Boat seized in illegal activity to become patrol vessel

The Government says it will use as a patrol vessel in the Grenadines a boat that was seized because of illegal activity.

Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves made the announcement in Parliament on Tuesday while responding to a question from Sen. Linton Lewis, an opposition lawmaker.

Lewis wanted to know what steps are being made to reduce substantially the incidents of theft on board yachts moored in Vincentian waters.

Gonsalves, who is also Minister of National Security, said that while there is a permanent patrol boat in the Bequia harbour, there is a “superior” vessel that was seized because of illegal activity that foreigners were involved with here.

The idea, he said, is to take the one seized, which is bigger and better, send it to Bequia, and send the one in Bequia to the Mayreau area.

The Coastguard base in Canouan, when completed, will add a lot of capacity, Gonsalves further said.

He said regular meetings are held with stakeholders including in Cumberland and Wallilabou, to tackle the issue of yacht burglaries.

The most recent meeting was on April 11 between senior police officers, the Coastguard and stakeholders.

“All of us have to work together on this one, because it is our bread and butter and yachting is lucrative business and you are right to be concerned and all of us have to be concerned about the security of the yachts people and their property,” Gonsalves said.