Visitors and customers at the Port of Spain Shopping Complex can feel a greater level of safety as the facility received a security upgrade.
The Complex has installed a state-of-the-art security system with dozens of cameras, facial recognition and artificial intelligence technology.
Minister of Housing and Urban Development Adrian Leonce said the system cost almost $1 million.
“This is what the government is investing in the people of East Port of Spain, especially persons who typically wouldn’t be able to go and rent in a mall and pay $20,000. Now you are in a space in the heart of the city, best foot traffic, best opportunity to show your entrepreneurial skills, et cetra and also now have the best type of security.”
In addition to the feeling of safety the system will provide for shoppers, mall tenant Ora Gordon told TTT News the improvement is welcomed.
“It will be really nice to have, you know, more security, the cameras and stuff so in case of anything you can see what’s happening in the mall, you know, so you feel more secure about it and I am looking forward to how things work out, you know. I feel more confident in what is happening and I really hope that it doesn’t just stop here but it continues as the time goes by.”
Another shop owner, Philly Allen of Simply Chic, also applauded the new initiative.
“As far as the security, I think that it would allow people to shop more comfortable and feel more safe in the environment. So, yeah, I think it does give us more possibilities of more foot traffic coming in.”
Minister Leonce noted that the system is expandable and can provide security for the second building of the mall, which is under construction next door.