SECURITY BREACHED

Businessman and proprietor of the local Rent and Drive Parts Depot, Lance Oliver, was last week Tuesday, January 4, arrested in Barbados on gun related charges. {{more}}

According to reports, Oliver had spent the day in Barbados shopping for vehicle parts. On attempting to return home a .22 firearm was discovered in his carry-on bag.

Sources say Oliver may have forgotten that the gun was in his briefcase when he left St. Vincent that morning. The presence of the gun somehow eluded local security officers and Oliver left St. Vincent and managed to clear immigration both locally and in Barbados. It was on leaving Barbados, though, that Barbadian security officers apparently detected the weapon. Oliver was arrested and subsequently charged. Up to Press time, Oliver was on remand in Barbados and was expected to return to court yesterday to answer the charges.

This incident has again thrown into question the efficiency of security features at regional airports.

Minister of National Security Vincent Beache told SEARCHLIGHT that he had heard about the matter and that investigations were being carried out to find out if in fact Oliver had left here with the firearm or whether he had acquired it in Barbados.

Beache, however, noted that if Oliver were able to leave the state with the firearm, security measures at the airport would have to be reviewed, as this would send a negative message both here and in Barbados.

The security minister said that the airport has already obtained x-ray equipment that would be used by the airlines to scan luggage being placed on the planes. The equipment is expected to be up and running in the next few weeks.