UK shares ideas to improve security in Guatemala
A delegation from the UK participated in the second international convention on security technologies in Guatemala.
UKTI Defence and Security Organisation
The delegation was held between 3 and 4 November. British officials from UK Trade and Investment’s (UKTI) Defence and Security Organisation (DSO) and 8 UK companies who specialise in security equipment attended. The event was viewed as an excellent opportunity to exchange best practices with the Guatemalan authorities and explore business opportunities.
The UK delegation was led by Arfan Chaudhry, DSO’s Assistant Director for Latin America and the Caribbean. Mark Goldby, police and security adviser at UKTI-DSO was also in attendance. Mr Goldby delivered a presentation at the Convention about the use of CCTV and London’s successful experiences on surveillance operations to help the security/justice systems.
According to Home Office statistics, criminals are more likely to plead guilty when faced with evidence sourced from high tech security surveillance devices. These resources have proven to help judges and juries build up strong evidence based sentences against criminals. They have also helped find answers to previously unresolved cases.
British officials at the convention also discussed the UK-Guatemalan cooperation on cyber security.
The UKTI DSO delegation met local industry and non-governmental organisations involved in crime prevention at the event. 6 UK companies exhibited at the 3 day exhibition and two others attended.
Sarah Dickson, British Ambassador to Guatemala, said:
The UK remains unwavering in our commitment to advance crime prevention in Guatemala and to help the justice system give the Guatemalan people the results they deserve. For some, it may be easy to get discouraged. On the contrary, I think it’s time to get active and find solutions.
British officials and UK companies visiting the convention are willing to share their knowledge and technology to serve this purpose.
The UKTI DSO presence follows on from a number of key engagements over the last few years with senior Guatemalan Government officials and DSO was delighted to continue this momentum.
Contact the British Embassy Guatemala City for advice on developing your business in Guatemala.