KINGSTON: The Maritime Drug Trafficking (Suppression) (Amendment) Act, 2015, which will strengthen the country’s fight against the illegal drug trade, was tabled in the House of Representatives.
Minister of National Security Peter Bunting, who tabled the Bill, explained that it seeks to grant the security minister the power to waive Jamaica’s right to exercise jurisdiction over nationals who have been detained by law enforcement authorities of a treaty state.
“The law, enacted in 1998, allows the minister to waive Jamaica’s rights to exercise jurisdiction over vessels, cargo, and non-nationals but not over Jamaican nationals. It has been difficult to successfully prosecute cases when Jamaica has asserted jurisdiction over nationals,” Bunting said.
He added that with the country located in the corridor between the main drug-producing and drug-consuming countries, collaboration with the country’s international partners to prevent traffickers transiting the country’s waters is an absolute necessity.
“This amendment has become even more urgent as there has been an increase in cocaine traffic through the Caribbean as law enforcement concentrates on the Central American routes. It will also be useful in tackling the guns-for-drugs trade between Jamaica, Haiti, the Bahamas, and Florida,” the security minister said.
