Soualiga Team is
‘moving smoothly’
PHILIPSBURG--Police Chief Commissioner Derrick Holiday says the Soualiga Team is “moving along smoothly” after its first week of functioning in the Philipsburg area.
Holiday said the team of Voluntary Corps VKS officers was being monitored by police and on occasion some of his police officers accompanied them into Philipsburg to provide hands-on supervision of their operation.
VKS Commander Major Jean Illidge says he is still waiting on the release of the budget for the operation to purchase more suitable uniforms for the officers, as the VKS uniforms are not suitable for the climate when working for long hours, especially during the day.
He said the VKS officers were working out of the Philipsburg police station as usual because the building built specifically for the Soualiga Team on the Great Bay beach promenade had not yet been handed over for their use.
After much debate about what were the appropriate criteria for selecting candidates to work as members of the Soualiga Team, the decision was finally made to have a selection of 14 VKS officers start work as of Thursday, April 13.
Although there are still some details to be finalised, Tourism Commissioner Theo Heyliger had stated that it was necessary for the team to start working as soon as possible in a bid to put an end to the crime wave that has kept residents uneasy for some time.
The VKS officers now patrol the Philipsburg area during the day and night.
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