PM Harris Visits CCTV Centre in Taiwan

BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, MAY 20th, 2016 (PRESS SEC) – Prime Minister Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris and his delegation to Taiwan visited the Taipei City Police Department’s CCTV Centre on Thursday, May 19th. This was a follow-up to the bilateral meeting between St. Kitts and Nevis and Taiwan that was held on March 16th in Belize.

During the meeting in Belize, then-President Ma Ying-jeou of Taiwan agreed to collaborate with St. Kitts and Nevis in implementing a far-reaching crime-fighting plan for the Federation that would expand the use of closed-circuit television (CCTV) in the hot spot areas for violent crime, increase opportunities for training in the St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force, and implement technological upgrades to consolidate information for enhanced efficiency.

At the bilateral meeting, then-President Ma Ying-jeou sang the praises of crime-fighting technologies, which he said account for impressive results in Taiwan.

“The petty crime rate has dropped 70 percent and violent crimes went down 80 percent. There are 2.6 million people in Taipei, the capital of Taiwan, and so far there are 13,700 CCTV devices. People feel safe,” then-President Ma Ying-jeou said at that meeting.

A press release issued on May 15th, 2013 by the Taipei City Police Department reinforces the comments of His Excellency Ma Ying-jeou, who – at 9:00a.m. on May 20th, 2016 in Taiwan – handed over the reins of the presidency to Her Excellency Dr. Tsai Ing-wen, the country’s first female President.

The 2013 press release titled “Mayor Hao Praises New CCTV for Outstanding Results in Crime Prevention and Investigation” reads in part: “From July 2009, Taipei City Government began installing a new CCTV system totaling 13,699 cameras at major intersections and crime hotspots… installations were completed on November 19, 2012.”

The press release from the Taipei City Police Department continues: “In 2012, 5,282 criminal cases, including the high-profile Taiwan Business Bank Raincoat Robber case and the Hsin Tung Yang Shooting case, were solved with the assistance of the new CCTV, which is a significant growth of 500% compared with 923 cases in 2011…From 2012 to the present, all robbery cases had been solved and the clearance rate for home thefts increased from 20-30% to 80%, creating the lowest crime rate in Taipei City during the recent 10 years.”

Back in March 2016 at the bilateral meeting in Belize, then-President Ma Ying-jeou said he was hopeful that Taiwan’s technological capabilities “can be of some use” to St. Kitts and Nevis and spoke about the possibility of setting up “an exchange program between our police” with the Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis.

“We will let the future government know of our plans,” then-President Ma Ying-jeou assured the Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Harris said the Police High Command in Taiwan welcomes the collaboration with St. Kitts and Nevis.

Today, Dr. Harris congratulated the new President of Taiwan, Her Excellency Dr. Tsai Ing-wen, and her Vice President, Chen Chien-jen, after their swearing-in ceremony. The Prime Minister was a special guest at a banquet hosted by the President on Friday night. (Taiwan is 12 hours ahead of St. Kitts and Nevis.)

On May 21st, Prime Minister Harris will pay an official visit to Her Excellency Dr. Tsai Ing-wen at the Office of the President in Taipei. The meeting will allow the Prime Minister to outline his vision for the bilateral partnership between both countries.

The St. Kitts-Nevis delegation to Taiwan includes Premier of Nevis, the Honourable Vance Amory and Mrs. Amory, Attorney General, Honourable Vincent Byron Jr. and Mrs. Byron, and Director-General of the St. Kitts and Nevis Information Service (SKNIS), Mr. Lesroy Williams. His Excellency George Gow Wei Chiou, Ambassador of the Republic of China (Taiwan) to St. Kitts and Nevis, is accompanying the delegation.

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