The recent bombing hoax at the Ritz Carlton and Caribbean Club has set me thinking.

I am worried and I asked a friend of mind for his take on my worries. He agreed with me.

My worry is that now someone might and I mean MIGHT actually try and put it into practice. I mean plant a real bomb.

How well prepared are we in Cayman to a terrorist attack? Are the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service sufficiently trained in how to deal with one?

We are a transit point for drug smugglers and we don’t appear to be winning that battle. Drugs are still being smuggled into Northward Prison even though we appear to have a prison director who knows his job.

Drugs are smuggled into our country and handguns and other weapons, too.

What about a bomb? It wouldn’t seem to be too difficult to even make one.

We have a multi-national community here where foreigners can blend in.

This is a huge financial centre but how big are our security arrangements? They are nothing like the ones in place in London nor even Miami.

The following is a quote on the subject from my friend who actually is fairly experienced in this and has even spent time in Israel.

“As the Israelis always say, “To stop terrorists, you have to think like a terrorist,” and it doesn’t take a huge amount of imagination to put together a viable scenario and realise that there’s nothing RCIPS could do to stop it. All someone needs is to get the bomb or bomb making equipment dropped off on the island one night then fly a couple (the Israeli Mossad long ago recognised that to most people a man and woman travelling together create far less suspicion than males on their own or in pairs) in as tourists. Then they get a rental car and pick up the goodies before going to their chosen target they blow themselves up, along with everyone close by, to pieces. These people are well resourced, motivated to a point the majority of people can’t remotely comprehend and don’t give a damn about dying.”

I read this comment from an expert in security. He warned if someone is determined to blow himself up there is a very good chance, more than 50/50, he will do so.  One can only try and prevent the number of innocent people that will sadly die with him.

The airport security in force at Owen Roberts Airport is much greater than at the cruise ship Royal Watler terminal. There are no sniffer dogs, x-ray machines or metal detectors there. Hand searches are at a minimum.

Maybe the bombing hoax is a blessing in disguise. It might be a wake up call.