UK Funds Senior Security Advisor for BVI
The UK will fully fund a new senior security advisor to help develop and coordinate the British Virgin Islands’ national security strategy, Governor Daniel Pruce announced. The appointment follows commitments from the recent Anti-Crime Summit amid rising robbery and weapons seizures, and is expected to be in place early next year.
Governor Daniel Pruce has announced that the United Kingdom will fund a senior security advisor to strengthen national security planning and coordination in the British Virgin Islands. The adviser, he said, will be an experienced security professional providing guidance on safety and security matters across the Territory.
The position will be fully funded by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and is expected to be filled early next year. Pruce framed the move as a direct follow-up to commitments made at September’s Anti-Crime Summit, convened to tackle rising levels of serious crime in the Territory.
Pruce highlighted worrying crime statistics presented at the summit: robberies between January and September rose 58% compared with the same period last year and were 131% higher than the five-year average. Police also recovered 18 firearms and more than 1,100 rounds of ammunition during that period.
The governor said the new adviser will support a comprehensive security strategy that complements the existing anti-crime plan and promotes greater coherence among agencies. Other summit outcomes outlined by Pruce include creation of a community advisory group for the National Security Council, upgrades to the police radio communications network, and plans to install a coastal radar system to improve maritime surveillance.
The governor said the Joint Maritime Security Centre has already trialled similar radar systems in Anguilla and the Turks and Caicos Islands, and the BVI installation is expected to follow next year after lessons are learned from those deployments. Pruce also confirmed that an external investigation into a recent prison escape — supported by the UK Ministry of Justice — has been commissioned and will form a key part of the follow-up actions.
He acknowledged public concern about the uptick in crime but said local law enforcement agencies are working to restore safety and security for residents. For BVI communities, the package of measures could bring tangible changes: improved police communications, enhanced coastal monitoring to tackle illicit maritime activity, and a formal role for community voices through the advisory group.
Residents should expect updates as the UK-funded adviser is recruited and as the planned radar and communications improvements move from planning into implementation. Governor Pruce said the adviser’s role is to help pull together these strands into a coherent, Territory-wide security strategy while ensuring local agencies retain operational responsibility and accountability.
Primary source: BVI News