Prime Minister Gaston Browne has threatened to disband the Office of National Drug and Money Laundering Control Policy if the agency fails to improve its performance and demonstrate its value to Antigua and Barbuda.

Browne issued the warning directly to ONDCP Director Lt. Col. Edward Croft during a recent meeting with the heads of the nation’s law enforcement and security agencies.

“As far as I’m concerned, ONDCP in particular is becoming an irrelevant institution, and you now need to show your relevance to the people of Antigua and Barbuda,” Browne said.

The prime minister also criticised what he described as a half-day working arrangement at the agency, saying such a schedule was unsuitable for a law enforcement body.

“Your team at ONDCP, they need to step up,” Browne said. “This idea that they’re working half a day, that is totally inappropriate for a law-enforcement entity.”

Addressing Croft directly, Browne warned: “If you do not get your act together, I’m going to disband the ONDCP.”

Established under the ONDCP Act of 2003, the agency functions as Antigua and Barbuda’s national Financial Intelligence Unit and investigates drug trafficking, money laundering, fraud and terrorist financing.

It also receives and analyses suspicious activity reports from financial institutions and monitors compliance with anti-money laundering and counterterrorism financing requirements.

This article was originally published by Antigua News Room. Read the original article here: PM Browne Threatens to Disband ONDCP Over Poor Performance.