A one-week Regional Security System (RSS) Course for Police Prosecutors in Drug Prosecution and Confiscation for OECS Member states and Barbados has been dubbed a “success”.
The Course ran from 27th to 31st March 2017 in Barbados.
This is the second course of this nature ran by the RSS, the first being held in October 2015.
The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) of Barbados, Charles Leacock Q.C gave the feature address at the closing graduation ceremony.
He stressed the need for Caribbean Islands to get rid of the “Preliminary Inquiry” (PI) regime, to afford defendants a fair trial within “a reasonable time as enshrined in their constitutions”.
The Director of training praised the efforts of the facilitators and indicated that funding had been secured for the next three years and to revert the course to either two weeks, or to create an online component where the final week can be done in Barbados.
The facilitator for the one-week course was Dominican attorney Clement Joseph who is attached to the DPP’s office in theTurks and Caicos Islands. He also worked as a prosecutor at the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution in Dominica.
Joseph was assisted by Sergeant Dane Bontiff of the Royal Antigua Police Force. Bontiff is originally from Woodford Hill, Dominica.
Sergeant Hans Francis and Corporal Terry Royer of the Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force attended the course.
Joseph described the course as “intensive” and stated that it focused on such topics as The Role of the Prosecutor; Evidence in chief; Cross Examination; Re-examination; Element of Possession; Drug Trafficking; Search warrants; Analyst Report; Chain of custody; and tendering exhibits. Confiscation Proceedings were also discussed.
The concept of the Course was the brainchild of Superintendent Yvonne Alexander (Ret) while she served as Director of Training at the RSS and was recognized for her role in bringing it to fruition.
The war against drugs is fought on the field. We see the police doing a magnificent job, tracking, arresting, confiscating, interviewing, and laying charges.
But the ultimate victory is won in the court. Shoddy court room procedure can lose the battle and sometimes does.
This RRS COURSE will contribute to a better performance on the field and in the court. I hope other nations will pick up on this. The war against drugs can be won.
Sincerely, Rev. Donald Hill.
DOMINICANS ALWAYS SHINE TO THE BONE
Well done, Attorney Clement Joseph and Sgt. Dane Bontiff, sons of the soil