Above: Grenada

By the Caribbean Journal staff

The first cruise ship of the season is set to arrive in Grenada on Oct. 30, and the country’s government is making sure the island is ready to receive it.

The country recently hosted its fifth annual Tourism Safety and Security Meeting at the Grenada Board of Tourism, with tourism officials, police and members of the GBT gathering to discuss issues relating to the safety and security of the island in advance of the cruise season.

““Grenada is in a position where we can say that we are one of the safest destinations in the Caribbean,” Tourism Minister Alexandra Otway-Noel. “We get about 3500 [cruise] visitors per year who are able to enjoy our shores in a safe environment.”

Edvin Martin, assistant commissioner of police, said there had been a substantial reduction in crime on the island compared to last year, although the Royal Grenada Police Force said it had “no intention of letting down its guard for this year’s cruise season.”

Martin said the RGPF had developed a “comprehensive security plan” to safeguard tourists, including the static manning of major tourist sites during peak hours of cruise ship days, the weekly patrol of marinas around the country and the coordinated guarding of tour routes.

“Our tourism sector is a very strong contributor to our economy and we must make every effort to maintain that,” Otway-Noel said.