PM: SSA audit has not compromised police intelligence gathering

THE Prime Minister says the ongoing audit taking place at the Strategic Services Agency (SSA) has not compromised the intelligence gathering capability of the police.

Dr Rowley made that statement in response to a question from Naparima MP Rodney Charles in the House of Representatives on June 14.

Charles asked whether the audit had compromised the police's intelligence gathering capability and resulted in unacceptable levels of kidnappings, home invasions and murders. Rowley answered, "No."

Speaker Bridgid Annisette-George ruled Charles' claim that Canadian vlogger Christopher "Chris Must List" Hughes knew the location of criminal gangs in Trinidad and Tobago as out of order.

Charles asked Rowley why the SSA was unable to identify criminal gangs but Hughes could after being in TT for one week.

Referring to Charles' alignment with the Patriot slate in the UNC internal elections on June 15, Rowley said, "I know my colleague from Naparima is desperate to raise his profile among his colleagues. But he is in no position to say what the SSA tells the police and what the police knows and what the SSA knows and shares with the police."

Charles asked Rowley if he would agree that Government "did not adhere to a position raised by this side (Opposition) about the non-performance of the SSA."

Rowley replied, "The only non-performance that I have observed on that side is members criticising their leader."

In response to earlier questions about the SSA from Couva South MP Rudranath Indarsingh about a time frame for completion of the audit, Rowley said the audit was ongoing and there were several phases to it.

He expected the audit to go on "for quite some time."

Indarsingh asked if the findings of the audit would be shared with the Parliament's National Security Joint Select Committee (JSC).

Rowley found Indarsingh's comment to be interesting.

He reminded MPs about the ongoing inquiry by the Parliament's Land and Physical Infrastructure JSC on the Solomon Hochoy Highway extension project and that the UNC members on that committee were boycotting that inquiry on the party's instructions.

"So I am surprised to hear them asking about JSC on national security matters."

Rowley said, "I am giving no undertaking on a report that I have not seen concerning a matter of national security, and I will only bring to the Parliament, appropriate, serious information that can be brought and made public in the Parliament."

A statement on March 3 from the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) said, "The National Security Council (NSC) has recommended to the Cabinet that the head of the SSA (then retired Major Roger Best) be replaced immediately and that new leadership and management be installed with despatch."

Rowley is the chairman of the NSC and head of the Cabinet.

The OPM added, "This recommendation has been effected and as of Saturday March 2 the head of the SSA (Best) has been sent on administrative leave." Best was appointed in July 2019 on a three-year contract.

Trinidad and Tobago's Ambassador to Washington, DC, Brig-Gen Anthony Phillips-Spencer, was recalled on March 2 and appointed acting SSA director by President Christine Kangaloo .

The OPM said Phillips-Spencer is initiating an extensive review and audit of all personnel, equipment and processes in the SSA.

On May 16, Best was arrested, along with pastor Ian Brown, a former special reserve officer assigned to the SSA, former security supervisor Susan Portell-Griffith and Sgt Sherwin Waldron, formerly assigned to the Special Operations Response Team.

This was the result of a two-and-a-half-month-long investigation into a wide range of allegations against SSA agents, including those surrounding the transfer of the weapons from the police to the SSA.

Best was fired on May 18, while still in police custody, by acting President Nigel de Freitas, on the advice of the Cabinet.

Best has since been released without charge after instructions were received from Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Roger Gaspard, SC. The other three were charged with criminal offences and released on bail.