Law Association urges "meaningful consultation" on wiretapping bill

The Law Association of Trinidad and Tobago is concerned about what it says are major loopholes in the proposed anti-wiretapping bill, noting that the legislation could still allow authorities to eavesdrop on persons who are not the subject of criminal investigations.

The association believes the bill will permit secret surveillance "at the command of a minister", which is says is "deeply disturbing" since it allows law-abiding citizens open to abuse.

The law association has also raised concerns as to how information acquired under the bill is to be stored and notes the bill has no clause concerning the destruction of that information once it is no longer needed.

The association says there should be meaningful consultation on the wiretapping bill.

With respect to the wiretapping by the Security Intelligence Agency (SIA) that Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar exposed last week, the association said it was an "attack on the constitution".

Among those who were targeted in the illegal operations were former chief justice Sat Sharma. The association says that amounted to "an attack on the independence of the judiciary.