Director of NPRBA comments on report of robbery of tourist

Different security measures are employed at the various recreational sites across St Vincent and the Grenadines.

So says Andrew Wilson, the director of the National Parks, Rivers and Beaches Authority (NPRBA) while commenting on a recent complaint that one tourist was robbed by a local woman while visiting Richmond beach.{{more}}

A friend of the victim visited SEARCHLIGHT this week and explained that they were making visits to sites on the Leeward side of the island last weekend.

According to the witness, who wished to remain anonymous, “we were approached by a young lady who began to accuse us of being at the beach earlier and taking a bag belonging to her. She began to pull at the bag…she pulled the bag from my female friend and run along the beach towards the bushes.”

When he spoke with SEARCHLIGHT, the NPRBA director stated that he had not heard of the incident but that it was unfortunate that it had happened. He further noted that Richmond was an open recreational site that did not have staff like some of the other sites like Dark View Falls or Vermont Nature Trails.

“Richmond is not a site where we have personal presence,” Wilson said. “Some sites, we may have security like at gardens where we have security throughout the day and some sites, we may have security at night.”

The NPRBA director also revealed that some sites benefit from surveillance cameras, due to a project collaboration with the NTRC.

However, Wilson highlighted that there are not frequent complaints of robberies and that this incident was the first one he has heard of for 2015.

There are approximately 14 sites that come under the care of the NPRBA. These are Baleine Falls, La Soufriere Cross Country Trail, Cumberland Beach, Walilabou Heritage Park, Vermont Nature trails, Layou Petroglyph Park, Botanical Gardens, Rawacou, Black Point Historic and Recreation Park, Cumberland Nature Trail, Belmont Lookout, Youroumei Heritage Village and Owia Salt Pond.

Wilson advised that persons seeking more information on the sites can visit nationalparks.gov.vc. (BK)