By John Myers Jr. ,
Staff Reporter
THE MINISTRY of Transport is currently in talks with local and overseas agencies to have training started for airline marshals to guard against airborne terrorist attacks.
Lieutenant Colonel Oscar Derby, deputy director-general for regulatory affairs at the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), told The Gleaner yesterday that the Transport Ministry was in consultations with local agencies and several in the United States with a view to commencing training for air marshals next month.
Lt. Colonel Derby said the National Aviation Safety Committee will be meeting on Monday to discuss matters in this regard. He said training could start as early as April, depending on the outcome of Monday's meeting.
"We have identified sources for the training, we have not selected the source as yet, but our preliminary training should perhaps begin soon after the meeting that will be held on Monday," Lt. Colonel Derby said.
When asked about the cost of undertaking the training of personnel, Derby said "It is not something I am able to discuss, nor can I say the number we are targeting for training." He also said he could not disclose from where the persons would be selected for training. According to him, the matter is a sensitive one and a decision was taken not to reveal details of the programme.
The CAA deputy director-general said no timeline had been set for which persons must be trained as air marshals by these persons will only be deployed on flights when the United States notifies the CAA of a possible terrorism risk aboard a flight terminating in the United States from Jamaica.
Following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the US, countries across the globe were urged to instal air marshals on flights terminating in the country as a precaution against another attack on the U.S. Failure to comply would result in the U.S. Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) restricting access to that country.
The presence of armed marshals aboard a flight is aimed at preventing terrorists from highjacking an aircraft by stopping anyone unauthorised from reaching the cockpit.
