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6 -- PORT PERRY STAR -- Tuesday, June 26, 1990 RENIN RRR Sh SS I REC a DR avis A UTES The Port Perry Star 235 QUEEN STREET - PORT PERRY, ONTARIO PHONE 985-7383 FAX 985-3708 The Port Perry Star is authorized as second dass mail by the Post Office Department, Ottawa, for cash payment of postage. Second Class Mail Registration Number 0265 Subscription Rate: In Canada $20.00 per year Elsewhere $60.00 per year. Single Copy 50¢ EDITORIAL Publisher - J. Peter Hvidsten Editor - John B. McClelland News/Features - Julia Ashton Billing Department - Louise Hope News/Features - Kelly Story Retail PRODUCTION Annabell Harrison Trudy Empringham Darlene Hlozan BUSINESS OFFICE Office Manager - Gayle Stapley Accounting - Judy Ashby ADVERTISING Advertising Co-ordinator - Valerie Ellis Advertising Sales Representative - Anna Gouldburn 2 (@ (== | Member of the Canadian Community Newspaper Association Ontario Community Newspaper Association Published every Tuesday by the Port Perry Star Co. Lid. Port Perry, Ontario Sales - Kathy Dudley, Linda Ruhl, Tracy O'Neil Editorial Comment 4 STERN LESSONS In drug trade parlance, they are called "mules." And there are hundreds of Canadians languishing in squalid prison cells in dozens of countries around the world for their small part as "mules" in the vicious world of drug smuggling. "Mule" is an appropriate term. People are recruited to take a "free holiday" in some exotic locale, and just before re- turning to Canada, their bodies are strapped with packages of illegal drugs. The technique is so clumsy, stupid and un-sophisticated, it almost defies imagination. As if customs agents in Canada and other countries can't spot somebody with 15 to 20 pounds of drugs under their clothing. Still, some of the "mules" must get safely through cus- toms with their baggage of illegal drugs, for the practise goes on. The latest case involves a couple of Scarbrough girls, one 15, the other 12 (that's right, 12 years of age) They told their families early in June they were off to a friend's cottage for the weekend. Instead, they ended up in Ja- maica, the "guests" of a gang trying to get drugs into Canada. When they came to board a return flight to Canada, agents at Montego Bay Airport discovered the drugs, and the two youngsters were immediately clapped in a grimy detention home and told they would face a long stay there unless they could come up with $15,000 in fines. Thanks to the efforts of family, friends and sympathetic business people in Scarborough who read of their plight which got massive publicity in the Toronto media, these "mules" came home safely after the fines were paid. It was a most unhappy story. As one businessman who came up with $6,000 for the fines said, "locking up a 12-year old is insane." Indeed, it is insane. And obviously the Jamaican authori- ties have decided that one way to wage the war on drugs is to make life very miserable for the "mules." They are the lowest of the low on the drug trade totem pole; taking all the risk for a few dollars, while carrying drugs that could be worth hundreds of thousands when cut and sold on the streets in Canada. The drug dealers, the "big guys" who put the deals togeth- er, seem to make a habit of avoiding the clutches of the law. And they make a habit of using any means, no matter how despicable of shipping their deadly cargo to the markets where the profits are enormous. Most people are not so naive to think that these two young female "mules" did not have some inclination of what they were doing. And perhaps they even knew the conse- quences that most other countries don't have much mercy for "mules" or anyone else involved in drug running. Thankfully, they were not nabbed in Thailand where the penalty for drug smuggling is death. Let us hope that the widespread publicity this sorry story received sinks in, especially with gullible young teens, dazzled by the flash of a sleazy pusher who promises a few hundred dollars and a week in a "nice hotel on the beach." And is it not laughable at the contrast between the way countries like Jamaica handle drug runners, even those as young as 12, and the way Canada would treat those caught in similar circumstances. There are no grimy cells here, no sir. And teens have the Youthful Offender Act, which assures them an easy ride, even if convicted of a serious crime like drug smuggling. Of course, bail would be arranged smartly (at a lot less than $15,000) and the case would take months, even years to come to court, at which time the initial shock of arrest has long worn off. Youthful offenders get a minor slap on the wrist (the maxi- mum penalty is three years for murder) and told to run along and be good little boys and girls. Even those tried in adult court for drug crimes get off light- ly in Canada compared to the punishment others are meting out. A few years in a warm cell, all the comforts of home, time off for staying out of mischief, and so on. (Turn to page 8) ----nmm---- ABsolJyrely / #/53 BoNUS FOR EVERY DAY WE $How UP FOR WORK SOUNDS QUITE REASONABLE ! WW --- PROVIDING THEREY A WAKE-UP CALL AT AJOURNMENT OR WE KICK INTO ovERTIME ! Jottings RECYCLED? . We've been asked on a number of occa- sions over the past few months if the Star has any intention of printing the paper on recycled newsprint now, or in the future. Quite simply, yes! While the answer to the question is a sim- ple one, the solution to getting recycled news- pin is not quite so simple. The fact is, availa- ility of recycled newsprint is very scarce. Currently there are very few plants in Can- ada producing recycled newsprint, and larger newspapers like the Toronto Sun and soon the Toronto Star, will consume almost all of the product that is available. Because of this shortage, smaller commu- nity newspapers like the Port Perry Star are be- ing forced to wait for the supply of recycled newsprint increase before they can implement its use. . After speaking with the printers of the Star last week, we have been told one of their sup- pliers has promised a limited amount of recy- cled newsprint will be available later this sum- mer. When it becomes available, the Star will be one of the first given an opportunity to use it for its press run. This does not mean the entire paper will be printed on recycled stock once it becomes avail- able, but it will be a start in the right direction. We want to help the environment as much as anyone, so we'll do our part. In the mean- time if you want to help, when you're finished with this newspaper don't forget to wrap it up with your other newspapers and recycle it. Every little bit helps. A MUST-READ "When | really want to know what's going on in my little corner of the universe, | turn to my community newspaper." Those were the words written by Marketing magazine writer Margaret Bream in a recent article about com- munity newspapers. In her article she explains when she wants to know about Meech Lake , John Crow or Jean Chretien's son, she tums to the Globe and Mail or the Toronto Star. But when she wants to find out the real important stuff of daily life, like where the fireworks will be on Victoria Day, where to register the kids for kindergarten, or when her friend is starring the local drama pro- duction, she turns to her community newspa- per. "In fact, she writes, I'd go so far as saying that in my life, my community r is a must- read. Knowing what's going on in the homes, schools, businesses and offices around me helps build an invisible net of connectedness, a net of caring and concern with others in my community. On the day it's delivered, | drop everything, skim through it. The first thing | read is the cal- endar to find out what's coming up in the next two weeks. Then a quick glance at the news on the front page, the cartoon and editorial inside, hen right to the back to check out the classi- ieds. In truth, she continues, there's scarcely an issue | don't read cover to cover. There's just a lot of helpful information contained within its pages | couldn't get any other way." In addition to the mentioned features in Margaret Bream's article, we at the Port Perry Star find that our readers enjoy and turn quickly each week to the Letters to the Editor, sports, and classified advertising sections. Community newspapers in Canada are well accepted by their readers because they do what the large dailies and suburban newspa- pers can't. They deliver the local news. WHY IS IT? Being Canadians, one of our main topics of conversation seems to be the weather. Invari- ably conversations begin with statements like, "nice day, eh?" Canadian weather patterns are so unpre- dictable, it doesn't seem to matter how sophisti- cated the meteorologists equipment gets, what they predict for the next day has less than a 50% chance of being correct. Why is it then, that weather forecasters try to predict a five day forecast, when they have trouble forecasting the next day? i A EP RN GE 3 I rr a A in Gra SRR TP yr WC 35