Drug Demand Reduction Task Force formed
If nothing else, this year’s drug awareness week is showing the National Drug Abuse Control Council the odds its up against. Today, the Council got a few more members in its corner to help spread their message.
Jacqueline Woods
12 people representing a cross section of the community were commissioned as members of the newly formed Belize City Drug Demand Reduction Task Force. The task force, which will work in conjunction with the National Drug Abuse Control Council, will advise government on all matters pertaining to drug reduction and implement drug awareness activities.
Ornel Brooks, Executive Director, NDACC
“Our staff is rather small and certainly we do not have the capacity to carry out all of the responsibilities that NDACC is mandated to carry out. So we got to spread our tentacles as such and the best way to do it is through the cooperation of the task force into the functional aspects of NDACC.”
Jacqueline Woods
“How are the task force members chosen?”
Ornel Brooks
“From a very broad spectrum of the community, we looked at the education section, the health section, the business community and the common man on the street as such because if we truly want to have a representative team that truly represents the community then we had to look right across the board.”
The members say they know the work will be challenging but they have all committed themselves and have joined in the fight to make Belize drug free.
Carol Babb, Member, Drug Demand Reduction Task Force
“We know that we have taken on a tremendous responsibility, but first we will have a meeting and then design a plan to come up with what are the best plans to fight drugs and to educate the public about the dangers of drugs.”
Other members include, Faye Gillette, Dr. Cardo Martinez, Licia Castillo, Crispin Jeffries, Rodel Perrera, Tanya Hulse, Yolanda Martinez, Pearlene Young, Raphael Aquet, Darrington Williams and Marlon McNab.
Jacqueline Woods for News Five.
Drug Week culminates tomorrow in Orange Walk with a National Drug Quiz.
