News
Land must be cleared for two new Coastal Radars to boost Border Security
By Shanieka Smith
Staff Writer
#TurksandCaicos, November 27, 2021 – Minister of Immigration and Border Services, Hon. Arlington Musgrove disclosed in a press conference that two new sites had been cleared, and civil works have begun for the commissioning of coastal radars.
The radars will be established in Northwest Point and Long Bay Providenciales. The Minister assured the public that this project should be completed by March 2021.
He described the radars as “one of the first sets of eyes in the detection of our most prevalent threats to border security.” Likewise, reports from the Director of Immigration indicate several detections by the current radar stations.
According to the reports, the TCI repatriated about 1,187 people during the first seven months of 2021. Approximately 905 migrants were taken into custody from illegal boat landings and 282 from apprehensions and operations. An additional 12 people are currently held at the detention center.
Musgrove added that the radars will improve coastal border security and increase the number of interceptions and detections of illegal vessels coming into the TCI.
The cost of repatriation of illegal migrants is about $1.5 million. Also, an additional $2.3 million is allocated for this period. Musgrove said the government could use this amount of money for other national operations.
“Just by those numbers, we have to do something, and we’re doing something,” the Minister said.
He added that eight new Border Force officers were hired. Thus, adding to the efforts to protect the country’s border.
“By merging, Customs and Immigration will get me a more solid board of force to attend to the migration of illegal people, goods, and drugs and guns,” said the Minister.
Musgrove announced a series of Memorandum of Understandings (MoU) between the TCI and in-country Haitian Consulate. He said this agreement will include the sharing of information and assistance regarding Haitian illegal migrants.
“Too frequently, we just rely on what’s going on here, and that’s after the people arrive. So we’re trying to have some kind of dialogue that we can put some kind of preventive measures here and in Haiti to deter people from coming in,” Musgrove advised.
Meanwhile, he added that the ship-rider agreement with The Bahamas and the US Coast Guard will be signed on December 2, 2021.