Antigua and Barbuda Hosts Regional Workshop on Early Warning System for Drugs
August 28, 2025
The Government of Antigua and Barbuda, through the Office of National Drug and Money Laundering Control Policy (ONDCP), successfully convened a regional workshop focused on the Early Warning System (EWS) for drugs. The two-day event, held on August 26–27, 2025, at the Trade Winds Hotel, was organized under the auspices of the National Drug Observatory (NDO) and brought together key national, regional, and international stakeholders to enhance the country’s capacity to detect and respond to emerging drug threats.
The workshop was conducted in collaboration with regional and international partners, including Mr. Pernell Clarke, Specialist in Research and Information at the Inter-American Observatory on Drugs (OID), representing the Organization of American States/Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (OAS/CICAD), and Ms. Michelle Nasseir, Deputy Director of the Trinidad and Tobago Forensic Science Centre. Additional presenters hailed from Barbados, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, and Trinidad and Tobago, and the host country representing diverse sectors such as law enforcement, customs, public health, forensic science, education, and civil society.
Workshop sessions focused on strengthening inter-agency coordination, improving data collection and analysis, and developing rapid response mechanisms to address the proliferation of new psychoactive substances (NPS) and other drug-related challenges. Emphasis was placed on proactive surveillance and collaborative approaches, reinforcing the EWS as a vital component of Antigua and Barbuda’s national drug strategy.
Key outcomes of the workshop included: strengthening the operational framework for the national EWS; establishing protocols for timely information sharing among agencies; identifying training needs and resource gaps; and promoting regional cooperation in drug monitoring and response.
The ONDCP extends its sincere appreciation to all participants and partners for their commitment and contributions and emphasizes that the NDO remains dedicated to advancing evidence-based strategies for drug control and public health protection across Antigua and Barbuda and the wider Caribbean region.
