Senator Jeff Baron, the Minister of National Security, has confirmed that CCTV cameras will be placed in the town of St George and in Dockyard.

The imitative, he hopes, would further help to lower the crime rate. Mr Baron told the Senate on Wednesday morning that Cabinet had approved the expansion of the CCTV network to the east and west ends of the island, thus honouring a promise made by the One Bermuda Alliance during the Throne Speech last November.

“CCTV is an effective tool in the modern era of policing,” Mr Baron said. “Since the implementation of the enhanced network in other parts of the island, crimes have been prevented, investigations enhanced and valuable evidence provided for prosecutions in the courts.

“While this promise was made before the recent uptick in criminal activity in St George, the action of this government in advancing the expansion of the network is timely and warranted.

“Significant infrastructure exists as part of the existing contract with the service provider and, as such, this expansion will form an addendum to that existing contract. This will ensure system integrity and monitoring continuity within the existing framework for CCTV island-wide.

“With Dockyard set to host the principal events surrounding the America’s Cup, the expansion of CCTV to this area will go some way towards fulfilling Bermuda’s security obligations for the event. This added layer of security for the site will add to our ability to host an event of this magnitude in the safest possible fashion.

“I would be remiss if, as part of this statement, I did not address the renewed call for a police station in St George. In frank terms, it is police presence that enhances safety and deters antisocial behaviour; not a bricks-and-mortar structure. The recent robbery in St George, in which a man has already been charged, was solved speedily because the police were on patrol in the town in spite of their ‘station’ being at Southside.

“Police officers out of buildings, engaging with the community, is what we must support. It is the officers’ presence that we need, and that need is being met through sensible deployment of police officers by the commissioner and his senior command.

“In a few short months, I look forward to further confirming to the Senate, the residents and businesses in Dockyard, and the people of St George, in particular, that the expanded network is functional and supporting the important security needs of these areas poised to play significant parts in the revitalisation of Bermuda’s tourism and the economy.”