Praise for the Attorney General

The Attorney General, Sen. the Hon. Anand Ramlogan, SC moves the second reading of the Precursor Chemicals (No. 2) Bill, 2014 in the 12th Sitting of the Senate on Tuesday 9th December, 2014.
Courtesy: Office the Parliament.

While the nation was unfortunately (and wastefully) caught up with the likes of Wayne Kublalsingh or we were subjected to the ongoing tirade between Dr. Rowley and Mr. Manning, our government has been working. In his Senate contribution on Tuesday Attorney General Anand Ramlogan piloted the Precursor Chemicals Bill (No. 2) 2014, a piece of legislation that would allow for the monitoring and limited use of precursor chemicals. The definition provided by the Attorney General for precursor chemicals was “any substance which may be used in any of the chemical processes involved in the production, manufacture or preparation of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances or those having a similar effect.”

In his delivery and true to form, Mr. Ramlogan gave sobering statistics and factual evidence that illustrated how much this Bill was needed. He touched on the mammoth potential this Bill had in denting the trade of illegal narcotics and reminded of Trinidad’s strategic location which makes it the perfect transshipment point. The AG utilized the powerful and disturbing example of the date rape of young women who are drugged with such chemicals at clubs or parties. Mr. Ramlogan also warned that locally produced chemicals used in making things as pharmaceuticals and plastics were also used in the manufacture of illegal drugs like cocaine and heroin. We all know the detrimental effects of substance abuse, so the need for such legislation cannot be sufficiently emphasized.

This Bill is yet another example of the Attorney General’s far reaching and ambitious vision for his home land. It is no secret that Mr. Ramlogan has not always been the recipient of praise and unfairly so. The Precursor Chemical Bill shows the true scope of the AG’s and the government’s thinking. By monitoring the production, importation and exporting of such chemicals, the misuse of these substances would be greatly reduced or even nullified. I think such moves by our nation’s leaders are to be praised and supported but not because we are blind followers as some would readily believe. It is because we are a people that can identify rationality, logic and action which benefits our country. The drug trade is the nucleus of endless social ills, but steps like this can only serve to protect the citizenry in the long term.

Z Persad

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