THA Chief Secretary Farley Augustine said Tobago is prepared to lead the war against criminals.
Days after calling on the TTPS to use harsher tactics to curb crime on the island, Augustine has launched immediate security measures to secure Tobago’s borders and stop inland criminal activity.
He said the THA will rent two vessels to restart border surveillance and patrols to protect the island’s vulnerable borders.
He said this step is crucial, as there were no Coast Guard vessels assigned to the island and the illegal smuggling of firearms poses a significant threat to national security. noting guns had been used in 18 of the 19 murders recorded on the island this year.
“We are looking at two, perhaps, fishing vessels. We won’t have the funds to do large vessels, the kind the Coast Guard is accustomed to, but we want to procure two vessels by way of rental, and we are not talking about those little pirogues.”
In addition to the temporary vessels, Augustine said the THA will provide vehicles so the Coast Guard can move between its Scarborough and Charlotteville bases.
Augustine said the THA will also develop a comprehensive database to track all visitors, using data from hotel bookings to car rentals.
He said this will stifle criminals who frequently change locations to evade detection.
“This database is to allow us to have in real-time, information on who is staying where. The reality is those with the intention to commit crimes are very mobile, they tend to rent three and four places around the island and they move about quite often,” he said.
The Port Authority has also been pinpointed as a key player in these new security measures.
He said port operations will be integrated into the island’s overall safety strategy.