Dominican ports chief lauds security improvements

Dominican ports chief lauds security improvements Citing adherence to International Ship and Port Facility Security Code standards, the head of the Dominican Republic's Port Security Corps said major problems related to drug smuggling and stowaways have been largely eliminated.
   Speaking at the Hemispheric Conference on Harbor Protection being held in the Dominican Republic, Commander Homero Lajara said smuggling, drug trafficking and stowaways at Dominican ports are 'a thing of the past,' according to a report in Dominican Today.
   U.S. port security experts, most notably Coast Guard officials, tend to back the claims. The Dominican Republic has been held up as an example of how other Caribbean nations could upgrade their security practices.