Mark Beckford, Staff Reporter

Jamaica's presence on the United States' list of major drug transit or illicit drug-producing countries is because of the country's high cultivation of marijuana and the fact that the island remains a transit country for cocaine.

"Jamaica's presence on the list is by virtue of the fact that it meets the requirement as a major drug producer of cannabis and cannabis derivative products, as well as the fact tha the numbers are down significantly over past years, there is still some transit of cocaine through Jamaica's territory through the United States," said Andrea Lewis, director of the Narcotics Affairs section at the U.S. Embassy in St. Andrew.

The U.S Government issued a press release on Monday which grouped Jamaica with other countries such as India, Afghanistan, The Bahamas and Venezuela in a report by President George W. Bush to his nation's Congress.

The naming of these countries is as a result of considerations made by the U.S president of each country's performance in areas such as reducing illicit cultivation, interdiction, law enforcement cooperation, extradition, and measures to prevent and punish public corruption that facilitates drug trafficking or impedes drug-related prosecutions.

Ms. Lewis told The Gleaner that Jamaica had not met the requirement of having less than 5,000 hectares of the illegal plant and was still a transit for cocaine and marijuana.

According to statistics from the Narcotics Division, Jamaica has destroyed 387 hectares of grown ganja plants between January and August of this year when compared to 376 hectares in 2006.

A major producer

"Jamaica remains a major producer of marijuana and the Government is stepping up, has been stepping up its efforts to eradicate production and to interdict the flow of marijuana. But as long as the production levels remain as high as they are, Jamaica will remain on the list," Ms. Lewis said.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of National Security, Gilbert Scott, in a response to the naming of Jamaica told The Gleaner that while it was the view of the United States, Jamaica had actively pursued a programme of marijuana eradication. "We pursue very aggressively a marijuana eradication programme both with cultivation and the interception of the movement of marijuana and the arrest of persons involved."

Ms. Lewis was, however, quick to point out that Jamaica's presence on the list was not a reflection of its achievements against these drugs.

"It is no way an indication of a failure of performance; it should in no way be taken that a country supports narcotic trafficking or is lagging in its counter narcotics effort."

mark.beckford@gleanerjm.com