FIVE OF six mobile security X-ray units, which were originally scheduled to start arriving in December to be installed at the island's major seaports, will instead arrive in November, Minister of Transport, Robert Pickersgill, said yesterday.
The Minister made the announcement while delivering the keynote address at a Jamaica Exporters Association (JEA) seminar at the Terra Nova Hotel, St. Andrew.
"The Port Authority of Jamaica (PAJ) was able to negotiate a more favourable delivery schedule, in which five of the six mobile X-ray units will arrive in the island between November 15 and 30," he said.
The Government, in July, signed two contracts valued at US$22 million with Advance Research and Applications Corporation (ARACOR) and Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) of the United States for the provision of 11 X-ray units. This include the acquisition of six mobile and five pallet units for the inspection of containers and break-bulk cargo.
He said the PAJ had completed the recruitment and selection of 14 professionals from the US who, together with local customs officials, will operate the new machines.
EFFORTS INTENSIFIED
Efforts to improve security at the island's major ports of entry intensified after the US Government, in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, mandated all countries conducting business with the United States to install new security requirements by July 2004.
Minister Pickersgill said the Government was undertaking other security enhancing initiatives to further improve security. These include: the procurement of two remote controlled underwater cameras which will be used for the inspection of ship hulls and port basin prior to the arrival of cruise lines in Montego Bay and Ocho Rios; installation of floating barriers to form protective cordon around cruise ships while in port and the installation of a high-tech access control and badging system which will be linked to the police criminal record system, for port workers.
In addition, he said Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras will be installed at all ports to provide 24-hour surveillance and patrol boats, manned by the Jamaica Defence Force Coast Guard.
