PM's office: SIA does not fall under sole jurisdiction of CoP

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has clarified mixed messages regarding who has responsibility for the Security Intelligence Agency (SIA).

A statement from the office of the PM Wednesday stated that a previous official statement "inadvertently gave the media the wrong impression that the SIA falls under the jurisdiction of the Commissioner of Police."

The original release from the PM's office said "...the Commissioner of Police had—and continues to have—sole and exclusive jurisdiction and control over the SIA...and all matters concerning investigations into its recent operations fall exclusively under the ambit and purview of the Commissioner of Police."

The clarification on Wednesday said while the Commissioner of Police had sole jurisdiction of the SIA regarding the recent investigations into the unit, "the SIA does not fall under the ambit of the Commissioner of Police."

It added, "There was no legislative framework to regulate and govern the operations of the SIA. This is in part what prompted the police investigations and present Cabinet directed audit into the operations of this entity.

"This prompted the People's Partnership Government to bring the Interception of Communications Bill to the Parliament which was passed by unanimous vote in both the Lower House and the Senate last week.

"The legislation specifies the legal entities which are now authorised to intercept communication. The three offices that are authorised to conduct interception are the Commissioner of Police, the Chief of the Defence Staff and the Director of the Strategic Services Agency (SSA).

"The SIA is not included among these institutions and therefore is not empowered to intercept communications. The Government is in the process of streamlining and rationalising the various intelligence agencies of the State and the SIA is therefore in the process of merging with the SSA. The SSA is governed by legislation and is now authorised to lawfully intercept communications.

"In the interim, the SIA, like all other protective institutions of the State, reports to the Ministry of National Security and the National Security Council." 

The release also reiterated that the Prime Minister did not possess any material intercepted illegally by the SIA.

"Save and except that the Honourable Prime Minister received information from the Office of the Commissioner of Police regarding names, telephone numbers and email addresses of some of the persons who were the subject of interception by the SIA, the Office of the Prime Minister wishes to reiterate that, as previously stated, it does not, nor has it ever been, in possession of any intercepted communication by the SIA and all allegations otherwise are false, misleading and erroneous," it said