TOBAGO – A special meeting was held Saturday, October 25 at Mount Irvine Bay Hotel, Tobago to develop a more effective and sustainable security for the island. The meeting was held among the Tobago House of Assembly, Ministry of National Security, senior representatives of all the protective services and Ministry of Tourism.
The purpose of the meeting was to create an environment which ensures the safety and security of citizens and visitors to Tobago, as well as maintaining confidence in the island as a safe tourist destination. A parcel of proposals was drawn up in a three-prong action plan, covering immediate improvements, medium-term (within six months) and long-term (within a year).
Immediate Measures include: Increased police presence on the island, especially at the Port of Scarborough; Introduction of joint patrols between the TTPS and Defence Force (targeted at villas and hotspots round the island, especially at night) – these joint patrols are already in effect; Introduction of a K9 unit, especially to assist in drug control on the island; Increased use of the helicopter of the Special Anti-crime Unit of Trinidad and Tobago (SAUTT) to support officers on the ground; Introduction of officers from SAUTT to assist and support the investigation of crime; Meet with private security firms to develop a joint way forward on improving hotel and villa security.
Medium-Term Measures being considered include: Improved community education on crime prevention and security; Possible introduction of CCTV at key locations, such as ports and main intersections; More comprehensive information for tourists to encourage them to take more responsibility for their own safety; Liaising with hotels and villa owner to establish better security systems; Strengthening the police force by incorporating more Special reserve Police (SRPs) and recruiting retired police officers to support policing for people.
Longer-term Measures being considered include: Establishing a dedicated police unit on Tobago to deal with tourism; Establish a police marine unit in Tobago; Establish a permanent training facility for law enforcement in Tobago; Establish a Inter Command Centre in Tobago which will comprise representatives from different agencies; Increase in Maritime and Land Forces, Reviewing the sanctioned strength of the Police Service in Tobago to determine appropriateness to needs and ensuring that there is a full complement of police officers on the island and examining the feasibility of having a helicopter attached on a permanent basis in Tobago.
All of these measures will be regular reviewed and evaluated to ensure their effectiveness in dealing with crime on the island of Tobago.
