The U.S. Transportation Security Administration, the TSA, has told
the Marshall Islands it must revamp its international airport security
operation by the beginning of 2006.
But local officials are worried that they will not be able to afford the bomb-screening equipment and other security upgrades.
The government could be forced to spend millions of dollars on stepped-up airport security measures if the recommendations of the TSA are to be followed.
Officials from TSA, which is in charge of security at all airports
in the United States and has oversight of U.S.-affiliated islands in the
region, conducted an airport inspection in Majuro recently.
The officials told the Government it needs to take over airport security checks now done by the airlines, and needs to install bomb-detection equipment at the airport.
A Marshall Islands official says equipment such as an X-ray machine will cost millions but then there is the additional cost of locating it in an air conditioned facility and the ongoing training of staff.
