Pubdate: Tue, 14 Nov 2006
Source: Sun St. Kitts and Nevis (Antigua)
Copyright: 2006 SUN Printing & Publishing LTD
Contact:  http://sunstkitts.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4295
Author: Terresa Mccall
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

OPERATION FUTURE GOES TO HIGH SCHOOL

Operation Future is spreading its wings and in addition  to paying
visits to the primary schools on island, has  begun tackling the high
schools.

The first stop was at the eastern end of the Basseterre  Senior High
School last Friday where students and  teachers there were exposed to
or reminded of the very  real reality of the increase in drug use and
criminal  activity in the Federation of St. Christopher and  Nevis.

Operation Future members took with them, a number of  illegal drugs
and the paraphernalia which was used to  ingest these substances.
These items were shown to the  students and teachers and they were
reminded of the  harmful physical and social effects of the use and
abuse of these substances.

The staff and students of the learning institution were  also
introduced to three members of the Royal St.  Christopher and Nevis
Police Force Canine Unit. The  dogs were brought before the hundreds
of students and  they were told of the Unit's mission and purposes,
one  of which is to assist in finding drugs.

A little demonstration was held where an illegal drug  was planted on
someone and one of the dogs had the task  of finding which person is
carrying the drugs. The dog  was successful in finding the substance.

Head and Founder of Operation Future, Constable Lauston  Percival said
he is pleased with the students' response  to the Operation and to the
demonstrations.

"The usual assembly was held and the discussion of  crime, violence
and drugs. We were well welcomed by all  as far as we could have seen.
We had some demonstration  for the students by three dogs of the
Canine Unit and  the students loved it."

Officer Percival said in the near future, Operation  Future will pay a
visit to Western Wing of the  Basseterre Senior High School where "we
will take a  different approach. We will probably try and get  someone
from the general public to come with us to  speak to the students of
that school." A concert is  among one of the activities the group is
planning for  the Christmas season.

While the operation will be focussing predominantly on  the high
schools, Officer Percival informs that the  primary schools will not
be neglected.

During the course of the last school year, Operation  Future, which
has as its goal, increasing the presence  of police in school thereby
positively impacting the  rate of crime in the Federation, embarked on
a rigorous  campaign in the primary schools on St. Kitts.
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MAP posted-by: Derek