Heads at the OECS Meeting in Anguilla View photo »

A team from the International Civil Aviation Organisation ICAO will be in Antigua and Barbuda from next week to conduct a Universal Security Audit Programme USAP at the V.C Bird International Airport.

Rosmond James of the Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority based in Antigua, told Heads at the OECS Meeting in Anguilla, that the ICAO USAP will be conducted from November 14 to 22 in Antigua and Barbuda and is part of a programme of mandatory security audits within 188 states which falls under ICAO.

He said that the audits are designed to determine the degree of compliance to standards and sustainability of state security systems.

The USAP audits will be conducted in two levels - one at the National Level and another at the Airport Level.

At the National Level, the organizational administration of the airport and cooperation with other states will be reviewed which at the Airport Level, access control, passenger and baggage security, hold baggage security and aircraft and in-flight security will be examined.

Cargo security and catering and response to acts of unlawful interference and contingency arrangements will also be reviewed.

James said that in the event the various regulations are below standards, the authorities will have to present a plan of action to remedy the situation in a specified time frame.

Universal Security Audit Programmes will also be conducted in St. Kitts and Nevis from November 25 to December 2 and in the second quarter of 2006 in St. Lucia and Grenada.

Digital photo by Maurice F. Merchant