Minister of Tourism Carlos James says that he is confident in the level safety being provided to tourists visiting St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
The Tourism Minister made mention of the investments the government made in the Coast Guard, which has allowed for increased safety not just on land but also in the SVG’s waters.
“We’ve had some significant investment in the Coast Guard. You’re now able to stay offshore and man the station out there on the new vessel which we purchased, the Captain Hugh Mulzac; and we’re seeing more regular tours and so on,” James said.
The Tourism Minister also made note of the increased presence of police at the cruise ship berth, where cruise ships dock.
He also said that that although these things are in place, it is not possible to create a perfect security system, and that there will be shortfalls.
“But of course from time to time we will have a one off incident which obviously puts a damper on the overall efforts that we have put in place. It’s been a little while since we have heard of any major challenges where security is concerned with tourism, but you know, these things do happen from time to time,” The Tourism Minister said during his appearance on WEFM’s Issue At Hand program.
Minister James noted that it has been quite some time since any major challenge to security in the tourism sector has been reported. He said that while incidents may occur from time to time, he is confident in what has been put in place.