Pubdate: Thu, 06 Dec 2007
Source: Borneo Bulletin (Brunei)
Copyright: 2007 Brunei Press Sdn Bhd.
Contact:  http://www.brunei-online.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3514
Author: Lyna Mohamad

CREATING A DRUG-FREE ENVIRONMENT FOR ASEAN

The 183 participants of the 17th IFNGO Asean NGOs  Workshop received
their certificates of participation  yesterday at the Rizqun
International Hotel, venue of  the three-day workshop hosted by
BASMIDA, Brunei  Darussalam, which also hosted the closing ceremony
for  the event.

On hand to present the certificates to the  participants, as well as
the invited speakers, were  President of BASMIDA Datin Hjh Masni Hj
Mohd Ali and Mr  Greg Stanton of INL, USA.

Prior to the presentation, the 17th IFNGO ASEAN NGOs  Workshop's
Resolutions and Recommendations were read  out, and was followed by a
closing speech from Datin  Hjh Masni.

She noted that the workshop had left them with more  provocative and
new ideas and thinking, and opened up  venues and strategies that
could be explored or  suggested to reduce recidivism back in their own
  countries.

She also expressed her hopes that all the participants  from Brunei,
relevant government agencies, local NGOs  and from abroad had found
the workshop valuable and  extended her appreciation to the
distinguished  speakers.

IFNGO and BASMIDA, she added, hopes that the Workshop's  Resolutions
and Recommendations will be relevant to  countries and organisations
in the fight to reduce  recidivism.

"To all the Asean anti-drug NGOs, I challenge you to  carry out
projects or activities that will manifest one  or two of the
recommendations, in one year's time,  until we meet at the 18th IFNGO
NGOs Workshop," the  BASMIDA president said.

Speaking on the news article in yesterday's Bulletin,  about the
youths who were nabbed in a drug bust by the  nation's premier drug
law enforcer, NCB, she stressed  out that the workshop was not the
last of anti-drug  measures needed to be taken.

She reiterated that the public must volunteer as well  to help BASMIDA
to move forward, and take more  proactive steps to help the youth stay
away from drugs.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Steve Heath