THEME:

The study investigates the various impacts of drug trafficking on the community of Iere Village, Princes Town.

CANDIDATE’S NAME:

Geeta Sarah Seunarine

CANDIDATE’S NUMBER:

1600160694

SCHOOL:

Cowen Hamilton Secondary

SUBJECT:

Caribbean Studies

TEACHER:

Ms. Ellis
 T O P I C: P A G E NO. :

 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 3

 INTRODUCTION 4

 LITERATURE REVIEW 7

 DATA COLLECTION SOURCES 10

 PRESENTATION OF FINDINGS 13

 INTERPRETATION OF FINDINGS 20

 DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS 24

 CONCLUSIONS, LIMITATIONS AND

RECOMMENDATIONS 27

 BIBLIOGRAPHY 31

 APPENDICES 32
I would like to express my gratitude to the following people for assisting me in successfully

organising and completing my Caribbean Studies Internal Assessment in its entirety both

thoroughly and diligently:

 Firstly, my Caribbean Studies teacher, Ms. Ellis, for edifying me on all the necessary

topics required to understand and commence this assignment and for guiding me

wholeheartedly throughout.

 Secondly, the Librarians of Cowen Hamilton for helping me gather essential

information on the theme I chose to research including lending me the Nelson Thornes’

C.A.P.E. Caribbean Studies Study Guide textbook.

 Thirdly, my family members, neighbours and community members whom I

interviewed, inquiring their opinions on my selected topic, “The Impacts of Drug

Trafficking on the Community of Iere Village, Princes Town” and for filling out the

questionnaire given.

 Fourthly, my lovely parents for acquiring all the necessary materials like letter-size

coloured paper, folders, ink etc. and for their encouragement and support.

 Finally, the Almighty God for sparing life and instilling in me the knowledge, wisdom,

strength and guidance to do this project.

I thank you all and truly could not have completed this assignment without you.

3
RELEVANCE OF THE TOPIC

In recent times, there has been a surfacing of new local drug markets in the once very

crime-free community of Iere Village, Princes Town. One year ago the first drug dealer came to

sell drugs in the community and just a few months back a member of the community living at the

other end of the village started selling drugs as well. This has caused the residents to feel unsafe

as there are now criminals and drug addicts entering the community seeking to buy drugs. The

police officers who are aware of the situation have decreased their visits lately for suspicious

reasons which have sourced more panic by the residents.

These circumstances have in turn caused an increase in the crime-rate in the area where

crimes such as burglaries, robberies and trespassing have become massively prominent as

lowlifes who enter the community to buy drugs have invaded most of the upper class and several

middle class homes in the area. The youths of the village are now getting involved in drugs as

well. Examination of this quandary in Iere Village is the main reason that influenced a thorough

conduction on the study of the effects and impacts of drug trafficking in Iere Village.

4
PROBLEM STATEMENT

The title of this study is, “The Impacts of Drug Trafficking on the Community of Iere

Village, Princes Town”. Iere Village is a rural district found in the country of Trinidad and

Tobago. It comprises of a main road and four interconnecting streets that intertwine with one

another at the end and is home to approximately four hundred and fifty residents. Iere Village is

a peaceful community but recently has become quite unsafe due to the introduction of drug

dealing in the community. At the end of the study the following questions should be answered;

What are the impacts of drug trafficking on the community?, What are the effects of drug

trafficking on the residents?, What are the crimes caused by drug trafficking in the village?,

What are the social and economic impacts of selling drugs in the community?, What are the

effects of drug trafficking on the youths? and What can be done to stop drug trafficking in the

area?

EDUCATIONAL VALUE

This study has abundant educational value as drug trafficking in small communities is not

only a major problem in Trinidad and Tobago but also worldwide. Attaining knowledge about

the effects of drug trafficking on a community can give an insight on the relationship between

local drug markets, drug sellers and their lost communities which can in turn provide solutions

on how to prevent drug dealing in the local communities. The research project will be beneficial

to the police force, the Ministry of National Security as well as Law, Psychology and Sociology

students. These institutions and personnel can gain information on the causes and effects of drug

trafficking and what can be done to stop it.

5
DEFINITION OF TECHNICAL TERMS

Drugs – Medicine or other substances which have a physiological effect when ingested or

otherwise introduced into the body.

Drug Trafficking – the term used to describe the production, distribution and sale of illegal

drugs.

Drug Prohibition Law – prohibited-based law by which governments prohibit, except under

license, the production, supply and possession of many, but not all, substances which are

recognised as drugs.

Symbiosis – a mutually beneficial relationship between different people or groups.

6
 To date there has been little research into the impact of drug dealing and dealers on

communities in which they operate, and the nature of the relationship between them. However,

there are a few studies that have been done to document how drug trafficking affects the

community. In an effort to understand the impacts of drug trafficking on the community of Iere

Village a number of sources were examined. In order to study the impacts of drug trafficking, a

definition of what is drug trafficking is necessary. The United Nations Office on Drugs and

Crime (UNODC) (Crime, 2015) states that drug trafficking is a global illicit trade involving the

cultivation, manufacture, distribution and sale of substances which are subject to drug

prohibition laws.

Local drug markets are linked with both the legal and illegal economies of the

neighbourhoods in which they are situated. The Institute for Criminal Policy Research, King’s

College London (Tiggey May, 2005) presented findings from a study examining drug dealing in

four English communities in which they found that though drug sellers’ activities caused

widespread concern among residents and to a majority caused them to feel unsafe in their own

surroundings, they were to a greater or lesser extent bringing money and cheap goods into their

neighbourhoods.

The study stated that neighbourhoods with a strong sense of community identity

facilitates the emergence of drug markets which in turn can become a symbiosis in the

7
community benefitting members who are not directly involved in terms of stolen, cheap goods

circulating through the community and linking to the illegal economy. However, the study also

noted that the local ‘legal’ economy is diminishing as losses in businesses in drug dealing areas

are pre-eminent as well as expensive security system installations by the upper class people who

reside in such tarnished zones cause the financial depletion of certain parts of the community.

The study also stated that the major effect of dealing drugs in small communities is the increased

presence of police in these areas as police patrols become an everyday viewing.

The U.S. Department of Justice, National Drug Intelligence Center, National Drug Threat

Assessment 2010 (Justice, 2010) had determined in their study that the participation of young

people in the drug market was reported to be increasing. They also stated that the damage caused

by drug abuse, addiction and trafficking is now reflected in an overburdened justice system, a

strained healthcare system, lost productivity and environmental destruction. Local drug markets

give the communities a negative reputation which brings immense concern to the residents. It

was assumed that due to the local drug markets, violence increases in the area.

In an article entitled, “Drug Abuse, Drug Trafficking and Organised Crime” by Ms.

Hanifa Mezoui of the U.S. Office of the President of the General Assembly 2012 (Mezoui,

2012), there is an outline of the outrageous surplus of crime during the years in the drug selling

communities as drug lords are developing gang turfs in the particular communities and

horrendous murders and gun wars have become an everyday depiction. She also stated that

burglaries and vandalization of property were at an all time high in these areas as drug buyers

steal from residents in order to purchase more drugs which causes migration of residents to a

safer community. Other crimes caused by drug trafficking listed by Voices of Youth

(Community, 2012) includes robbery/theft, kidnapping and trespassing.

8
 In a research piece done by the National Drug Council of the Government of the

Republic of Trinidad and Tobago (Government, 2009) entitled, “Impact of the Drug Trade on the

Community”, there was a highlight on the community’s role in tackling the local drug market in

terms of sticking together and powering a dynamic and substantial retaliation as each community

is different therefore the same legal procedures of the justice system will not work in every

community. To summarize the studies/research pieces, articles, books and any other data

reviewed on the effects and impacts of drug trafficking on the community it can be concluded

that in addition to punishing dealers, other agencies besides the police need to be involved.

Community support is needed and to engender this the ambivalent relationships that

some communities have with their illicit economies needs to be understood. Preventing young

people from entering a drug market, either as sellers or runners, needs to be tackled at local level

and needs to involve professionals whom young people trust and are able to communicate with.

Different sorts of markets will demand different sorts of responses and if those who tackle local

drug markets misunderstand and over simplify the way in which they work, the risk of failure

will be high.

9
RESEARCH DESIGN

The type of research that will be conducted in the study is Applied Research. Applied

Research is a form of systematic inquiry involving the practical application of science. It

accesses and uses some part of the research communities’ accumulated theories, knowledge,

methods and techniques for a specific, often state-, business-, or client- driven purpose. The

study is investigating the impacts of drug trafficking in the community of Iere Village, Princes

Town hence a quantitative design within applied research is most appropriate as there are no

qualitative data existing on the issue and the views of the residents are essential in determining

the impacts of drug trafficking in the community.

The Quantitative Method emphasizes objective measurements and the statistical,

mathematical or numerical analysis of data collected through polls, questionnaires and surveys or

by manipulating pre-existing statistical data using computational techniques. Applied Research

also deepens the understanding of the problem chosen to analyze and quantitative data allows

obtaining data on a large scale.

10
METHOD OF DATA COLLECTION

The method of data collection used is conventional printed questionnaires. A

questionnaire is a set of pre-set questions given to persons who make up the population of the

study. It serves four basic purposes: to 1.) collect the appropriate data, 2.) make data comparable

and amenable to analysis, 3.) minimize bias in formulating and asking questions and 4.) to make

questions engaging and varied. Questionnaires are an appropriate method of data collection as

they are easy to distribute and quantitative data is collected which can be analyzed thoroughly. It

is also suitable as the study is focused on residents of Iere Village, Princes Town and

questionnaires can be given directly to them to be completed. The questionnaires can also be

generalized to the wider communities surrounding for larger studies. The conventional

questionnaire designed consists of seventeen (17) close-ended questions and five (5) open-ended

questions (Appendix 1).

SELECTION OF SAMPLE

Iere Village has an approximate population of four hundred and fifty (450) persons. The

population of the sample was chosen by using the Systematic Sampling Method. Systematic

sampling allows the researcher to select every nth household to fill out the questionnaires with ‘n’

being a particular number chosen by the researcher. In this study every 5th household in Iere

Village was selected where the researcher started with the very first house at the beginning of the

village. The randomly selected member of each household was given a brief description of the

study and asked to fill out the questionnaire. A total number of ninety (90) households were

selected. The sampling method allowed random sampling with a systematic design as the sample

space was able to spread evenly over the population reducing bias and increasing the objectivity,

validity and reliability of the data collected within the study.

11
COLLECTION OF DATA

The study was conducted in January 2015. Four weeks in the month of January, dated

from the 4th to the 31st, were used to carry out the study. Upon distribution of the questionnaire to

the respondents, they were given three days to complete and return the questionnaire to the

researcher. A few problems experienced during the execution of the study were that the

researcher had to go and personally retrieve the questionnaires as the respondents failed to hand

it in on time, the questionnaire was given to a different member of the household to fill out

instead of the person selected by the researcher and the questionnaire had to be given out a

second time to some residents of the population of the study as they had lost theirs.

ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

The data collected would be analyzed using quantitative methods of data analysis where

the data would be organised and presented graphically and also in a tabular format. Descriptive

statistics would also used in analyzing and presenting the data collected.

12
 Figure 1: A Column Graph Showing the Impacts of Drug Trafficking on the Community of

Iere Village

Graph Showing Number of Respondents (y-axis) Against

Impacts (x-axis)
Increased Presence of Police in the
area
45
Increased Presence of Criminals in
No. of Respondents

40 the area
Increased Violence/Crime in the
35
area
30 Distribution of cheap, traded goods
to community members
25
20
15
10
5
0
Increased Increased Increased Distribution of
Presence of Presence of Violence/Crime cheap, traded
Police in the Criminals in the in the area goods to
area area community
members
Impacts of Drug Trafficking on the Community

Figure 1 is a column graph that shows the number of respondents that selected the major impact of drug

trafficking on the community of Iere Village. 10 respondents chose increased presence of police in the area as the

primary impact, 20 respondents selected increased presence of criminals in the area, 42 residents decided upon

increased violence and crime in the area and 18 people chose distribution of cheap, traded goods to certain poor

13
families in the neighbourhood as the leading impact of selling drugs in the community.

Figure 2: A Pie Chart Showing the Effects of Drug Trafficking on the Residents of Iere Village

Pie Chart Showing the Percentage of Major Effects of

Drug Trafficking on the Residents

4.45%

Feeling of insecurity in and around

home
24.44% Youths now getting involved in drugs
44.44%
Desire to leave the community

26.67% No effects whatsoever

Figure 2 is a pie chart showing the percentage of respondents that chose the major effects of selling

drugs on the residents of Iere Village. The main effect was the residents’ feeling of insecurity in and

around their home which was indicated by 44.44%. Secondly was the involvement of youth in

drugs, which was indicated by 26.67%. Thirdly was the villagers’ desire to leave the community

(24.44%) and lastly 4.45% opted that the drug situation in the community had no effect on them

whatsoever.

14
 Figure 3: A Line Graph Showing the Different Crimes Caused by Drug Trafficking in the

Area

Line Graph Showing the Number of Respondents

Against the Different Crimes Caused by Drug
Trafficking
45
40 39

35
No. of Respondents

30
25
25
20
16
15
10
5
5 2 3
0
Burglary Robbery/Theft Trespassing Kidnapping Murder Other
Crimes Caused by Drug Trafficking in the Community

The line graph above indicated that burglary was the most prominent crime occurring that was

caused by the drug dealing in the neighbourhood as 39 respondents selected that option on the

questionnaire. 25 residents chose robbery/theft as the principal crime caused by drug trafficking, 16

people picked trespassing, 5 selected kidnapping, 2 persons determined that murder was the leading

crime caused while 3 respondents favoured the option ‘other’.

15
 Figure 4: A Bar Graph Showing the Effects of Drug Trafficking on the Youths of the

Community
Effects of Drug Trafficking on the Youths of the

Selling drugs with the local dealers 11.11%

Dropping out of school 23.33%

Community

Hanging around bad company 34.45%

Youths now doing drugs 31.11%

0.00% 5.00% 10.00% 15.00% 20.00% 25.00% 30.00% 35.00%

Percentage of Respondents

The bar graph above shows that 31.11% of the population of the study appointed the major effect of

drug trafficking on the youths of the village as youths are now doing drugs, 34.45% stated the prime

effect was they were now hanging around bad company, 23.33% selected dropping out of school and

11.11% chose youths are now helping the local dealers sell drugs to make a quick buck as the main

effect of selling drugs on the children of the community.

16
 Figure 5: A Column Graph Showing the Economic Impacts of Drug Trafficking in the Community

Graph Showing No. of Respondents Against Economic

Impacts of Drug Trafficking in the Community

40
35
No. of Respondents

30
25
20
15 37 25
10 22
6
5
0
Loss of business Increased Traded goods Other
expenditure to circulating the
safeguard home community
Economic Impacts

Figure 5 is a column graph showing the major economic impacts of drug dealing in the community. It

is clearly demonstrated that 37 residents ticked loss of business on the questionnaire as the major

economic impact while 25 people ticked increased expenditure on materials to safeguard their homes,

22 respondents ticked traded goods circulating the community to certain poor families related to the

dealers as the main economic impact and 6 people ticked other.

17
 Figure 6: A Line Graph Showing the Reasons for Selling Drugs in Iere Village

Graph Showing No. Of Respondents Against Reason for

Selling Drugs in Iere Village
30
25 26
No. of Respondents

24
20 21
19
15

10

5
0
No police force in the area Knowledge of local addicts Dealers moved from Dealers wanting to make
previous turf due to conflict easy money to help their
families out of poverty
Reasons Dealers Chose to Sell Drug in Iere Village

The line graph above shows that the main reason the drug dealers chose Iere Village to set up their

local drug markets was because there was no police force in the area. This was indicated by 26

respondents. The second reason, assumed by 24 persons from the population of the study, was that the

dealers wanted to make easy money to help their families in the area out of poverty, included in this

point was the trading of goods for drugs with business people. The third biggest reason, chosen by 21

residents, was that the dealers had knowledge of the many local addicts living in the area that would

give them fast business and the final assumption made by 19 respondents was that the dealers moved

from their previous turf due to conflict with other dealers in that area.

18
 Figure 7: A Table Showing the Demographic Data on Respondents

NO. OF NO. OF
AGE GROUP % OUT OF90 GENDER % OUT OF 90
PEOPLE PEOPLE

Under 20 18.89% Male 53 58.89%

17
21 – 30 23 25.56% Female 37 41.11%

31 – 40 25 27.78%

41 – 50 13 14.44%

Over 50 12 13.33%

Figure 7 shows the demographic data on the respondents who have answered the questionnaires. It

includes their respective age groups and sex.

N.B. SAMPLE SIZE = 450

POPULATION OF THE STUDY = 90

19
 Based on the findings of the study, it can be deduced that the majority of the respondents

were under fifty years. Out of the ninety persons questions, 18.89% were under 20 years, 25.56%

were between the ages of 21 – 30, 27.78% were between 31 – 40 years, 14.44% were between 41

– 50 and 13.33% were over fifty years old. 58.89% of the residents questioned were male while

41.11% were female. From the graph showing the impacts of drug trafficking on the community

of Iere Village, it can be inferred that the major impact of selling drugs in the community was an

increase in violence and crime in the area which was indicated by 42 respondents. A trend was

found as the second major impact, selected by 20 respondents, was the increased presence of

criminals in the area.

The trend in selecting the criminal activity related options suggested that there was

certainly a problem in the community related to crime as it was noticed by more than half of the

respondents.18 residents thought that the primary impact of drug trafficking on the community

was the recent distribution of goods (grocery items, furniture, clothes) to certain poor families in

the community that were related to the first drug dealer to enter the community while 10

respondents chose an increase in the presence of police in the area as the leading impact.

When queried about the effects of selling drugs on the residents of the community,

44.44% of the population of the study decided that the principal effect was a feeling of insecurity

in and around their homes. This corresponded to the second choice of the prime effect of drug

trafficking on the villagers which was their desire to leave the community, selected by 24.44% of

20
the people. 26.67% chose the involvement of youths in drugs as the leading effect, however,

4.45% opted that the selling of drugs in the community had no effect on them. These were

persons who did not live in close proximity to the dealers.

There was a pattern found in the different crimes caused by drug trafficking as the

dominant crime, selected by 39 respondents, was burglary, followed by 25 respondents choosing

robbery/theft and 16 people picked trespassing. After analyzing this pattern, one can conclude

that mostly addicts and criminals were entering the community to buy drugs and after scoping

out the village they steal, mainly from residents’ homes, in order to get money to buy more

drugs. 5 respondents chose kidnapping as prominent crime, 2 persons decided on murder and 3

selected other.

There was another pattern found in the effects of drug trafficking on the youths of the

community as the first three major effects singled out in a particular order by the respondents

were akin. Its connection was that one effect seemed to lead to the other. This was shown as

34.45% of the residents affiliated hanging out with bad company (people associated with drugs

in this case e.g. dealers, addicts, other youths doing drugs)with the primary effect of selling

drugs on the youths, 31.11% established that the leading effect was that the youths were now

doing drugs, mainly weed, as stated by the youths in the area themselves and the third major

effect, selected by 23.33% of the population, was the youths were dropping out if school due to

their involvement in drugs. These three selections in that particular order appeared analogous and

comparable with one another. The minority of 11.11% chose the selling of drugs by youths as the

major effect.

According to the findings, the main economic impact of drug trafficking in Iere Village,

Princes Town was the loss of business in the community as customers, clients etc. are afraid of

21
entering parts of the community and chose to go elsewhere for whatever service they require.

This was indicated by 37 respondents. 25 respondents selected increased expenditure in materials

to safeguard their homes which was the second highest impact of drug trafficking in Iere Village.

Thirdly was the circulation of cheap goods that was traded in for drugs by business people

through the community to certain members, selected by 22 persons while 6 chose other.

Residents were asked about their assumption on the reason for the drug dealers choosing

Iere Village to sell drugs. 26 villagers indicated that it was due to the lack of police authority in

the area, 24 residents assumed, after gaining information from sources close to the dealer that

then spread through the community, that it was because of confliction of turf between drug

dealers and local gangs in the previous area where the first dealers sold drugs, 21 people decided

that it was due to the dealers’ knowledge of local addicts in the area and 19 respondents picked

that it was due to the dealers’ wanting to make easy money to help their relatives in the

community out of poverty.

On examining the responses made to the question, “What do you think the government

can do to curb the issue of drug trafficking in the community?”, most respondents stated that

laws for harsher penalties should be made for crimes related to drugs. Some said that the police

force should be given special training and insight on how to tackle problems related to drug

trafficking while others replied that counselling sessions should be organised for manufacturers,

dealers and buyers of illegal drugs (drug traffickers).

In response to what the community members thought that they should do help rid Iere

Village of the drug trafficking problem, many residents indicated their desire to come together as

a powerful force and combat legally with the dealers, with the help of the justice system, to

remove the drug dealers from the community which should ultimately lead to the imprisonment

22
of the said dealers. Some stated that a neighbourhood watch should be formed to see when

criminals, addicts etc. enter the community to buy drugs so they can report it to the police

instantly and have them arrested while others protested they should call for the establishment of

a police station in the area to eradicate the problem in its entirety.

23
 According to the definition of drug trafficking by the United Nations Office on Drugs

and Crime (Crime, 2015) the selling of drugs, subject to drug prohibition laws, in the relatively

small community of Iere Village, Princes Town can be described as drug trafficking. The

researcher’s study indicated that the main economic effects of the local drug markets in Iere

Village were loss of business, increased expenditure on security items like CCTV cameras,

fencing etc. by residents to safeguard their homes and cheap goods were now being distributed to

poor families in the community that were related to the drug dealers. These findings supported

the study done by The Institution for Criminal Policy Research, King’s College London (Tiggey

May, 2005) suggesting that local drug markets are linked with both the legal and illegal

economies of the neighbourhoods.

Due to the selling of drugs in Iere Village, there were addicts and criminals entering the

community to buy drugs which caused an increase in the violence and crime in the area

especially in burglaries and robberies. These observations corresponded to the information in the

article written by Ms. Hanifa Mezoui (Mezoui, 2012) which also stated that the excessive

increase in crime rates causes residents to migrate to safer communities. The yearning to leave

the community was also felt by residents of Iere Village. Other crimes that were caused by drug

trafficking in the Iere Village corresponded to the crimes listed by Voices of Youth (Community,

2012) which included robbery/theft, trespassing and kidnapping.

24
 (Tiggey May, 2005) found in their study that the increased presence of police is the major

effect that drug trafficking has had on the communities but this did not match to the findings of

the researcher since the major effect was analyzed to be increased crime in the area. This

difference in findings supported the study by The National Drug Council of the Republic of

Trinidad and Tobago (Government, 2009) which states that every community is different and

local drug markets will have incomparable effects as location is a huge factor in the workings of

the markets. It should be noted that (Tiggey May, 2005) based their study on four different

English communities the researcher’s piece was focussed on one community therefore the

methodology of this study is less reliable/consistent compared to the college’s and their

information would be more accurate on a large scale basis.

Drug trafficking has been happening in Iere Village for the past two years and has caused

many negative outcomes. It was found in the study that the youths in the community were now

getting involved in drugs as a user and/or a seller which impacted their education as well in

terms of them dropping out of school. This corresponded to The U.S. Department of Justice,

National Drug Intelligence Center, National Drug Threat Assessment 2010 (Justice, 2010) which

determined in their study that the participation of young people in the drug market was

increasing and this problem need to be tackled at a local level by trained professionals that the

young people could communicate with.

The major effect of drug trafficking on the residents of the neighbourhood was their

feeling of insecurity in and around their homes which was also indicated by (Tiggey May, 2005).

The community members of Iere Village, Princes Town stated their desire to come together as a

dynamic power and retaliate against the drug dealers in the area so that they can be punished and

their community’s reputation can be saved. The community’s role in tackling the local drug

25
market was also highlighted by (Government, 2009) in their research piece which stated the

importance of community support. The sources that were examined and the researcher’s study

had a significant amount of similarities with very few differences.

26
CONCLUSIONS

The study was based on the impacts of drug trafficking on the community of Iere Village,

Princes Town, Trinidad and Tobago. It highlighted the ambiguities that exist in the relationships

between local drug markets, drug sellers and their lost communities as well as questioning the

effectiveness of policies based exclusively on punishing those who sell drugs. Based on the

findings, it can be concluded that there are many negative effects of selling drugs in Iere Village

where the majority of the residents are left feeling unsafe in their own home and surroundings.

Some other effects of drug trafficking in the community are increased crime rate as criminals are

entering the community to purchase drugs, loss of business, straying away of the youths and the

setting up of more local drug markets in the area.

These effects and impacts contribute to the migration of residents to safer communities.

The drug dealers chose to set up their drug markets in Iere Village mainly because there is no

law enforcement agency nearby and the dealers had knowledge of local drug users in the

community. Laws for harsher penalties should be made against people who sell drugs. In

summary, the study reveals interesting, controversial and useful information beneficial to young

people, parents, the Justice System, Drug Councils and many other agencies and individuals.

Personally the issue of drug trafficking in Iere Village is very saddening as it has invaded every

corner of the community and no one has taken a stand or initiative to deal with this problem.

Drug trafficking is a major problem worldwide and it seems that the justice system has lost all

hope in the fight against this epidemic. 27

LIMITATIONS

The results of the study provided valuable, additional information to current knowledge

on the issue of drug trafficking in small communities however, there were limitations to the

study. The data collection method of using questionnaires limited the quantity of information

provided by the population of the study as three-quarters of the questions were close-ended. If

one-on-one interviews were conducted then a greater magnitude of information would have been

provided for analysis. Another limitation was that all the information provided on the dealers and

buyers came from indirect sources so their accuracy is most definitely not one hundred percent.

The researchers could have gotten more direct sources.

The population of the study (90 respondents) was somewhat small compared to the

sample space of 450 residents therefore many may have different opinions from the 90

respondents used compromising the validity of the report. More residents could have been given

the questionnaire to gain reliable and valid information. The findings apply only to the

community of Iere Village and cannot be generalized to all rural communities across Trinidad

and Tobago as the dynamics of small communities would differ from location to location.

Respondents did not return their questionnaires on time and some even gave another member of

the household to fill it out. The information that the respondents provided had limited validity as

some of their answers could have been incorrect. The researcher realizes that the methodology of

the study has its shortcomings.

28
RECOMMENDATIONS

In minimizing the negative impacts of drug trafficking on the community of Iere Village,

Princes Town and on the residents of the village the following recommendations were made:

1. Counselling sessions should be set up for the drug users to help them fight their addiction

since if there are no buyers then the sellers would automatically be out of business.

Typically the drug sellers are also users so they should be educated on the horrible effects

of using drugs and what they can do to stop it. Those who cannot cope with their

addiction should be admitted to a rehab. The counselling sessions, done by trained

professionals, would take place on weekends on both Saturday and Sunday from 3 p.m. –

6 p.m. at the Iere Village Community Centre. There would be one-on-one sessions some

weeks while other weeks would have group sessions.

2. The government should implement higher fines and longer imprisonment time for the

major crimes committed in the village due to drug trafficking such as burglary and theft.

This should also be implemented to the persons who sell drugs.

3. Community Police Officers should placed to patrol the community several days a week

on a three shift regime. The officers would have shift where two of them would patrol

from 7 a.m. – 11 a.m. followed by two other officers patrolling from 12 p.m. – 5 p.m. and

for the last shift another two officers would patrol the community from 6 p.m. – 11 p.m.

Regular searches should also be done in the drug dealers’ homes to confiscate the stock

of drugs.

4. Programs should be set up by the government that will provide employment to the drug

sellers and users so that the sellers would have a better alternative to make money and the

users who are criminals would have a job preventing them from stealing from the

29
residents of the village.

5. A neighbourhood watch should be implemented so that villagers can patrol the area

together to detect any criminal activity and also to report any person who goes to buy

drugs to the police. They can also assist their fellow neighbours that have been attacked

by criminals and help to safeguard each others’ homes.

30
Crime, U. N. (2015). Drug Trafficking. Retrieved January 5, 2015,
from UNODC: http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/drug-trafficking/

Tiggey May, M. D. (2005, November 8). Joseph Rowntree

Foundation. Retrieved January 5, 2015, from Understanding Drug
Selling in Local Communities:
http://www.jrf.org.uk/publications/understanding-drug-selling-local-
communities

Justice, U. D. (2010, February). National Drug Threat Assessment

2010. Retrieved January 7, 2015, from Impact of Drugs on
Society:
http://www.justice.gov/archive/ndic/pubs38/38661/drugImpact.htm

Mezoui, M. H. (2012, June 26). Drug Abuse, Drug Trafficking and

Organised Crime. Retrieved January 7, 2015, from General
Assembly of the United Nations:
http://www.un.org/en/ga/president/66/Issues/drugs/drugs-
crime.shtml

Community, Y. o. (2012). How Has Drug Trafficking Affected My

Community? Retrieved January 7, 2015, from Voices of Youth:
http://www.voicesofyouth.org/posts/how-has-drug-trafficking-
affected-my-community

Government, T. a. (2009). Impact of the Drug Trade on the

Community. Retrieved January 5, 2015, from National Drug
Council of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago:
http://nationalsecurity.gov.tt/ndc/Research/ImpactofDrugTradeont
heCommunity/tabid/225/Default.aspx

31

APPENDIX 1

My name is Geeta Sarah Seunarine and I am a sixth form student of Cowen Hamilton Secondary

School. I am carrying out an investigation on the ‘Impacts of Drug Trafficking on the

Community of Iere Village, Princes Town’ for my Caribbean Studies Internal Assessment. The

information you provide on the questionnaire would be kept in the strictest confidence. Thank

you!

Please Tick the appropriate box and fill out the lines provided.

1. Gender: Male Female

2. Age: Under 20 21 – 30 31 – 40

41 – 50 Over 50

3. How long have you been living in Iere Village, Princes Town? _____________________

4. Are you aware of the drug trafficking problem in the community?

Yes No

5. To your knowledge, when exactly did the selling of drugs begin in the community?

0 – 6 months 6 months – 1 year

 1 year – 5 years 5 years and over

6. What is the biggest impact that drug trafficking has had on the community?

There is an increased presence of police in the area.

There is an increased presence of criminals in the area.

32

There is increased violence and crime in the area.

There is an increased distribution of goods (grocery items, furniture, clothes etc.) to

certain poor families in the area.

7. What is the major effect of drug trafficking on the residents of Iere Village?

Feeling of insecurity at and around home

Escalating desire to leave the village

Your children are now involved or negatively affected by the selling of drugs in your

community

No impact in your life

8. What is the main effect that drug trafficking has had on the youths of Iere Village?

Some young people/teenagers are now doing drugs

Youths are associating themselves with bad company e.g. the drug dealers, addicts and

anyone in relation to the drug world

They are dropping out of school due to their involvement in drugs

They are now involved with the drug dealers and are helping them sell drugs for a quick

buck

9. What is the strongest economic impact that selling drugs has had on the community?

Cheap goods are now circulating through the community to certain families related to the

dealers
 Loss of business as customers, clients etc. are afraid of entering the community

Residents are now spending a lot of money to safeguard their homes from bandits

Other

33

If other was selected, please state below:

________________________________________________________________________

10. What is the most prominent crime occurring in the community that was caused by drug

trafficking?

Burglary Trespassing Robbery/Theft

Murder Kidnapping Other

11. What are the social impacts of selling drugs in the community?

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

12. How do you feel about the drug trafficking problem in the village?

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

13. Are you afraid of reporting the drug dealers to the police? Why?

Yes No

Reason: _________________________________________________________________

14. What do you assume is the main reason for the drug dealers to choose Iere Village to sell

drugs?

No police force in the area

Dealer migrated to this community due to conflict in previous turf with other dealers
 Knowledge of the local addicts in the area

Dealers want to make easy money to help family on poverty

15. To your knowledge what types of drugs are being sold by the drug dealers?

34

Weed Cocaine Heroin Other

16. To the best of your knowledge, what type of people do you see entering the community

to purchase drugs?

Youths/Teenagers Felons/Criminals

Homeless People Educated, Employed People

Uneducated People Other

If other was selected, please state below:

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

17. Do residents from the community buy drugs from the local dealers?

Yes No

18. What have you done to improve the safety in and around your home?

Installed CCTV cameras around the house

Installed burglar proof doors and windows

Installed barbed wire fencing

Other

If other was selected, please state below:

________________________________________________________________________

19. Do you think the police are doing enough to stop drug trafficking in Iere Village?
 Yes No

20. Do you think the policies based exclusively on punishing those who sell drugs are

effective?

35

Yes No

21. What do you think the government can do to curb the issue of drug trafficking in the

community?

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

22. What can the community members do to help eradicate drug trafficking from Iere

Village?

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________
36