The Prime Minister declared, “As open country and one that is host to tourists from several of the countries that may be involved in a conflict in Iraq, we have to take every possible step to strengthen our security and law enforcement machinery.”

Mr. Bird revealed that for several weeks now a team under the chair of the Attorney-General and including representatives of the Port, Police and Defence Force has been working on beefing-up security at the Port.

Yesterday, the Prime Minister appointed a Permanent Inter-Governmental Committee on Law Enforcement drawn from several agencies of the government including ONDCP, the Police, the Defence-Force, Customs and Immigration. “I want to see an integrated approach to security and law enforcement,” Mr. Bird explained. He added, “Threats to our security come from potential terrorist activity, money laundering, drugs trafficking, terrorism financing and even the exploitation of local situations as a cover for other more dangerous activity. Therefore, we must be prepared to meet these threats. I have instructed the Permanent Inter-Governmental Committee to begin its work immediately.”

Prime Minister Bird also announced that his Government is considering prisoner transfer arrangements with countries such as the UK, Canada and the US. He said, “This development arises from the fact that increasingly we may find ourselves arresting nationals of these countries who are dangerous. In such cases, it would be less taxing on our resources and less perilous to our community, if such convicted prisoners served their sentences in their countries of origin.”

“This practice has already started in six CARICOM countries, and several other Caribbean Basin countries including Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Venezuela has introduced the system,” Mr. Bird disclosed.

The Prime Minister said that he is expanding the mandate of the Committee headed by the Attorney-General to bolster Port security to include the Airport.

He warned, “There will be changes to the ease and lack of restrictions to which we are accustomed as a people. But if we are to protect our people and preserve our vital tourism industry and the integrity of our financial services sector, it cannot be business as usual. We will have to endure more stringent rules at Ports, at the Airport, in banking transactions, in the way imported goods are treated and in any other potential opportunities for terrorist activity as the price for our safety.” (Ends)

Digital Photo: Cruise Ships docked at one of Antigua's major port of entry in St. John's

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