UK pays for New Air Surveillance for TCI; Gvnr updates that Five Boats coming for Border Security

By Dana Malcolm 

Staff Writer

#TurksandCaicos, December 9, 2022 – Several boats in the RTCIPF Marine Branch fleet were upgraded with new radars and thermal imaging capability recently and Governor Nigel Dakin says more is expected including a new base in 2023.

Dakin explained that the thermal imaging capability now on the vessels was a first for the TCI and while it was not unusual for Police vessels to have radars the new ones provided enhanced capability.

“They don’t replace but compliment the land based Radar both helping the vessels lock on to a suspect sloop or fishing boat that the land based radar has identified. However they can also independently extend our radar range as the radars are, of course, mobile and can go out to sea,” he said.

The Governor also indicated that the procurement process has begun for five more boats; a further three vessels for the Police and two for the Regiment.

“The UK will be supplying the maritime surveillance aircraft that, along with our Radar (now under command of the Maritime Police), will help direct these vessels. That will all be controlled from what we expect to be a multi-agency Maritime Operations Centre and we hope ground will be broken on that next year.”

During the National Budget debate in the House of Assembly, Turks and Caicos residents learned of a $1 million commitment by the UK to expand border security through new assets.

All of this comes as the country moves toward creating its own coast guard to protect its waters and forms deeper security bonds with The Bahamas and the United States.