The Second Phase of The Enhancing Public Safety With Intelligent Video Analytics Project Was Officially Launched

The second phase of the Enhancing Public Safety With Intelligent Video Analytics Project was officially launched at the Questelles Police Station on Friday, 29th September, 2023.

Director of the Information Technology Services Division (ITSD), Mr. Carlon Browne applauded the continued collaborative effort between the Government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and the people of the Republic of China on Taiwan on the various development projects and initiatives being undertaken across Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. He highlighted that upon completion of this phase of the project, there will be a total of 360 cameras deployed at twenty-nine (29) locations on the mainland as well as on Union Island and Bequia. This phase of the project will also see the implementation of thirty (30) body cameras. Mr. Browne concluded by stating that the management of this system is no small undertaking, however he is confident that the management and staff of the Information Technology Services Division (ITSD) is up for the task.

Mr. Carlon Browne

Assistant Commissioner of The Royal SVG Police Force, Christopher Benjamin, in addressing the gathering highlighted some of the benefits of having the CCTV system which include but not limited to: crime prevention, handling of disputes and a deterrent for vandalism. He also pointed out that security in general is a very expensive venture and thanked the government and people of the Republic of China on Taiwan for their continued friendship and support over the years.

Mr. Christopher Benjamin

H.E. Ambassador Fiona H.C. Fan Ambassador of ROC (Taiwan) thanked Minister of Finance, Economic Planning & Information Technology, Hon. Camillo Gonsalves and his team for their vision to initiate such a project and for their trust and partnership with the people of the Republic of China on Taiwan. She also stated that in an evolving world, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and the Internet of Things (IOT) are crucial in shaping smart cities, revolutionizing our way of life and impacting the environment, society and the economy. They also play a pivotal role in enhancing our social security system. As such, the government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and the government of the Republic of China on Taiwan signed an implementation arrangement for this project; aiming to improve surveillance in public places for the safety of this country's citizens and bolster our social security system. She added that this phase of the project will see the implementation of 160 high resolution cameras and thirty (30) mobile cameras for police officers which would improve their monitoring capabilities and response times. This phase will also see the implementation of a license plate recognition system for traffic safety and crime prevention to strengthen our social security system further. In addition to hardware installation, the ambassador noted that they will be providing information courses such as Cyber Security which would be conducted by experts to elevate Saint Vincent and the Grenadines' expertise. She concluded by saying that her country's commitment is to promote modernization and sustainable development in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines through technology and knowledge exchange, educational collaborations and the strengthening of our social security systems.

Ambassador Fiona H.C. Fan

Minister of Finance, Economic Planning & Information Technology, Hon. Camillo Gonsalves, stated that Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is currently undertaking a Digital Transformation Project where the aim is to use technology to improve the citizen's experience with living, working and interacting with the government across multiple levels. He added that a few years ago when a Vincentian delegation visited Taiwan, they discussed ways in which their expertise in technology could assist the day-to-day life of the average Vincentian, and they discussed ways in which technology can be used in the fight against crime and to enhance the capacity of our police. Coming out of such discussions, the decision was made to use CCTV technology to assist with the fight against crime. Minister Gonsalves added that so far there have been almost 500 different requests for information from the current CCTV cameras that are already in operation. Of those 500 requests, the police were able to respond to approximately 350 of them with information, which translates to a 70% success rate. The Minister also noted that the cameras that are going to be implemented at this phase are of a higher quality than the ones currently installed and thanked the government and people of the Republic of China on Taiwan for not 'dumping old technologies on us' but rather providing us with the latest technologies as they become available.

Hon. Camillo Gonsalves

The objective of Enhancing Public Safety With Intelligent Video Analytics Project is to assist the Government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines in establishing an Intelligent Video Surveillance System (IVS). The objectives and scope of the project are as follows:

1. Enhance the scope of monitoring and penetration: This project is based on the needs of the government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines to expand the scope of the intelligent video surveillance system, set up 160 outdoor cameras in twenty-nine (29) locations.

2. Capacity building: To increase the image analysis, program design capability, operation mechanism and management, as well as to strengthen the information security capability of the staff of the The Royal SVG Police Force and Information Technology Services Division.

3. Hardware and software upgrades: Upgrade the space and equipment of the E-bus and Security Centre, the e-Government Centre, and the ITSD Server Room. The installation of an off-site backup will also be established.

4. Maintenance and operation: To ensure the stability and normal operation of the software and hardware facilities shared between this project and the previous project, this project is expected to regularly carry out software and hardware maintenance of the previous project as well.