A special Police Tourism Unit is to be established in Tobago to assist in fighting crime against tourists on the island, Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Tourism and Transportation Secretary Tracy Davidson-Celestine disclosed.
She said she intends to encourage National Security Minister Emmanuel George to keep it on the agenda and to see it through to its end, according to a statement from the THA on Friday.
Celestine was speaking at the media briefing following a three-hour meeting of national security units led by the National Security Minister and representatives of the Tobago House of Assembly led by Chief Secretary Orville London at Mt Irvine Bay Hotel.
The Tourism Secretary also commended the Police Service for using statistics to identify the crime hotspots on the island to fight crime.
George told reporters that the meeting, which discussed crime and security related to Tobago, looked at the crime statistics which revealed there was a marginal increase in the first half of this year largely due to house breaking and larceny.
He said ways to combat this were discussed along with the protection of the maritime boundaries and the concerns over the delay in having a THA police force, as well as legislative measures to protect sea bathers.
London described the meeting as both fruitful and informative and said Minister George had revealed that the two radar sites in the island were up and running, but there was a challenge to track the culprits due to the lack of the required vessels.
He said Tobagonians would have to wait a little longer for the construction of new police stations at Old Grange and Roxborough since the designs which were done a few years ago as well as the process were scrapped and new designs were now being invited by the Urban Development Company of Trinidad and Tobago (UDeCOTT).
London disclosed the THA would provide the land for the building of new headquarters for the Fire and Police services at recently acquired Friendship Estate at Lowlands.
Secretary of Agriculture, Marine Resources, Marketing and the Environment Godwin Adams told reporters that the stealing of crops and livestock from farmers’ holdings were of great concern to the Assembly and as a result Acting Police Commissioner Mervyn Richardson said marshalls would soon be recruited in both Trinidad and in Tobago to step up patrols to prevent this.
Source:trinidadexpress
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