Title 3--The President liament. The GOJ's position is that passage of the Anti-Corruption Act must occur before it can ratify the Inter-American Convention Against Corrup- tion, which Jamaica signed in March 1996. The GOJ has a policy of inves- tigating credible reports of police corruption, including those related to drugs, but more needs to be done to root out corruption in the public sec- tor. The GOJ extradited four people to the United States in 1999; there are sixteen active pending extradition requests. In 1999, the GOJ developed, with USG assistance, a special fugitive apprehension team to target and ap- prehend fugitives from justice. The team has thus far located three fugitives and provided information for several U.S.-based investigations. The GOJ ar- rested 6,718 drug offenders in 1999. Nevertheless, no major drug traffickers were arrested or convicted during 1999, and they continue to operate with apparent impunity. The GOJ agreed in 1998 to develop a vetted special in- vestigative unit to target drug kingpins, but the unit is not yet in existence. While the GOJ has stated its intention to enact wiretap legislation, the pro- posal for such legislation is still under discussion in the Cabinet. The GOJ exceeded the marijuana eradication goal of 800 hectares set out in the Fiscal Year 1998 Letter of Agreement (LOA) with the USG. In addi- tion, the GOJ agreed in the LOA to pay a share of the marijuana eradication teams' salaries, currently funded by the USG, beginning in June 2000. While the GOJ made some progress in implementing the recommendations contained in a 1997 assessment, security at Jamaica's ports remains a con- cern. The GOJ needs to take steps to improve security at its ports, including implementation of the remaining recommendations from the 1997 assess- ment. Additionally, the GOJ should consider providing the means to admit evidence obtained by ion scan technology in Jamaican courts. The GOJ has in place a national drug control strategy that covers both supply and de- mand reduction; the GOJ should add to its strategy specific goals and objec- tives and measures of effectiveness. Jamaica is a party to the 1988 UN Drug Convention. Laos Laos is a major drug-producing country; it remains the world's third larg- est producer of illicit opium, behind Afghanistan and Burma. Although opium cultivation fell 16 percent in 1999, the USG estimates Laos' opium production for that year at 140 metric tons, identical to the 1998 estimate. Somewhat improved weather conditions increased estimated average yields, allowing total production to remain unchanged. Crop substitution project areas funded by the USG continued to show no commercial opium cultivation, only low level production sufficient for some local addict con- sumption. Laos cooperates with the USG and the UNDCP on crop control/substi- tution projects designed to eliminate opium cultivation. The administration of Phongsali Province is providing enthusiastic support for the new USG- funded project there. The province administration assigned support per- sonnel, held a meeting of district directors from throughout the province, and is expressing full support for the project to village headmen. In May 1999, the Government of Laos (GOL) agreed to a joint goal with the UNDCP to eliminate opium cultivation in Laos within six years; efforts to raise the estimated $80 million needed to reach this goal are underway. The high- land farmers who grow opium now have no other viable option. Even if 372
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