PRIME MINISTER P.J. Patterson has rued the fact that more than US$20 million was being spent on security measures at the island's ports. He suggested that as important as security matters were there was an even greater need for expansion of the port. But such are the realities and imperatives of the world at this time, Mr. Patterson said, as he commissioned into service state-of-the-art X-ray machines at the ports of Kingston. Pushed by the events of 9/11, Caribbean ports must now implement new security measures imposed by the United States. And Washington has laid down exacting standards for all countries conducting trade with the US to be certified and audited. An added dimension to the new security initiative is a Regional Information and Intelligence Sharing Network (RIISN) backed by the United Kingdom to be created by year's end to tackle drug trafficking and other external threats faced by the Caribbean.
For Jamaica, there is no greater blight on society than the effects of arms smuggling which pose the most serious external threat to our national economy. Our leaders should never miss the opportunity in whatever forum they speak to stress that guns and ammunition flow south with the same voracity with which narcotics stream north. And that the primary source of these weapons is the United States. One of the realities, though, is that for the gun manufacturers exports boost business and the US economy.
So while the expensive X-ray machines will undoubtedly comfort homeland security in the US, Jamaicans need to be assured that these machines will help unearth the illicit arms traffickers and make our country safer. An estimated 17 million tonnes of cargo pass through our ports annually and we applaud every effort to detect and seize contraband.
Another vital question comes to mind: what efforts are being made to rid the ports of the thugs who are known to threaten customs and contraband personnel as they go about their jobs? A recent report in this newspaper by one of our columnists pointed to overt threats that inspectors from the Jamaica Bureau of Standards face when they go to the ports. Reference was also made to the shooting death of an inspector from that department which has reportedly driven fear into the hearts of her colleagues.
We note that 14 customs officers have been selected for specific training and we hope they will be given the necessary security back-up to ensure that they do their jobs without fear.
