By Anika Gumbs
May 23, 2015 – trinidadexpress.com
A Special Branch report has contradicted claims that the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) was not being monitored.
The report confirmed that infrared (IR) signals were found in the conference room of the DPP’s Office at the Winsure Building, Richmond Street, Port of Spain on January 11, 2013.
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar had referred to the report where it noted that infrared signals were found, but never divulged the full contents of it.
See the report filed by TV6’s Mark Bassant
Findings of the report were forwarded to former national security minister Emmanuel George on May 24, 2013 by acting Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams. Unable to confirm or deny whether conversations involving various high-level cases were being monitored by technical surveillance, Williams said: “I have been advised that officers of Special Branch conducted an electronic sweep of the Office of the DPP, fifth floor, Winsure Building, Port of Spain on January 11, 2013. During the sweep they did not find any electronic listening device. However, whilst sweeping the conference room to the north eastern side of the building they detected IR signals.”
Griffith: I am not surprised
The Sunday Express contacted former minister of national security Gary Griffith asking if he was surprised by the shocking find of the IR signals.
Griffith said: “Very little surprises me anymore. If a minister could be fired because he refused to lie , as senior officials believed that those actions of speaking the truth and sticking on principle which we swore an oath for, may affect the image of the Government and may cause the demise of another minister, then very little can surprise me.
It goes back to what I have said all along.
Being one of the persons affected, based on the false e-mails presented, I would be the first to do anything to show that I am not involved in anyway, which is why I submitted my mobile devices immediately.
However, no one person can state that everything in the Emailgate investigation is false.
I can speak on my behalf.
One cannot speak on behalf of the actions of anyone else.
I do not believe that any Government official would stoop to such a level.”
Griffith said the Police Service was not a private detective agency.
“By sending the e-mails to the police, it no longer involves just seeing if the e-mails are false or not, but the police are now verifying if any criminal activity took place in the investigation, which can vary from If any parts of the e-mails were true or not, If it was false, to find the individual involved in drafting it, to verify if an Opposition official may have conspired to embarrass the Opposition Leader if it was all a hoax, or, if it was a whistle-blower, but in an effort to cover his tracks and not be pinpointed, he framed what he believed via e-mails, , as we have seen what happened to whistle blowers in the matter with the Police Complaints director- they were fired
I think all parties just need to step back, and stop trying to politicise independent institutions in a zeal to acquire political points in their campaign
This has affected the police service, the DPP’s Office, the Central Authority and the IC,” Griffith said.
Full Article : trinidadexpress.com
Special Branch report: DPP Office was monitored
The Central Tenders Board granted approval for Super Industrial Services security firm – Executive Bodyguards Services Ltd (EBSL) to assume duties at the office of the DPP on December 1, 2012.
Flashback:
People’s Partnership financier gets Security contracts for AG, DPP offices
Trinidad Guardian – May 25, 2013
A firm owned by a well-known People’s Partnership financier has been awarded the security contract for the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and the Office of the Attorney General. The Office of the DPP falls under the purview of the Attorney General. The security change also occurred simultaneously at the AG’s St Vincent Street, Port-of-Spain, office. The DPP is housed at the Winsure Building, Richmond Street, Port-of-Spain. Sources say the contract is worth millions and was awarded to Executive Bodyguard Services Ltd (EBSL), which is based in Point Lisas.
Questions over sale of security firm to PP financier
Trinidad Guardian – June 2, 2013
Questions still hang over the sale of Executive Bodyguard Services Ltd (EBSL) to a PP financier for US$14 million (TT$88 million). Senior national security officials were the first to raise concerns over the sale of the lucrative business owned by Samuel Stafford, to the financier who is a contractor based in central Trinidad. The contractor contributed significantly to the PP Government during the 2010 election and also spent millions on the Tobago Organisation of the People’s (TOP) election campaign.
“Sources added that other security contracts within various ministries are expected to be awarded to the financier. Sources said in the past, EBSL tendered for government contracts but had always lost out to Allied Security, Amalgamated and Innovative Security. The latest contract to EBSL was awarded on September 7, 2012 by the Central Tenders Committee, for provision of security services for the Office of the Attorney General.”
Manning was monitoring everyone, he had the President phone tap, the Opposition Leader phone tap along with many prominent citizens. SAUTT members must have plant the infra red device so that the PNM could blame the Partnership. But I am curious have the special branch found the recordings of what was happening in that office? If not fire the whole lot of special branch officers!!!
Many seem to conveniently forget (Express reporters) that the PM recognized the existence of the infra red device in her speech in the House.What is not mentioned is that she clearly stated that this device was proven to be non functional because of the way it was installed.
Do you think that the government would incorrectly and faultily install a device to spy on the office of the AG?
TMan, you might have incorrectly and faultily wrote “to spy on the office of the AG,” instead of the office of the DPP. Just saying.
How did the Prime Minister knew that this device was non-functional because of the way it was installed? Did she have it installed?
So you are also saying that the e-mail accusation was not fictitious either? Brother, talk about confusion. One minute you are saying that nothing was found, now you are saying that the Prime Minister knew about the spyware.
It would not be a first for the Government to incorrectly and faultily install anything, remember they incorrectly and faultily installed Reshmi on the nation.
Correct…the office of the DPP.
The information reported was that no physical listening devices were found, but some sort of infrared device was found.
It was non-functional. There was no clarification regarding the origin or time of installation….unknown.
March 19th 2011 Express
Manning electronic spying apparatus busted.
“The clandestine operations of the Nigel Clement-run spy agency was made public last November in Parliament in a dramatic presentation that read like a spy novel and contained the names of a long list of individuals said to have been placed under state surveillance by the former Prime Minister, including President Maxwell Richards, judges, politicians, lawyers, journalists and union leaders, among others.
In taking the lid off this particular Pandora’s Box of dirty spy secrets, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar took careful aim at her predecessor, the Member of Parliament for San Fernando East and former prime minister Patrick Manning, who she charged was in receipt of illegally, obtained private telephone and email records of law-abiding citizens.
She had days before fired Manning’s spy chief Clement, ordered an early-morning police raid on the St Vincent Street SIA facility, retained two Canadian forensic experts to sweep for further evidence of wiretapping and begun a review and restructuring of the state security apparatus. Sources say Julie Browne was a key ally to the Persad-Bissessar government’s spy-busting manoeuvres which has hurt this country’s relationship with critical foreign law enforcement agencies.”
Mamoo, well you have to give the belt, the crown, the silver cup and the scepter to the PNM.
According to you, Manning planted his spyware, now Rowley say it belongs to the PP. Next thing you know is Kamla paying lawyer, running to Google and acquitting herself, fighting with the DPP officers, just to save she and big brain Annand from making a jail. In the meantime, Rowley taking a wine to the side. That is what you call set up.
Fronts the facts are there for all to see. Manning had an elaborate spy apparatus almost to the liking of Voodoo priest Papa Doc. Papa Doc used the “matoot” to instill fear in the people and destroy his opponents. Manning used the $96 million in spy equipment purchased by Panday (ironically)just before he lost the election from the Israelis to spy on Abu and other underworld characters. Manning became friends with Abu and rechristened gang leaders into community leaders. So he used the spy equipment to monitor prominent citizens email, cellphone, wire taps were used to garner information. Rowley knew of this and held a meeting in Bridgetown Barbados to bring down Manning. The plan was a no confidence motion from the Opposition which Rowley and a few others would support. Manning got wind of it and called an election.
Those former spy agents tried to say the PP set up this equipment. The writer of the article Anika Gumbs is known to exaggerate the truth in favor of the PNM. She has done it on many occasions so now it is a habit…. Careful what yuh read bud.