PM Kamla to make statement in Parliament on SSA matter

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar will make a formal statement in Parliament on Friday on the controversy over the recent appointment of Reshmi Ramnarine as Director of the Strategic Services Agency (SSA). 

It is expected she will take full responsibility for what happened and also outline new recruitment producedures for finding the right intelligence chief.

Ramnarine resigned within days of her appointment after a media frenzy over whether she was qualified for the job and revelations that she had an embellished resume. Government ministers who defended Ramnarine had to apologise for their error.

Persad-Bissessar initially said the matter was closed and that it was time to move on. However, on Monday night she told reporters that it was a "misstep" and promised that it would not happen again.
 

She said that Government will spend time on finding the right person for the job. She said this means that "we will have an interim person which will allow for a longer period of time in which to source the best person for the job".

Government would have to do research to see what happens in other parts of the world when appointing other security heads, she said.

The Prime Minister also conceded that her government needs to improve on the job it's doing and was emphatic that she does not blame the media for publishing the story about the Reshmi Ramnarine "misstep".

"I don't blame the media...I hold no hostility towards anyone in the media. They got a story and they ran with their story, so I say there is always room for improvement. On the part of Government, there is always room for improvement, and we will continue to try to improve at what we do."