Planned border security infra upgrade seen as enhancement, not duplication

MANILA, Philippines — The proposed Civil Aviation and Immigration Security Services (CAISS) project is designed to fill the gap and enhance existing government border security systems, not duplicate them.

This had been stressed by Nate Carpenter, chief technology officer of Securiport LLC, who recently addressed concerns that the system will overlap government-run versions in existence.

Carpenter made the assertion in a online interview with reporters on the sidelines of the 21st International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Traveller Identification Programme (TRIP) Symposium held in Montreal, Canada last September 22-24.

“This is actually not a duplication at all,” Carpenter said. “We built our system at Securiport to fit into the government’s ecosystem.”

He said governments already have purchased technologies and established systems.

Securiport’s tools are meant to work within that ecosystem and add capabilities, information, and risk-identification tools.

“They do not replace the systems that are there. They enhance the systems that are there,” he said.

“We look at it as multiplying the government’s investment that they’ve already made.”

The annual event where Carpenter spoke gathered member states and stakeholders from passport and civil-registry offices, border and law-enforcement agencies, aviation security and public-health authorities, airlines and airports, international organizations, and industry experts to explore ways to make travel more seamless, secure and efficient.

Themed “Putting Trust into Practice: Towards Trusted Travel Identity for All,” the event featured discussions on advancing traveler identification, border security, privacy safeguards and system interoperability. (Contributed story)