Caesar: Coast Guard patrolling Port Elizabeth

Night patrols by the Coast Guard have begun at Port Elizabeth, Bequia, as authorities seek to address the yacht break-ins which have been plaguing the industry there.{{more}}

Saboto Caesar, Minister of Tourism, added that the patrols started about a week ago and are expected to continue.

His statements were in response to a question asked by Area Representative for the Northern Grenadines Dr Godwin Friday, who at the Tuesday, November 22, sitting of the House of Assembly asked what measures were being taken to address the issue of the yacht breakins.

Caesar explained that approval had been given by Cabinet for the use of three vessels which had been confiscated.

One of the three will be deployed within the next two weeks, and will be anchored and will conduct patrols in and around the harbour, Caesar explained.

Two yacht operators had also agreed to donate a vessel to be used by the Coast Guard for conducting patrols, the tourism minister said.

“To complement the water policing, more officers have been deployed on land,” Caesar said.

He added that there had already been strategic changes in police personnel to facilitate this, and that regular stop and search operations will be conducted.

In addition, the minister said that work was being done to establish an effective water taxi association, which will complement the seven member committee that was formed.

According to Caesar, that committee had already held its first meeting, and coming out of it was a decision to conduct a feasibility study for the placement of cameras in certain security vulnerable areas.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Tourism said that he takes his job seriously because the tourism sector has the potential to become the transformative sector of the country.

This prompted him to send out a stern warning to criminals.

“I want to send a stern warning to persons who think that they can continue to engage in illicit activities that will have a damning and negative effect on tourism, that Saboto Caesar will not sit idly by and let anyone destroy this sector,” the minister said.