CABINET HAS approved a contract for a sophisticated security system at Jamaica's two main seaports as part of efforts to tighten surveillance.
The upgrade is aimed also at making the ports compliant with the certification requirements of United States authorities.
Hawkeye Electronic Security Ltd. has been awarded the contract valued at just over US$684,000 ($34.2 million) to supply and install a video surveillance system at the Kingston Transhipment Port and the port of Montego Bay.
"The installation of this surveillance equipment... is in keeping with the increased worldwide focus on air and seaport security and particularly to fulfil the requirement of certification of Jamaica's two main (sea)ports by the United States," Senator Burchell Whiteman, Information Minister, told reporters at yesterday's post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House.
The Port Authority of Jamaica, which manages the island's seaports, stated last year that it would be putting the new security arrangement in place. The management of the Port Authority acted when the US authorities expressed concern about local security following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the US.
Senator Whiteman said the new security arrangement was also an important part of the Government's plan to cut off the flow of guns and drugs into the island.
The cameras will be motion-sensitive and can trigger a mechanism that will allow images to be sent to specified e-mail addresses, 'Palm Pilots' (hand-held computers), and laptop computers.
"The system can be viewed in live time from other locations away from the ports as well as overseas," Senator Whiteman said.
He said the system would be monitored by a control centre at each location with back-up sites at each security manager's office. These two control centres will be staffed 24 hours a day and will operate seven days per week. However, the system can operate automatically in the event that the centre is unmanned.
