Government of Saint Lucia

Go to Homepage

[Feedback]

[Site Map]

[Contact Us]

Search this Site


Home Affairs Minister calls for tighter border security


Governor General
Prime Minister
The Cabinet
The Senate
House of Assembly
Overseas Missions
The Constitution
The Staff Orders

National Television Network
Watch NTN Live

CARICOM 26
Saint Lucia Gazette
Press Releases
Speeches
Features
Notices
Tenders/Consultancies
Vacancies
Bursaries/Scholarships
About Saint Lucia
Frequently Asked Questions
Web Links
Government Directory
Browse by Agency
Site Help

Contact: Julita Peter

 

Monday, October 12, 2009 –  The Minister for Home Affairs and National Security, Senator the Honourable Guy Mayers, has called for the tightening of security at the island’s borders, especially as Saint Lucia, according to the minister, has become known as one of the transhipment points for illegal substances within the Eastern Caribbean.

 

Senator Mayers says, with the right quantity of small vessels and man power, the island could guard against the proliferation of drug related transactions that take place on its waters. 

 

“There are small fishing boats—fast fast boats—coming from South America, or coming from Martinique. In other instances, drugs are being transported from Saint Lucia to Martinique. We have very porous borders, and we need to properly protect our borders,”  Senator Mayers said.

 

The Home Affairs minister believes there is a correlation between activities at the borders and the homicides that occur at the community level.

 

He says one of the measures that being instituted to address the situation is increasing  manpower in the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force and Marine Police.

 

“We need to replenish our officers.  We are now starting that process. But as I always say,  to get a trained police officer, it takes at least six to eight months.”

 

There are plans to enlist another batch of recruits as soon as the present batch completes training in January 2010.


Home ] Up ] [Site Help]

© 2009 Government Information Service. All rights reserved.

Read our privacy guidelines.