PM: Costal Radar system effective

It has been just over a year since the advanced coastal surveillance system has been installed, and according to Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves, it has been quite effective.{{more}}

“Since the radar sites have been up, we have been catching a lot of persons who are bringing in illegal commodities, including small arms, and who are taking out, because the radar picks up where they are going,” the prime minister said.

Gonsalves made the revelation during the ceremony to open the shooting range at Arnos Vale on Thursday, June 23.

Once the radar has picked up activity around the coast, information, including the precise coordinates, is then passed on the personnel at the Regional Security System (RSS) or the local and neighbouring Coast Guard officials.

“And if the RSS is to be mobilized, so be it,” Gonsalves said.

He added that the water patrols are complemented by two C26 aircraft that do up to 300 sorties a year, of which about half of these produce evidence for immediate apprehension or evidence for further investigation.

There are currently two radar sites with the base located at the Coast Guard headquarters at Calliaqua. However, the prime minister said that this country should have had a third radar site located in the Grenadines. Arrangements are being made with the Trinidadian government to work this out. (DD)