by Linda Straker
- First 6 months of 2023, Grenada recorded an increase in serious and minor offences
- Police will employ intrusive searches for offensive weapons at carnival events
- National Carnival Queen show on Sunday, 6 August first of major carnival activities
ACP Vannie Curwen, Officer in Charge of Crimes of the Royal Grenada Police Force (RGPF), said that the Police will be using “technological assistance” in their fights against crime and or criminal activities that will or may occur on the compound of the National Stadium during major carnival events.
“We are confident and comfortable that if something happens in the stadium, we have technological assistance we can draw on. I don’t want to be specific as to what is present or what those technologies are,” he said while responding to a question asked about the technological crime-fighting equipment at the National Stadium.
“I do not wish to speak about this, this is part of our trump card in our arsenal, and we do not want to give out what technology we will be relying on,” he added.
Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell, who is also the minister for National Security, recently confirmed that for the first 6 months of 2023, Grenada recorded an increase in both serious and minor offences.
Curwen said that to ensure that patrons at all of the major carnival shows are safe and secure, the Police will be employing intrusive searches so that offensive weapons do not get past the entry gate for any of the events.
“Searches slow down entrance time,” he said as he called on patrons to be early and to not walk with offensive weapons or banned items such as aerosol insecticides in their possession.
Spicemas 2023 will conclude on 15 August with a parade of bands on the streets. However, the major activities commence on Sunday, 6 August 2023, with the National Carnival Queen Show at the National Stadium where 7 ladies contest the title.