New Year’s Day Message from National Council on Substance Abuse

New Year’s Message from Chairman of the National Council on Substance Abuse Hadford Howell

Fellow Barbadians, I speak with you today on behalf of the Directors, Management and Staff at the National Council on Substance Abuse. I call us Team-NCSA.

As this is the Council’s first New Year’s Message, allow me to wish everyone a Happy, Blessed and Peaceful 2020. Some of you may be interested to learn what the Council did in 2019, and has planned for 2020. A lot, is the short answer.

You may also ask me if the Council’s efforts have been successful at helping Barbadians fight the drug scourge in particular, and substance abuse or mis-use in general. I therefore present a few facts for you on Team-NCSA’s efforts.

Established as a statutory body by Act of Parliament in 1995, the Council falls under the Ministry of Home Affairs. It has a Vision Statement: ‘to be the authority in Barbados for drug abuse reduction.’ The Council advises the Minister on:

1) measures to eradicate or control substance abuse;

2) ways to prevent the proliferation of illegal narcotic drugs.

The Council conducts programmes and projects in our schools, workplaces and communities which are designed to help prevent the use, elimination or control of substance abuse. The Council can authorise, facilitate and undertake research to identify new trends in drug usage. It is involved with the Drug Treatment Court, and cooperates with local, regional and international organisations engaged in similar lines of work to the Council in the Americas and Europe.

Let me bring to life some of the work done by Team-NCSA in 2019. I consider it nothing short of phenomenal. Indeed, 2019 was an interesting, fascinating but challenging year. The Council had many successes, along with the occasional disappointment. That’s life. Examples of initiatives implemented, which changed our operation for the better were: the appointment of a Deputy Manager; seven years of accounts (2012-19) brought up-to-date; management and accounting systems upgraded; public relations specialist engaged, resulting in increased Team-NCSA visibility in newspapers, on radio and on all social media platforms; 2020-2025 Barbados National Anti-Drug Plan was submitted; one-day Team-NCSA retreat held; new Employees Handbook issued; participated in overseas activities (including high-level staff training); helped to coordinate and host the 1st Caribbean Youth Forum in October; made contributions to forthcoming legislation on Medical Marijuana usage, breathalyser usage, and the new Liquor License acquisition process; signed MOUs with Barbados Drug Information Network stakeholders in the public and private sectors; commenced work on an Early Warning System that will form part of a new National Observatory; submitted the Council’s 2019 Annual Report.

Now to what the Council will be doing in 2020. We will participate in the 11-parish ‘We Gathering’ programme.

Team-NCSA is already engaged in St Lucy, parish #1. January is Drug Awareness Month in Barbados, so a full programme is in place to get through. The Council’s 25th Anniversary will be celebrated later in the year. Our two public educational campaigns, ‘Tek It Easy’ and ‘Clear De Smoke’ will be implemented. Our annual BARDIN report will be issued, with a major Primary School Survey research project being undertaken in quarter one. Out of necessity, we will be heightening our fundraising efforts and so, I use this opportunity to invite potential private sector entities that we will approach shortly to provide appropriate donations to help the Council’s efforts.

In 2020, in an ongoing effort to keep Barbados on the cusp of new developments in the substance abuse world, the Council will continue to collaborate with like-minded agencies and participate in related local, regional and international activities. Maintaining the Council’s public visibility and availability to respond and contribute more effectively to our nation’s well-being will be enhanced. Team-NCSA believe in the work we do. The support of Barbadians everywhere as we enter the third decade of the 21st Century is required.

The Council is now taskdriven, research and results-oriented. The valuable work the Council does is essential if we are to help steer Barbadians away from substance abuse and/or its misuse, not just at Christmas-time, but year-round. By being strong, creative and committed, and with the spirit of love, understanding, openness and honest communication, we can make Barbados a better place. I again wish Barbadians all that is good in 2020. Let us hope and prayer for a substance-abuse free society. I believe ‘Missions impossible’ can be turned into ‘missions achieved’. God bless you all.