TSA happy with measures taken to improve GAIA processes

Over a month after an elderly man entered Miami with a loaded pistol on a flight coming from Barbados, US officials are satisfied with the measures taken to prevent the event from reoccurring.

In an interview on Friday, Transport Security Administration (TSA) Caribbean representative Danielle Boyce expressed confidence in the quality of oversight from Grantley Adams International Airport and Barbados Civil Aviation Department officials.

Consequently, the agency, which is an arm of the US Department of Homeland Security has chosen not to impose the types of measures taken in response to “serious deficiencies”.

However, an urgent request was made for the Barbados government to conduct an immediate investigation and implement immediate measures to address the security concerns.

“From the moment I was made aware of this concern, I contacted the government of Barbados through the Barbados Civil Aviation Department along with the airport authority and we immediately had dialogue about what actually transpired,” Boyce told Barbados TODAY.

“We shared information with each other about what transpired and the Government of Barbados immediately did an investigation, provided me with the updates of those investigations and what measures they were going to take to mitigate and hopefully prevent this from recurring in the future and all of those met what we would expect in regards to correcting or mitigating the concern going forward,” the TSA representative added.

On December 2, Barbadian Cameron Hinds flew into Miami International Airport with a loaded firearm in his carry-on luggage. He informed lawmen in Miami that when he boarded the plane at the Grantley Adams International Airport (GAIA), the 32-calibre revolver was in his pants pocket.

At the time, Prime Minister Mia Mottley said that the person or persons responsible for the breach would be held accountable.

Since then, Hinds was released from US custody and an airport security worker at GAIA has been reportedly fired.

According to Boyce, the TSA this week conducted an airport assessment and air carrier inspection of the Grantley Adams International Airport to assess the “aviation security posture” of the airport and to ensure international standards are being met.

The last of such visits, which are usually made annually, occurred in February 2020 and involved a broad inspection of the airport’s security measures.

“We start from the perimeter. So from the moment you pull into the airport even before you check-in, we look at those areas. We look at screening, both of the passengers and the whole baggage of the cargo location, the boarding process where the aircraft are,” Boyce explained.

“So we get a full view of what the airport looks like and that requires a lot of cooperation and coordination from the government to provide us with escorts and badging and time. So we really do require a lot of the government to assist us here and they’ve really done an outstanding job during this week to facilitate all of that,” she added.

Boyce expressed confidence in the country’s ability to identify security concerns and address them independent of third party countries like the US, the UK or Canada.

The TSA official explained that where serious deficiencies are identified, the administrative body could demand that action be taken within 90 days and could also suspend service.

“Our greatest concern is the evolving threats and concerns of terrorism and we do our best to counter terrorist activities by strengthening aviation security and being innovative and finding enhanced capabilities to strengthen global aviation and stay ahead of those evolving threats. That’s really the goal of TSA,” Boyce explained.
kareemsmith@barbadostoday.bb