00:00With illicit goods, like guns and drugs, known to be slipping through both our unofficial
00:05and illegal ports of entry, the operationalization of four mobile scanners is expected to greatly
00:11enhance security at our seaports.
00:13I'm told that you have more than 300,000 containers passing through the Port-a-Port
00:18of Spain every year, and therefore the smuggling of illegal items is a significant national
00:25security concern.
00:27The equipment has artificial intelligence, which is evolving, so it can detect firearms
00:34on its own, and it will send a flag to the operator, or marijuana, or some other illegal
00:40item.
00:42The system can detect that already on its own and flag it for the operator.
00:47Two scanners were commissioned at the Port-a-Port of Spain today, with two more to be commissioned
00:52at the Port of Point Lisa.
00:55Four large-scale, non-intrusive inspection, high-medium energy mobile X-ray scanners,
01:02a long name, for the Customs and Excise Division.
01:06These scanners were assembled in Paris, France, by Smith's Detection Group, and purchased
01:12at a cost of US $12.9 million, or 87 million Trinidad dollars, for the four scanners.
01:21The scanners were shipped to Trinidad late last year, after a thorough on-site examination
01:27by officials of the Customs and Excise Division.
01:31National security aside, the scanners are also expected to assist in the state's revenue
01:36collection efforts, and save taxpayers money through improved efficiency.
01:41Right now, the port scans about 25% of the containers that pass through the port.
01:52It means a lot of the containers are actually inspected.
01:55Some have to be offloaded, which takes time.
01:58Some are done on premises, where you have delivery of the containers, and the officers
02:04will go to the premises.
02:07These two new scanners will allow us to scan up to 75% of the containers.
02:15But the Transport Minister stressed that Customs, the Bureau of Standards, and other stakeholders
02:21must play their part in order for the port's operations to run smoothly.
02:26He also called for an understanding between the port and the Seamen and Waterfront Workers
02:31Trade Union.
02:32We need to put an end to the negotiations that is taking place and is long overdue.
02:40I am hoping that good sense can prevail and we can come to the table with mature solutions
02:47and suggestions.
02:48Meantime, a special radiation committee is to be set up to address any potential health
02:54and safety concerns with respect to the scanners.
02:59It's chaired by the Ministry of Health, we have a Radiation Protection Officer, and then
03:03there's a Radiation Safety Officer at the port itself, and Customs, so that's essentially
03:08the committee.
03:09That was one of the impediments where the union was saying that, I don't want to be
03:17undiplomatic, but it would affect men in terms of their ability to reproduce, that the radiation
03:23would affect it.
03:24So this is one of the reasons for that committee, to make sure everybody's safe.
03:29Renessa Cutting, TV6 News.
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