From 5 October to 21 October 2022, nineteen officials, including four women, from the Guyana Police Force, Guyana Defence Force, Guyana Revenue Authority, Cheddi Jagan International Airport and Ogle Airport Inc. actively participated in the Interdicting Small Arms, Ammunition, Parts and Components (ISAAPC) course in order to strengthen their capacities to combat and prevent the illicit trafficking of small arms, ammunition and explosives.
The course, organized by the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC) in a hybrid format, was the first of its kind delivered to officials in Guyana.
Illicit trafficking of firearms, ammunition, including their parts and components, and explosives is often carried out through postal shipments, packages, parcels and luggage at entry, exit, and transit points in the country. The three-week training combined practical and theoretical aspects, as participants learned about the fundamental aspects of X-ray technology for the identification of firearms, their parts and components, ammunition and explosives, as well as of common methods of concealment. The course included extensive practical training on an X-ray simulation programme developed by the Centre for Adaptive Security Research and Applications (CASRA), to enhance and develop participant´s capacities to detect illicit trafficking through X-ray scanners.
The specialized course was developed in line with UN Programme of Action on small arms, the Arms Trade Treaty and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, in particular target 16.4, and contributes towards regional efforts to prevent the illicit trafficking of firearms and ammunition to reduce firearms-related crimes and armed violence in the Caribbean as stipulated in the Caribbean Firearms Roadmap.
This activity was funded by Canada.
