Gov’t Implementing Recommendations of COUP Inquiry

The Minister of National Security Senator the Honourable Gary Griffith wishes to assure the nation that the Ministry of National Security, through its Divisions and Agencies, has implemented a number of the recommendations made to the Government of Trinidad and Tobago following the Enquiry into the 1990 attempted coup.

Minister Griffith notes that the Ministry is working assiduously to complete the remaining recommendations cited in Chapter 12 of the report which specifically deals with National Security issues.

In the interest of transparency and given limited human resource capacity, Minister Griffith noted that out of the 33 recommendations made, seven (7) of them have been executed, while six (6) are on-going.

(1) Re-evaluation of National Security and Intelligence Agencies
ONGOING – The Security Intelligence Agencies and their reporting procedures are currently being reviewed.

(2) Legislation for National Security Council and Secretariat
ONGOING – This matter is currently being discussed at National Security Council meetings.

(3) National Operations Centre
DONE – The National Operations Centre (NOC) is an intelligence gathering agency which facilitates a coordinated multi-agency operations approach through dissemination of information to the various law enforcement agencies for response and action.

(4) Rationalisation of SIA, SSA and SAUTT
DONE – The National Operations Centre acts as the facility through which various intelligence agencies can gather to brief operational units required for security operations.

(5) National Intelligence Super-Structure
DONE

(6) Heads of Security Meetings
DONE – Meetings are conducted on a weekly basis to discuss current events and challenges and the way forward.

(7) Legislation
ONGOING – Documentation has been submitted to the Office of the Attorney General for comments and guidance on this matter.

(8) Direct Action Task Force
DONE – Approval was given for the formation of the National Security Special Operations Group (NSSOG) to be assigned to the National Operations Centre. The NSSOG will comprise officers from the Defence Force and the Police Service and will be utilized as a specialist strike force to manage situations that may be detrimental to national security.

(9) Crisis Management Centre and Information Management Centre
DONE – Information relating to both civil emergencies and natural disasters will be coordinated from both the NOC and the ODPM. The system also employs the National Alert Status which informs state agencies as to the level of response required for a particular event or disaster.

(10) The Police Service and Law Enforcement
DONE – A proposal by Mr. Rudy Giuliani, the former Mayor of New York, has been submitted for review. This proposal seeks to improve the Administration and operations of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service.

(11) Specific Targeted Law Enforcement Strategies
ONGOING – A proposal from Mr. Bill Bratton, current Chief of Police of New York, is currently under review and looks at improvements to the Police Service and developing training strategies which will take the Police Service forward.

(13) Regional and International Cooperation
ONGOING – Within recent times, the Ministry of National Security re- established ties with the Venezuelan authorities with respect to intelligence of vessels transiting the waters of the two nations.

17th July, 2014.
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Marcia Hope
Director – Corporate Communications Unit