A new UK-funded radar system is now in operation, giving Anguilla’s authorities real-time monitoring of the island’s coastal waters for the first time. Police, immigration and customs officers now have visibility of vessel movements, helping them detect suspicious activity and respond quickly to threats at sea or on land.
The radar was delivered by the UK’s Joint Maritime Security Centre after an assessment by maritime data firm Sirius Insight on behalf of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
The Governor’s Office announced the deployment of the radar in a short statement on 25 July, in which it described it as a “powerful new tool”. In May, Police Commissioner Robert Clark said the radar will allow authorities to track vessels not electronically identifiable and spot unusual patterns that suggest possible illegal entry.
