Hinds on spying claims: Kamla just wants to remain relevant

MINISTER of National Security Fitzgerald Hinds has rubbished claims by Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar that the government is spying on its political opponents, members of the media and business owners.

In a phone interview with Newsday on Tuesday, Hinds said the comments were just an attempt by Persad-Bissessar to remain relevant, particularly with two of her party members “on her heels” for leadership of the United National Congress (UNC).

“I can tell you as Minister of National Security I have had no such complaints from any of the persons who she named as victims of this alleged, vacuous, empty, speculative, spurious allegations against the State, and I’m not surprised. I am told that the tone she has set in the UNC is that you can raise anything. It don’t have to have logic, it don’t have to have any sense –once it’s bacchanal, it is good for KPB.”

Hinds said Persad-Bissessar had made such a claim before.

“I have noted very carefully that this is not the first time that the reckless, careless, don’t-care-anything leader of the opposition would make comments along the lines that she has yesterday.”

In 2010, when she was prime minister, Persad-Bissessar said the Security Intelligence Agency (SIA) was spying on members of the media and her Cabinet.

On Monday she said: “It is clear we are in a dictatorship when judicial officers, business people, trade unions, political persons, political parties not associated with criminal activities – but they are being illegally spied upon because of the paranoia of this government.”

She also accused the police of participating and/or facilitating the spying, which includes reading WhatsApp messages in real time and accessing social media. She advised all listening to delete their WhatsApp conversations as soon as they were done.

Public information officer of the police service ASP Sheridon Hill said the police service “is unaware of any such claims” when called for comment.

Calls to the Prime Minister and acting Police Commissioner Mc Donald Jacob went unanswered.

Hinds added: “The purpose of the national security of the state of Trinidad and Tobago is far too critical, far too important for me to get carried away with the recklessness of a desperate opposition leader who is willing to burn the whole house down in order to get herself relevant and get herself in government again.”