Chairman: National Security JSC will meet on SSA

NATIONAL Security Joint Select Committee (JSC) chairman, Port of Spain South MP Keith Scotland has said the committee will hold an inquiry into matters related to the Strategic Services Agency (SSA) when the new parliamentary session begins in September.

Contacted on July 12, Scotland said a decision had been taken that the committee should conduct this inquiry when Parliament resumes in two months.

He gave no other information.

Newsday understands the date for the inquiry will be set during the new parliamentary session.

In a letter to Scotland on July 5, Tourism, Culture and the Arts Minister Randall Mitchell asked for the JSC to hold an urgent inquiry on the SSA and related matters.

Mitchell is a member of the JSC.

His letter to Scotland came after the Prime Minister made a statement in the House of Representatives on July 3 about the audit into the SSA that began in March

Referring to Dr Rowley's statement, Mitchell said, "The issues raised are of great concern and are of national importance as it related to the citizenry of TT."

He believed an inquiry by the committee into the SSA and related matters "will go a long way into unearthing what actually transpired and thereby assist in quelling any lingering public concerns and disquiet."

Mitchell suggested key people should be summoned to a meeting to answer questions from committee members on this urgent matter.

He also suggested the meeting be included as an agenda item for the JSC's meeting on July 8.

That meeting saw the JSC question Commissioner of Police (CoP) Erla Harewood-Christopher about the police's violent-crime reduction initiative.

Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal, another member of the JSC, asked Harewood-Christopher to comment on police investigation into matters pertaining to the SSA.

Harewood-Christopher replied, "In as much as it is a very burning issue, it is an issue that is at a very delicate stage, and it will not be prudent for me to comment at this time."

Earlier on the same day, in a WhatsApp response to Newsday, Rowley said his statement in the House did not compromise any investigation into the SSA.

"My statement in the Parliament was a carefully crafted body of information with just enough details to advise the public on the nature and extent of an issue without unnecessarily identifying persons or other entities for whom an interest exists. "The fact that there are interests to be recognised in no way prevents the Government from from giving the Parliament information about the administration or the country in general. Have you not seen persons calling for more information or even surmising that there are more questions for which answers are to be had? The Parliament, now being informed, would do as it sees fit to get all the clarification and answers required."

He said this did not compromise any investigation, and in fact he had said "very clearly that many lines of criminal investigations and various audits are under way." These must be allowed to proceed to conclusion, he said.

In his statement, Rowley reminded MPs an extensive internal review and audit of the SSA has been ongoing since March 4.

Between March 4 and April 21, he continued, acting SSA director Brig-Gen Anthony Phillips-Spencer completed planning and preliminary review activities.

President Christine Kangaloo appointed Phillips-Spencer acting SSA director on March 2. Phillips-Spencer was previously ambassador to the US.

Rowley highlighted some of the audit's findings.

These included surreptitiously hiring people who were said to belong to a cult which "was arming itself while preaching a doctrine for trained military and paramilitary personnel with a religious calling to be the most suitable persons to replace the country’s political leadership," and increased acquisition of firearms and ammunition by the SSA.

Rowley said the audit also showed ormer SSA director acting Major Roger Best initiated the procurement of high-grade military bolt-action rifles, complete with modern silencers and other accessories, and the agency was involved in training "specially selected questionably hired personnel in the skill and use of such weapons."

Best was fired post on May 19.

Rowley added this happened before an amendment to the Firearms Act last November which allowed the SSA to have and keep firearms.

On November 1, 2023, Rowley continued, Best made a request to government for SSA staffers to bear arms in certain restricted circumstances and offered persuasive reasons for it.

He said Cabinet approved this request and Parliament subsequently authorised SSA staffers to keep and carry concealed pistols whether on duty or not.

Rowley added this has engaged the police's attention.

He said the police were also investigating the whereabouts and use of 70,000 rounds of ammunition bought by the SSA, which are unrecorded and unaccounted for.

Rowley added that current and former SSA members are the subject of continued police investigations with respect to certain vehicles currently and previously assigned to the agency.

"Without saying much more, suffice it to say that there is much more investigative work to be done as the requisite policing agencies continue to follow the evidence."

Rowley said efforts were under way to rebuild the SSA to ensure it discharged its core mandate and operated within the law.