Anyone visiting or passing through the Passenger Ferry Terminal at Blowing Point will like what they see: a security facility to protect the Anguillian homeland as well as to upgrade and beautify the port. There has been a 30-foot extension to the building providing two wide walkways for passengers approaching the attractive Immigration and Customs counters and there is also a walk through detection scanner and alarm system.

New Immigration facilities. Port Manager Dale Rogers, Immigration Officer Jacqueline Richardson

This is an important and long-looked-for security provision. It ends a situation where outbound travellers passed through a screening process on their way to the ferries to St. Martin but there were no security checks on arrival in Anguilla. Many persons have been critical of this lack of security and have blamed it for the importation of guns and ammunition and other contraband trade including drugs, thus putting the island at risk. In addition, Customs Officers have been provided with two hand-held scanners as a further means of running security checks on incoming passengers.

Over the next few months a baggage screening area will be provided to the west of the building in an effort to control illegal imports such as firearms. This and the other security provisions are even more necessary as the Marigot Port in St. Martin has not yet installed metal detectors to check passengers bound for Anguilla.

A very effective undertaking has been the computerising of the port’s operations. This involves the recent implementation by the Immigration Department of the Overseas Territories Regional Criminal Intelligence System (OTRCIS) which was first introduced at Wallblake Airport a year ago.
The system allows the Immigration Officers to monitor, control and account for persons entering and departing Anguilla. It is linked to the main Immigration Department in The Valley and also has links in the Overseas Territories. Among the improvements at the port is improvements for out-going passenger manifests to be computer-generated by the booking agents for the ferryboats.

The present security systems now in operation at the Passenger Terminal at Blowing Point, and those yet to be implemented, will combine to make the port a high security area, safeguarding the Anguillian homeland from criminal and other elements and from illegal imports.

The British Government, through the Governor’s Office in Anguilla, has been of much assistance to the Anguilla Government in upgrading the facilities at the Blowing Point Port.

While all of this is now being done, in the coming years a new passenger complex and supporting facilities, including boutiques, other shops and services, will hopefully be provided. By then, too, a new cargo port may be constructed at Corito, allowing the scenic Road Bay to be an anchorage for pleasure yachts and cultural activities including the traditional boat-racing.

The newly renovated, extended Ferry Terminal

| Printer-friendly page | Send this article to a friend |

World News