By Marvlin Anthony
The Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (RSLPF) received four drug testing kits from the Republic of China (Taiwan) yesterday, enhancing the RSLPF’s capacity to respond to drug-related offences.
The drug testing kits were developed and manufactured by Taiwan’s Investigation Bureau under the Ministry of Justice, according to Her Excellency Nicole Y.C. Su, Taiwan’s ambassador to Saint Lucia.
“They are easy to use and capable of providing rapid and reliable screening results for a variety of drugs. In Taiwan, these test kits have proven to be effective tools for law enforcement, enabling officers to swiftly and accurately identify suspicious substances in the field. Through this contribution, we are sure they will likewise assist the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force in combating the situation of narcotic substances and also enhancing public safety and security for all Saint Lucians,” she said at the handing over ceremony.
“In 2018, the Government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) and the Government of St Lucia… entered into an agreement of police cooperation … in order to further strengthen our shared vision and partnership… I have the pleasure to hand over 500 sets of wide screening reagents as well as 100 sets of marijuana reagents to the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force,” she stated.
The drug kits will make a tangible difference and “I believe it is very essential especially for our investigative procedures when we recover illegal substances on the scene,” Inspector in Charge of the Gangs, Narcotics, and Firearms Unit (GNFU), Shervon Matthieu, said.
“We will be able to test those substances and verify whether they’re drugs or not and what type of drugs it is,” he added.
He told reporters that the donation was timely “and we’re hoping that this is just the beginning of more donations to the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force as it relates to investigative procedures.”
“I can confidently affirm that these kits will significantly enhance our capacity to respond to drug related offenses, they will support frontline investigations, increase the accuracy of our assessments and reinforce our ongoing fight against the illegal drug trade,” Inspector Matthieu said.
According to him, the RSLPF is in a better position, because whilst “There were drug testing kits before, now that we’re getting more it will be easier … because most times we would have to get it to the lab for testing to verify what type of drugs it is.”