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| PM Kamla Persad-Bissessar: "the buck stops with me...I am willing to do whatever it takes to make things right." |
She also announced that several prospective candidates are being considered to take up the vacant position of SSA director.
"In that regard we will make an announcement but we will only do so after we have utilized a more rigorous selection process," Persad-Bissessar said. "We will ensure that in all our action, merit trumps political affiliation. Our people deserve no less," she added.
She admitted that the experience in the previous selection process "has been a most painful one for everyone concerned and challenges us to be extra vigilant at all times in all matters."
She told legislators, "When I assumed this position I said that the buck stops with me. So there is no point in laying blame or in pointing fingers. There is no apology that would suffice.
"There is only one way forward from this and that would be to commit ourselves to learn from this and create systems that would ensure that something like this can never ever occur again." she said.
Persad-Bissessar added, "I will always strive to do the right thing and, if things go wrong, I am willing to do whatever it takes to make things right."
While making a point that the government is not guilty of "any carefully orchestrated clandestine operation of tapping the phones of citizens" she pointed to problems created by the PNM's illegal spying activities on citizens and said such "an episode of abominable shame must never be forgotten or ever allowed to be foisted upon our citizenry again."
She also focused on the opposition. "At times the irony of the situation is overwhelming, especially when I hear the Opposition ranting and railing over the hasty appointment or disappointment made by the National Security Council on a Director of the SSA.
"After all, it was the PNM that presided over the clandestine operation of the SIA. They appointed the previous director under whose watch the SIA carried out illegal tapping into the private conversations of journalists, judges, businesspeople, politicians, private citizens and even the President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago," she said.
Persad-Bissessar added, "There is only one way forward from this and that would be to commit ourselves to learn from this and create systems that would ensure that something like this can never ever occur again."
"I am not above human failing neither am I beneath understanding of what needs to be done when we falter. The population expects more from us as a government than perhaps they expected before.
"They are right to have high expectations since it is my intention and my mandate to my ministers to serve the people and to focus on delivery consistent with the expectations of the people.
"We are committed to making our beloved nation safer; to making our economy stronger; to making our health care system better; indeed Mr Speaker, we are committed to making our citizens happier and their lives easier.
"To do this, we must make our systems work. We must build and strengthen institutions to ensure that the rights of individuals are respected and protected and we must ensure that our Ministries and agencies are results oriented."
The Prime Minister noted that for most of Trinidad and Tobago's independent life as a country, one political party has dominated government "and they systematically dismantled institutions which were designed to limit the power and influence of politicians."
She added, "Simultaneously Mr. Speaker, they created State-funded agencies, with the authority to act on behalf of the State and which acted in the interest not of the people, but of the political directorate.
"Many times Mr. Speaker, this was done outside of the law as with the SIA which operated completely outside the law; no one knew who were their directors nor to whom they reported.
"In trying to remedy this mess, we embarked on a process which we now admit was flawed...
"We have brought and passed legislation to start that process, to ensure that what occurred under the PNM never happens again, to ensure that every citizen can rest assured that their rights to privacy as enshrined in the constitution are guaranteed.
"No one must fear that someone is illegally listening to a private conversation as happened under the last PNM administration.
"We need an intelligence system that works on behalf of law-abiding citizens and against the criminal elements.
"We don’t need a system to spy on you. We don’t need another autocratic regime ever governing this country again. And yes, I agree, you don’t need another misstep from your government in rushing to make an appointment without due diligence," she declared.
Persad-Bissessar also had a message for citizens. "Even as we aspire to live up to the high expectations which you have of us, we know there may be times when things will not be perfect.
"But as you did in May 2010, hold our hands, pull us when we lag as we shall pull you when you falter but let us ensure that we move forward together as one nation, one people working together for a better, brighter Trinidad and Tobago."
Click here to read the PM's full statement
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