Roban Calls For CCTV To Expand To Schools
“The PLP calls once again for the government to consider the expansion of the islandwide CCTV camera system to the grounds of public facilities such as our schools,” Shadow Minister of National Security Walter Roban said.
Mr Roban said, “In May of this year the Minister of National Security announced the near completion of the installation of a +$6 million island wide system.
“It was in June that the Whitney Institute had the unfortunate experience of a break-in and bomb scare. This event required a significant deployment of personnel and resources to make sure there was no risk. It also raised a concern about the security of our school properties.
The CCTV monitoring centre in Prospect:
“The PLP believes we must have good security for our schools for them to remain peaceful sanctuaries of teaching and learning. This must be the high priority since we do live in a world where security concerns like this are a reality. It is unreasonable to believe we can have the Police [BPS], or private security patrolling these properties night and day especially in an era of limited budgets.
“To augment efforts already in place and to guarantee school security, it would make sense to expand the 150 plus camera system to the grounds of our schools so that they may have the benefit of 24 hour surveillance especially after hours when no one is on the grounds. These cameras can be limited to the exterior of the physical buildings surveying areas that are most vulnerable to entry by prowlers or vandals.
“The BPS is now facing further budget challenges and reduced manpower to meet spending targets. The PLP believes that in light of the substantial investment already made, it makes good fiscal and common sense to maximize the use of the system technology in any public areas where security gaps may exist.
“Our children are our greatest assets and their safety, along with the teachers and those who care for them during schools hours and after hours, must be a top priority,” added Mr Roban.
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go ahead waste more money.
I wouldn’t see it as a waste of money, but just where the hell do they expect us to find the money. To cameras throughout the schools will require more physical infrastructure than consolidated wirelessly linked camera boxes at set points. In the schools, a consolidated point will be required, with all cabling coming back to there… that is assuming that the cameras will be within whatever the cable distance limitations will be, otherwise you will need more than one point. Then there will be whether the cameras will be IP based or digital, both present different pros and cons. Then there will be compatibility with the existing CCTV system… additional bandwidth needs from the schools for the monitoring streams…
@ Build a Better Bermuda. A bit of advice for Mr. Roban, “If slaughterhouses had glass walls, everyone would be a vegetarian.” -Paul McCartney singer-songwriter, composer, poet, and activist (b. 18 Jun 1942)
I agree with the concept “but”, where will the dollars come from to install and maintain these security cameras?
How would a camera have made any difference to a bomb scare?
If you want to stop breaking in. A CCTV systems is just going to watch you do it. You needs a security system with horns around a communication to a central station.
The incident that roban is using as an example whill have not stopped someone going into the school and planting something. It will just have recorded him. All some needs to do is be fully covered.
The PLP are really good at suggestions for SPENDING money. Not so good at suggestions for earning it.
So true. Roban and the rest have no clue where the money will come from. That’s what I said about Ewart Brown and his spending spree. Anyone can buy ferries, but where was the money coming from, us guys, and of course that was the best thing to happen to Bermuda since sliced bread! Just saying….with an unlimited budget we can do almost anything.
I am uneasy with such an extension. We’re already very much an intrusive surveillance society – and besides, the technology & operation of such a CCTV system is expensive too.
A much better approach would be expanding community policing and tackling some of the root problems, be it inequality or the counter-productive ‘war on drugs’ prohibition approach (as opposed to addressing it as a public health issue).
Do we really want to make our schools a mini-1984? What lessons does that teach our young?
1984 was in essence a condemnation of communism. I am suprised you arent a big supporter of more cameras and equally suprised to see your negative reference to 1984.
Not to derail the thread, but Orwell was a democratic socialist, as am I.
1984 and Animal Farm were condemnations of Stalinism, not of communism or socialism – they were criticisms of state socialism from a democratic socialist perspective.
To reduce all varieties of communism\socialism to just Stalinism is an error, albeit one that has (for various Cold War reasons on both sides of the iron curtain) been promoted by both the West and Moscow\Beijing.
Also, I’ve written a few articles critical of CCTV here on Bernews, should you be interested.
I think they were published in spring 2014 if that helps. But a search of ‘cctv’ on this site should work. (I’m on my phone, so can’t post the links for you, sorry)
Totally agree JS. Very surprised to hear suggestions of a 1984 style operation ….
We should also build high walls with barb wire around the schools so that students can really FEEL like they are in peaceful sanctuaries.
Seriously though, the $6M already spent on cameras do not cover all of our roads as they need to prioritise resources. Which cameras does MP Roban suggest we take down or conversely what does he suggest is cut from the budget to cover the purchase, installation and monitoring of additional cameras? Typical spending initiative with no reference to our financial realities.
Let’s put them in our houses too. Bigger contract for friends and family.
AND NURSERIES MR. ROBAN. CHILDREN WHO ARE TOO YOUNG TO TALK AND TELL MOMMY AND DADDY WHAT HAPPENED AT NURSERY NEED PROTECTION FROM THE CHILD ABUSERS AMONGST US! LET’S GET LEGISLATION ON THE BOOKS AND HAVE IT HAPPEN NOW!! IF THE NURSERIES HAVE NOTHING TO HIDE THEY WON’T MIND BEING MONITORED. SORRY FOR THE CAPS BUT I WANT TO BE HEARD.
Well if you visit a school like Cedarbridge you would know that they have over 60 cameras inside and outside of the school.. Why add more? I think the school already knows they needed to protect the students and faculty. They do not need your help PLP
July 23 – make noise about something on public forum ✔
July 24 – make noise about something on public forum
July 25 – make noise ……
Just another example of the Titanic sinking and the PLP wanting to discuss the deckchair arrangements. Thank God they are no longer our Govt.
I agree with Mr Roban we require more cameras to deter and convict in order to tackle issues that has damaged our country on many levels.
Lets start with a retroactive 1998 camera install at PLP headquarters.