Mission to Singapore
An INCB mission conducted by
Dr. Viroj Sumyai, member of the Board, accompanied by Mr. Matthew Nice, of the INCB Secretariat visited Singapore from 30 September through 2 October 2013. The mission examined the Government compliance with obligations of the three international drug control conventions to which it is a party. The last Board mission to Singapore occurred in 1995.
The mission held discussions with senior officials from the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB), the Health Sciences Authority, the Ministry of Home Affairs, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The mission also met with representatives of the Singapore Corporation of Rehabilitative Enterprises (SCORE) who detailed the organization's training, employment assistance, community partnerships, aftercare and business enterprises for ex-offenders. Discussions were also held with the Community Action for the Rehabilitation of Ex-Offenders (CARE) Network which works to improve the effectiveness of ex-offenders rehabilitation through community engagement, such as its Yellow Ribbon Project to reduce the stigma suffered by ex-offenders. Finally, the mission examined operations at the Helping Hand NGO, which provides community-based housing, aftercare, employment and reintegration services to those released from prison.
Issues addressed during discussions with officials included those related to the situation and efforts related to countering drug trafficking, legislative measures and administrative policies of drug and chemical control that have been introduced by the Government, issues related to opiate availability in palliative care, and the provision of drug abuse treatment and abuse prevention services.
The findings of the mission will be discussed by the Board at its next session and results will be reflected in the 2013 INCB Annual Report, to be published in early 2014.
* Picture above
Dr. Sumyai receiving a tour of the Health Sciences Authority's forensic laboratory by Dr Angelina Yap Tiong Whei, Assistant Group Director of Forensic Sciences.