Requests for proposals for island-wide CCTV system are expected to go out soon, according to the Minister of National Security.

Renee Ming, addressing the House of Assembly on the Ministry’s budget, hoped the system would help deter criminals and assist police identify suspects.

She said that the RFP for the CCTV improvements was “in development” and the results would determine if the project would be a replacement of the existing system or an upgrade.

Ms Ming added that the ministry was working on new legislation to tackle cybercrime along with measures to make the public more aware of online crime.

She said: “We want to put the legislation in place and amalgamate the 13 pieces of legislation we have out there, but there also needs to be an awareness campaign.”

Ms Ming said the ministry also hoped to release an anti-bullying app in the next few months.

She said that while the project – a collaboration with the Ministry of Education – was delayed by the pandemic, she expected it to be rolled out “in very short order”.

Ms Ming highlighted that $300,000 had been budgeted to purchase new police vehicles while $250,000 was earmarked for work at the old police headquarters at Prospect in Devonshire.

The ministry hopes to use the building in the future to house the Serious Crime Unit and reduce rent expenses.

Ms Ming noted that further work would be carried out at the island’s prisons and said efforts would be made to improve communication and create a better work environment for staff to help improve morale.

She added that she would visit the island’s correctional facilities in the next two weeks and that the ministry was in regular communication with the Prison Officers Association.

Ms Ming told the House that four vacant posts in the fire service that had previously been defunded were funded again in the budget.

The budget included four new positions within Emergency Dispatch and one new staff member at the Airport Fire Rescue section.

However, she noted that the number of staff at the Central Emergency Fire Service would fall by one because of a retirement.