WESTERN BUREAU:

The surveillance unit that was handed over to the St. James police to assist in the fight against harassment and crime on the Hip Strip in Montego Bay has not been commissioned into use, as it is yet to be licensed and insured.

"The paperwork for it is being sorted out," said Superintendent Steve McGregor, commanding officer for the division, when contacted by The Gleaner this week. "We are presently waiting on the insurance and the licensing, the unit cannot be used until those are obtained."

The $14 million, state-of-the-art mobile unit was purchased through the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) and is to be manned by police personnel who were trained at the Florida International Surveillance Technology.

Business operators fearful

It is equipped with digital closed-circuit television cameras that can record activity and conduct surveillance for the purposes of observing persons, places, objects, or vehicles to obtain information, evidence, identification and proof of association and activities. It is also reported to be capable of viewing activities as far as four miles away.

With the winter tourist season scheduled to start on Saturday, December 15, business operators along the strip are fearful that the continued harassment of visitors will cause them to lose business.

"We are not insensitive to the fact that Mr. McGregor and his men are stretched, but something must be done about the harassment that has been taking place," said a business operator who spoke on condition of anonymity. "The situation is now out of hand and something must be done about it."

However, the no-nonsense McGregor told The Gleaner that the police were trained and ready to stand up to the test of the winter tourist season.

"We are professionals and we have taken an oath to protect and serve, and I am certain that Montego Bay will be safe throughout the Yuletide season."

The unit will be maintained by Sandals Resorts International.