By CLINT CHAN TACK Wednesday, April 30 2008

NATIONAL SECURITY Minister Martin Joseph yesterday unveiled Government’s latest anti-crime initiative – a National Monitoring and Surveillance System comprising of at least 66 hi-tech closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras with the ability to detect gunshots and reveal identities of perpetrators in the commissioning of a crime.

Responding to questions by Senate Minority Leader Wade Mark, Joseph told the Upper House that Government had launched a pilot CCTV project involving 18 cameras in Port-of-Spain during the Carnival celebrations.

He said 14 of these cameras are government-owned and the other four are owned by members of the private sector. “These cameras are all being monitored from a central location,” the Minister stated. Joseph said following consultation with security agencies in other countries, “an upgraded network is currently being pursued.”

He explained that this network will comprise the latest digital mega-pixel Internet Protocol and Fixed and Pan Tilt Zoom day-night cameras.

“These will provide clearer, enlarged pictures of faces, license plates and other items of interest. It is the ministry’s intention to further upgrade the network to allow for, among other things, gunshot detection sensors,” he said.

The full system should be in place by the end of May.

Noting the CCTV system currently consists of 29 government-owned cameras and 17 TTEC-owned cameras, Joseph said an additional 20 cameras are to be acquired to extend the network. He also said the ministry has commenced talks with PoS businessmen to incorporate the latter’s CCTVs into the network, for a “more effective reach.”

Stating these cameras would be installed in Port-of-Spain and San Fernando in the first instance before being installed in other urban areas, Joseph said Government hopes this system will eventually become part of a “robust CCTV network” that could be used to monitor traffic patterns, vehicle registration and driver behaviour on major highways and the Priority Bus Route.

Joseph was unable to answer follow-up questions from Mark about the final cost for the system and time frame for implementation in other parts of the country. He added that two interim offshore patrol vessels were provided to the Coast Guard on April 23 and are “fully operational.”