Sowande: More cameras needed!

While claiming that the closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras installed in the streets of Tortola are proving to be worth the investment made, Dr Natalio ‘Sowande’ Wheatley said more of those cameras are needed.

The Virgin Islands Party president made the call while he noted that, based on police reports, a number of persons were charged last month for serious crimes substantially as a result of evidence collected from CCTV cameras.

“It seems as if some of the evidence came from CCTV. [It seems] those cameras have been paying some dividends. And it’s interesting to note that those things (cameras) have to be purchased, and money has to be spent on them. So we cannot underestimate the impact of solving the funding issues of the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force. It seems to be paying direct dividends to the people of the Virgin Islands in being able to identify the perpetrators of crime, and so we need more cameras actually.”

Dr Wheatley, who was speaking recently during the Speak Out BVI radio programme, noted that persons are innocent unless they are proven guilty.

He said he hopes those responsible for murders and other crimes will be convicted and punished.

“It would seem as though they (police) have some strong evidence to support them, otherwise they would not have charged them. We hope that we can successfully prosecute those who have been committing atrocities in our society,” Dr Wheatley said while he also congratulated the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force.