials and ordinary citizens leading to a general breakdown of law and order and a distrust of government. This is a recipe for social chaos and an ultimate collapse of civil governance.

The authorities in the United States are concerned about their ability to combat the growing influence and reach of the drug cartels and the implications of an ultimate collapse of civil governance to the south of their border.

Closer to home we have a sense of the growing influence of narco-traffickers and their impact upon our societies. In some instances the illegal drug trade dwarfs the legitimate economic activities of some of our neighbors to the west and the corruption of the law enforcement agencies has reached alarming proportions.

Senior officers of the Barbados Police Force are concerned about the high level of crime in Barbados related to illegal narcotics trafficking and indeed the statistics are alarming. These statistics however only tell part of the story as they relate to specific acts of criminality. What is not recorded is the pervasive corrosiveness at all levels of the society through bribery, pandering to greed and intimidation. It is this cancer that left unchecked would destroy our society, ruin our economy and savage our quality of life.

There is probably no greater danger to our national security that we face than that of the illegal trade in narcotics. If it is such a grave threat to the security of the United States imagine the long term consequences of its impact on our society.

No single institution of government or civil society can address the scourge of the illegal trade in narcotics and the attendant destruction of people’s lives through addiction or by encouraging people to engage in criminal activities.

It is time that we engage in national consultations to specifically address the problems of narcotic addiction and trade and its threat to our national integrity and our economy. We have had a number of successes at blunting some of the effects of narcotic trafficking but I sense that this is but the tip of the iceberg.

What we need is an open discussion about the nature of narcotic addiction and its dangers as well as the appropriate and enforceable anti-narcotic legislation that can be enforced in such a way as to not bring the law into disrepute. At the same time we must develop an action programme that will gain the enthusiastic support and participation of the general population.

Now is the time for action before we reach the tipping point that so many of the Mexican towns seem to have crossed.

Phillip.goddard@braggadax.com

Core Values of the Barbadian Society

Earlier this week our Prime Minister, the Hon Freundel Stewart, emphasized that the issue of protection against criminal activity was equally important to visitors and residents alike. He underscored the position that law enforcement resources would be deployed to afford equal protection to all in Barbados thus reiterating the position of successive leaders of our country that there was equal protection under the law for all in our country. He underscored the position that there was one Barbados for all of us, residents and visitors alike, and the greatest stability was to be found by hewing to that policy and rejecting divisive solutions for special interests and elusive short term gain.

In an increasingly turbulent world with both physical and cultural tectonic plates in violent collision it is time for us to reflect on the core values that have sustained and nourished us over the years. We must draw strength from our love of freedom, respect for the due process of law, tolerance for others and a sense of self worth that allows us to resist the turbulence of the age. A turbulence that seeks to destroy rather than build by applying the politics of hate and anger, coupled with a descent into character assassination and personal vituperation.

It is a time to remember the values that we cherish in the selection of our friends and allies and in the identification of those that would cause us harm. We should rise above the raw emotions fueled by spurious racial or sectarian hatred and address the issues of policy and global events based on our core values that respect the value of life, personal freedoms and equal rights for all.

Barbadians have long treasured our democracy and jealously guard their rights to choose their leaders. They value the institutions that are a critical component of a democratic system of government while recognizing that our democracy is a work in progress as we seek to continually improve the quality of governance.

While listening to the daily call in programs there seems to be a level of emotionalism that feeds on xenophobia and exploits divisive fissures in our society. There seems to be a constant blame game as the public pursues the latest witch hunt. Much of the dialogue is heavily weighted on the identification of problems with which to pillory an individual, a group or whole nations. The moderators do their best to bring a balance and try to interject some reason to the discussions but quite often in vain.

Similarly, commentary is evident in the press where some seem to abandon the idea that the things that we value in our society should not be valued elsewhere and that the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights can be ignored. There is no other explanation for the fact that we see apologists for the likes of Gadhafi and Hugo Chavez that seem to be based on a mixture of anti-Americanism and racist phobia. Human rights are alright for the Western World but seem to be malleable in the developing world though we jealously guard them here at home.

It is time that we start to address the problems that we face by dealing with the issues before us without personal acrimony. Critical analysis and problem solving should be at the heart of our discussions with recognition that there is often no perfect answer but a solution that is best for most of us. It is a time for us to come together to solve the many difficulties that we face and to recognize that some are of our own making and therefore something that we can solve ourselves.

In so doing we must hew to the core values of our society that have stood us in good stead in the past and will do so in the future.

phillip.goddard@braggadax.com

Do We Have an Implementation Deficit Disorder?

Over the years there have been calls from Ministers of Government, professional observers and business leaders for increased productivity in both the business community and the public sector. Once again we are being exhorted by the former governor of the Barbados Central Bank, Sir Courtney Blackman, to reorganize the business of government starting with the way the Cabinet conducts its business. This echoes the observation by Ms. Mia Mottley in the last budget debate that we have a government structure and a way of doing business that we can no longer afford. I agree with both of them.

I remember the Right Excellent Sir Frank Walcott, one of our national heroes, saying that productivity was a function of management and in large measure he was right on this. All too often when we see public examples of poor productivity we tend to blame those who are on the work site or at the service counter. We should look further.

A good cook knows that the easiest and quickest way to prepare a meal is to organize the utensils, work space and ingredients before turning on the stove. A clean organized kitchen allows one to produce meals quickly, efficiently and with a minimum of waste. I call this the choreography of work. We could use more of it outside of the kitchen.

The best worker in the world can only produce what the system or structure of work allows him or her to produce. It is here that we have to address our minds and develop systems of organization, material flow and supervisory inputs to ensure that work is done efficiently and right the first time. It is all about working smarter instead of working harder. In fact working smarter usually means reducing the workload while getting more done.

We spend far too little time in planning and follow up while leaving work crews in remote places to perform work without adequate tools, materials or supervision. At the same time we are burdened with a multiplicity of tasks without adequate prioritization. A constant review of the functions of government should focus on those things that are of vital importance to us and relegate the frivolous to the back burner or the dust bin.

All of this has been articulated before by many noteworthy individuals in our society. There is a urgent need for leaders in both the business community and government to grasp the nettle and develop new standards and structures of work to significantly improve our levels of productivity across the board. Many of us know what has to be done and much of that knowledge resides at the bottom of many organizations. However it is a time for leadership to articulate fresh and vigorous objectives and to put in place systems and structures that will achieve new goals.

This is not a one shot deal but rather an ongoing process that constantly seeks to question what we are doing and ask if we can we do it better. Such a process needs to be institutionalized. Effectively done, it will improve worker morale, enhance individual self worth and benefit the whole society. A national program to improve productivity is the true poverty alleviation program.

This calls for energetic and vigorous leadership with new thinking to create a dynamic environment that overcomes our seemingly perpetual implementation deficit disorder.

phillip.goddard@braggadax.com