Facial recognition security cameras for ports of entry
The country’s airports and other entry points will have security cameras with facial recognition capabilities. The three ports where emphasis is being placed is the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), Timehri; the Eugene F. Correia International Airport, at Ogle, and developing ports including the Guyana/Suriname crossing. According to the Ministry of Public Telecommunication’s National Data Management Authority (NDMA), it is preparing to launch a major security initiative at the nation’s borders. It will involve the installation of high quality surveillance cameras equipped with facial recognition and other top security monitoring features.
“This project which is set to come on stream soon, continues under the Safe City Solutions project being carried out in partnership with the Chinese Government tech giant Huawei
Technologies…spearheading the security project which falls under the US$37.6 million venture that has already seen over 100 Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) high technology security cameras being installed around the country, particularly the capital Georgetown.” According to Major (rtd) Floyd Levi, Head of the NDMA, preparations are still being made to have the ports wired.
Levi noted that with Guyana becoming a popular oil state and opening up to an influx of foreigners, the country would need to get even more serious about security at the borders. The official noted that with the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) and US Homeland security’s watch list being a large one, it would be almost impossible for ordinary security personnel to keep up with the numerous wanted or potentially dangerous persons seeking to cross borders.
“That is why we would have to keep an eye on who is coming and who is going out. We don’t know some of these persons and we would want to have the best equipment that would help us recognize a potential threat before it gets within our society.” Levi reminded that only at the nation’s borders will the country be implementing facial recognition features in regard to the cameras. It was pointed out that that a small number of persons had raised concerns that this feature would be infringing on their privacy.
The NDMA head noted, however, that what the port cameras would allow when implemented is for the facial features of a potential suspect to be fed into a system and run against the individuals that may be present on a wanted list before alerting authorities to the potential threat. (Kaieteur News)