16.10.

2018

PRIVATE NOTICE QUESTION

To ask the Honourable Prime Minister, Minister of Home Affairs, External Communication and
National Development Unit, Minister of Finance and Economic Development –

Whether, in regard to the “Rampant/Explosive Proliferation of Psychoactive

Substances” in Mauritius and Rodrigues, as noted at paragraph 2.16 of the Report
of Commission of Inquiry on Drug Trafficking in Mauritius, he will state if he has
discussed this state of affairs with the drug enforcement agencies and, if so,
indicate the outcome thereof?

REPLY

Madam Speaker,

I wish to inform the House that the Government Programme 2015-2019

enunciates that a Commission of Inquiry on Drug Trafficking will be set up
and Government shall pursue a relentless fight against drug traffickers. This
Government has kept its promise and today, we are in the presence of the
Report which will boost up our fight against drug traffickers.

It is relevant to point out that the World Health Organisation, in the

context of management of substance abuse, defines Psychoactive
Substances as I quote:

“Substances that, when taken in or administered into one’s system,

affect mental processes, for example cognition or affect. This term
and its equivalent, psychotropic drug, are the most neutral and
descriptive term for the whole class of substances, licit and illicit, of
interest to drug policy.”
Unquote
Madam Speaker,

The Commission of Inquiry, to remind the House, was appointed by

this Government on 14th of July 2015, to inquire into and report on all aspects
of drug trafficking in Mauritius, including “the availability of new types of
drugs, including synthetic and designer drugs in Mauritius” and “the
operational effectiveness of the various agencies involved in the fight against
drug trafficking”. Thus, paragraph 2.16 of the Report of the Commission of
Inquiry, referred to by the Honourable Leader of the Opposition is one of the
findings of the Commission.

Madam Speaker,

The issue of drugs forms part of my daily discussions with the

Commissioner of Police and other drug Enforcement Agencies, and
emphasis is always laid on additional effective measures that should be
enforced to curb down proliferation of drugs and other illicit substances.

I wish to stress that many of the recommendations contained in the

Report of the Commission of Inquiry had already been implemented either
before the setting up of the Commission or during the period it was
conducting its exercise.

Madam Speaker,

The various measures that were initiated by the Police to prevent and
control entry of illicit drugs including synthetic drugs in Mauritius and to curb
abuse thereof were extensively enumerated in the reply to Parliamentary
Question B/52 of 27th of March 2018.

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Madam Speaker,

Let me inform the House that all enforcement agencies including

ADSU, MRA, FIU, ICAC, Ministry of Defence and Rodrigues, Ministry of
Health and Quality of Life, Ministry of Education and Human Resources,
Tertiary Education and Scientific Research among others are working
relentlessly and as a team in the fight against proliferation of illicit drugs in
all its forms.

Additionally, to control proliferation of illicit drugs, the MRA Customs has

already acquired:
1. A Fast Interceptor Boat;
2. Low bed mobile scanner;
3. Vessel Tracking System;
4. Scanners in the Port and Airport;
5. Tools like portable contraband buster, fiberscope and trace
detector; and
6. Drones.

Additionally, a joint team comprising MRA Customs, Police and

Mauritius Ports Authority is already patrolling the Port Area.

Moreover, action has been initiated for the following:

1. Acquisition of whole body scanner at the Airport to detect stuff and
swallowed drugs;
2. Drugs Loo to facilitate disposal of swallowed drugs;

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 3. Enzyme Multiplied Immunoassay Technique – EMIT urine test for
detection of traces of dangerous drugs in urine;
4. Acquisition of more scanners for fast and efficient control of all
incoming passengers;
5. Acquisition of an additional Fast Interceptor Boat and rapid hull
Interceptor Boats;
6. Acquisition of other technological tools such as portable contraband
buster, fiberscope, Handheld Mini Z Scanners (3 dimensional
imaging), Handheld narcotics Analyser and trace detectors;
7. Additional sniffer dogs to reinforce the existing team from 12 to 24
by 2021 which will be imprinted for detection of precursor chemicals
and other drugs, one of them will be at Rodrigues;
8. Upgrading of CCTV Camera network in the Port Area in
collaboration with Cargo Handling Corporation Ltd and Mauritius
Ports Authority; and
9. Palletised cargo scanner at PATS warehouse, Ground 2 Air and at
Yu Lounge.

In order to define and control the entry of equipment which could be

used for the manufacture of synthetic drugs, Customs is already
administering the provision and restriction of goods under national
legislations.

The Forensic Science Laboratory has on its part already set up several
units for specialized service provision, including a Drugs Unit as well as a
Research Development Unit. These units are manned by fully trained
scientists to handle drugs.

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 Since June 2017, an Inter Agency Cooperation Working Group
comprising the ICAC, the FIU, the Police, the FSC, the GRA, the Mauritius
Prisons Service, the Integrity Reporting Service Agency and the MRA, has
been set up upon the initiative of the Director General of ICAC primarily to
facilitate the sharing of information among these agencies.

Adequate and specialized training in drug detection has already been

given to all law enforcement officers. Drug Identification Test kits have also
been provided.

Import of Precursor items is now being controlled by the Ministry of

Health and Quality of Life through the establishment of a quota system. Both
direct and indirect precursors are listed in the Dangerous Drugs Act. Direct
precursors are parts of registered pharmaceutical products and therefore
they are subject to double control. The Ministry of Health and Quality of Life
in collaboration with other partners such as FSL are presently working on the
scheduling of a new list of synthetic drugs to exercise better control.

Sniffer dogs of the MRA have been trained to detect a wider range of
drugs including synthetics substances and selected currencies. These dogs
are now being trained to detect tobacco and cigarettes.

Madam Speaker,

The Ministry of Education and Human Resources, Tertiary Education

and Scientific Research is actively engaged, together with partner institutions
in the implementation of activities to address the Drug Demand Reduction
and drug use prevention in schools.

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 As Preventive and Control measures dealing with the issue of
drug abuse, the Ministry of Education and Human Resources, Tertiary
Education and Scientific Research is adopting a zero-tolerance policy in
regard to drug issues in schools. In this regard, strict control measures have
been introduced at the level of classes and school compounds.

Heads of schools have been advised to be in the front line and act as
role models for our students; they should establish links between the home,
the school and the community in respect of children suffering from social,
emotional and behavioural problems. Individual and group counselling is
being provided in a focused manner.

The Ministry is also working in collaboration with the UNODC for:

(a) the elaboration and validation of a Drug Use Prevention
Curriculum for 12 -16 year old students;
(b) the conduct of a Drug Prevention Programme at the level
of secondary schools; and
(c) Training of Trainers programmes for Head of schools,
educators, resource persons, health workers and NGOs of
both Mauritius and Rodrigues;

In addition, the Ministry of Education has in collaboration with

institutions such as Brigade pour la Protection des Mineurs, ADSU and
Ministry of Health sensitized over 200,000 students of primary and
secondary schools over the period 2015 to date.

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 The Ministry is leaving no stone unturned to combat this scourge at all
levels. A concerted approach has been adopted among stakeholders and
every step is being taken to maintain a safe and supportive environment at
school.

Madam Speaker,

I am also informed that in response to the proliferation of psychoactive

substances, the Ministry of Health and Quality of Life has, since 2016, after
the closure of NATReSA, been conducting an extensive sensitization
campaign against drug targeting mainly the youth, both school children and
non-school children, as well as communities, work places and the public at
large. During the last 3 years and as at today, 83, 754 students have been
reached.

38,384 individuals have also been reached at community level and a

further 16, 587 employees have been reached at workplaces.

With regard to treatment and rehabilitation programme, the Ministry of

Health and Quality of Life is implementing the Harm Reduction programme
mainly the Methadone Substitution Therapy and the Needle Exchange
Programme as well as a Suboxone/Naltrexone-based Detoxification
Programme. The Ministry of Health and Quality of Life also supports NGOs
in the Codeine based programme, again targeting people with Substance
Use Disorder.

The number of beneficiaries of the Methadone Substitution Therapy

Programme is over 4,500.

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 Moreover, the Ministry of Health and Quality of Life has recently
embarked on a Rehabilitation Programme for young people under 18 with
addiction issues at Long Mountain Hospital on a residential basis. For the
first time, such a unit has been set up and is operational since two weeks.

It is to be noted that a Rehabilitation Centre is already operational at

Mahebourg Hospital for those above 18 years of age.

These centers are being run by a multidisciplinary team consisting of

psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, nurses and representatives of
NGOs.

In addition, the Ministry of Health and Quality of Life has also set up an
Addiction Unit in all five Health Regions under the care of a Multidisciplinary
team.

We are also decentralizing treatment to the Primary Health Care

settings to provide psychosocial support.

I can assure the House that the Ministry of Health and Quality of Life
will pursue its endeavors to reinforce these measures.

Madam Speaker,

Our fight does not end with the control of entry or consumption of illicit
drugs only, as a Government, we are addressing the issue holistically and
not only through a repressive approach.

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 That is why, we are discouraging our citizens from an abusive use of
tobacco and alcohol which are also considered as psychoactive substances,
side by side, we are encouraging our Youth and the population at large to
indulge in Sports activities. The recent launching of a National Sport and
physical activity policy goes in this direction.

The drug problem in our country is a national issue and I have always
put this issue above party politics.

Madam Speaker,

Let me reassure the House that I am determined, more than ever

before, to continue cleaning the rot that has set in because of years of
inaction. We are devoting all the necessary resources to step up our
relentless battle against drug trafficking in a sustainable manner. In our
crusade against drug trafficking, as long as I am Prime Minister, there will be
no retreat no surrender, come what may.