A three-day conference aimed at discussing the role of Caribbean universities in dealing with the complexities of illegal drugs starts in Jamaica tomorrow.
The Organization of American States (OAS), through the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD), and with the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), will host the “CICAD-CARICOM Regional Meeting with Caribbean Universities on the Drug Phenomenon”.
The organisers said it will be attended by leaders from eight Caribbean universities, governments and international organizations, who will discuss how to prepare graduates to tackle the social, economic and criminal consequences of the drug problem in the Caribbean, especially in the demand reduction field.
Experts from Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Peru, and Caribbean countries will share their knowledge with students from 12 countries of the region.
“The meeting seeks to elaborate a proposal to raise the role of universities in the Caribbean in preparing their professionals to deal with the complexities of drug issues in their fields, as well as analyze how to coordinate work across the region through a collaborative arrangement with the OAS and CARICOM,” the organisers said in a statement.
The three day event is being hosted by the University of the West Indies (UWI) and the National Council on Drug Abuse (NCDA) of Jamaica. It is being funded by the United States and Canada, as well as the European Community. (CMC)
