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.