Young: We fired mostly Africans from SSA

MINISTER of National Security Stuart Young denied Carlton Dennie’s claims of the Government purging of East Indians from the Strategic Services Agencies (SSA) by saying three-quarters of those fired were Africans.

Young then turned the tables by alleging that of those officers fired from the SSA by the former People’s Partnership Government, some 92 per cent were Africans.

At yesterday’s post Cabinet briefing at the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann’s, he said it pained him to have to cite statistics based on race.

He said the Government in 2015 had terminated staff or opted to not renew their contracts based on merit, performance or the SSA’s needs. Young said of 79 such staff, some 57 people (or 72 per cent) were Africans, while 22 individuals were East Indians.

He alleged a “cleansing” of the SSA in 2010 by the PP government, saying 25 out of 27 individuals terminated were Africans, with just one East Indian and one Chinese being let go. Young said no terminations in 2015 were due to race but the listed factors. “The SSA was thought to be over populated. It needed restructuring and strategising.” Told that Dennie had earlier yesterday said an alleged directive to fire East Indians had been given to him by one Mr Matthews, Young said this contrasted with Dennie’s previous claim that the Prime Minister had issued such an order and it now suggested that Dennie had originally told a lie. “He is changing his story. He is moving the goal posts.”

Young blamed Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar for Dennie’s address at a recent UNC rally where he made his claims. It was a planned occasion, he said, which threatened the fabric of this society.

“It was premeditated by the leader of the Opposition to introduce racial tensions into the society.”

Saying Dennie had not headed the SSA but only been director of intelligence, Young said he had no authority to fire anyone, whether based on race or not.

He said the recent online posting of the names of African and East Indian staff fired from the SSA was irresponsible and was taken from the Opposition’s alleged “Cambridge Analytica play book.” “Intelligence officers and their identities should never be revealed. It puts them and their families in danger.” Young said no FBI or CIA head who was fired ever ran to the media nor had former SAUTT head Brig Peter Joseph nor former SSA head Nigel Clement when fired by the PP government. By contrast Young alleged Dennie was persuaded by the Opposition to tell “unfounded lies” and to attack the PM’s reputation based on race. “At the press conference today we see the truth. Mr Dennie said he has political ambitions and would like to enter Parliament.” Young said neither he nor the PM had ever heard of Dennie before now. Young replied to Opposition concerns about the Government’s access to the SSA’s human resource file on Dennie by saying that if Dennie is making allegations against Dr Rowley, the PM is entitled to ask who this person was.

In the question session, Young reckoned Rowley would seek legal advice on Dennie’s words. “I think it’s defamatory.” Young said for his part he would see if Dennie by his words had now violated his SSA employment contract.