PoS gets street video-cameras

Bandits beware! Since Tuesday a system of public street surveillance video cameras has been installed in Port-of-Spain, which has already detected a major theft.

The system was officially launched yesterday as a private initiative of the Downtown Merchants Association (Doma) at City Hall. During a display of video-footage recorded by the system, reporters saw a man stealing from a van, a print out of the suspect having been sent to the police. Attorney General Glenda Morean and Minister of National Security Howard Chin Lee and Port-of-Spain Mayor Murchison Brown gave the project their blessings. Doma president, Gregory Aboud, was confident the cameras would help revelers enjoys a safer Carnival.  Saying Doma had worked hard to install the system before Carnival, Aboud said: “We couldn’t pass up the chance to help support and protect Carnival. “We will lobby the Minister of National Security to remove duty from security cameras and videos. We will ask the Attorney General to revise the laws governing downtown,” he added.
 
Chin Lee said in three weeks time he would be going to Canada to examine other areas of surveillance apart from cameras. He congratulated Doma on its initiative, saying he was impressed by the resolution of the cameras, a technology not available five years ago.
Chin Lee added: “We are taking matters on Carnival very seriously. You will see one of the largest presences of police and army. To date events, apart from the Maska event, have been concluded safely. You will have the full support of the Ministry to work in conjunction with yourselves”.  Congratulating Doma, Morean said: “This group has looked at Port-of-Spain and decided they are taking back the city. The government appreciates the assistance. This camera system, I am sure, will go a long way to fighting crime”. Mayor Brown said: “I wish other corporate citizens would follow the example of Doma. We will have a bumper Carnival, a very safe Carnival”. Having displayed to reporters a video-recording of people on Charlotte Street, Aboud was asked if the subjects knew they were being filmed or whether the cameras were hidden. He replied: “It is not kept a secret, the fact that cameras are in use. There are two cameras in use now and we hope before the end of June there will be another six”.