US Ambassador Brent Hardt says budgetary constraints have stalled plans for the setting up of a Drug Enforce-ment Administration (DEA) office in Guyana but it is still an aim of the US government as part of its cooperation on security in this country.
“When I arrived in 2011, we were on tight budgetary measures and so anytime you talk about opening new offices in a budget environment like that it is very difficult… barring the DEA closing offices in another country, which would free up the personnel and resources to set up an office here—that’s been a constraint,” he told Stabroek News during an exclusive interview last week.
“We have had excellent cooperation with the Govern-ment of Guyana and law enforcement agencies in combatting drugs,” he said. “Our DEA office [in the region] is located in Trinidad but they come down here on a regular basis. Since I arrived I have been pushing for them to step up their presence and they have responded positively to that. They work closely with