SIA Shocker

[Deeks]

testicular fortitude!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Dutty]

testicular fortitude!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Clearly Anil see de lady in she jockey shorts....who is we to judge

[elan]

testicular fortitude!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Clearly Anil see de lady in she jockey shorts....who is we to judge

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/KDJLs9EhYuI&amp;feature=player_embedded#" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/KDJLs9EhYuI&amp;feature=player_embedded#</a>

[weary1969]

testicular fortitude!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Clearly Anil see de lady in she jockey shorts....who is we to judge

 

[Jah Gol]

PM pushed for Reshmi
Originally printed at http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/PM_pushed__for__Reshmi-116547803.html

By Camini Marajh Head Investigative Desk
February 19, 2011
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, who has rejected public requests to come clean on the appointment process used to catapult Reshmi Ramnarine, a low-level intercept technician, to the top post in the country's premier intelligence-gathering agency, was herself at the heart of the disastrous selection process, Sunday Express investigations have found.

For reasons still unknown, Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar, in a series of moves at the level of both the National Security Council (NSC), of which she is chair, and the Cabinet, pushed through the selection process of an unsuitable candidate she would later defend, who not only did not apply for the top chief spy job, but, also, was never interviewed.

The Sunday Express understands it was the Prime Minister who made the recommendation to the NSC on January 11 for Ramnarine's appointment to the director's chair of the Strategic Services Agency (SSA).

This after the woman who promoted her candidacy for the job, deputy director, SSA, Julie Browne, herself declined the position for "family reasons" after being interviewed by an interministerial committee of the NSC, comprising Attorney General Anand Ramlogan, National Security Minister John Sandy, Legal Affairs Minister Prakash Ramadhar, Justice Minister Herbert Volney and Minister in the Ministry of National Security Subhas Panday.

Last week, it was business as usual for deputy director Browne, who is still to answer why she made the recommendation for her very junior subordinate; why she breached security protocols and did not conduct the requisite background checks for her choice of candidate; why she went outside of her remit to make recommendation in the first place; why she made the recommendation to the Prime Minister and not to her line minister, Sandy, who asked her to put in the Ramnarine nomination; and most troubling of all, why she misled the Prime Minister and the Cabinet about Ramnarine's qualifications and work experience.

Browne, who has proven herself inept in the ensuing Ramnarine spy scandal, has not been censured for the litany of security failings, including her failure to check the references listed in the Ramnarine-submitted resume, in which she herself is named as a character reference.

From all accounts, the deputy SSA director of 14 years would have the country believe she failed to catch on that the resume contained false credentials and she simply assumed the truth of what Reshmi Ramnarine told her about obtaining a degree in information technology from the University of the West Indies (UWI).

Repeated calls to Browne, who is said to be known to the Persad-Bissessar Government, have gone unreturned. The deputy SSA director has also failed to respond to questions about her personal relationship with Ms Ramnarine or reports her choice of candidate for the top spy post was the declared whistle-blower to the Patrick Manning-sanctioned illegal wiretapping of civilians.

Ramnarine, a close friend of the Prime Minister's public engagement and policy adviser, Sasha Mohammed, was introduced to several people at a farewell bash for Mohammed at Trotters Restaurant as "the whistle-blower" in the SIA (Security Intelligence Agency) spy scandal which dominated the local media for several weeks.



In a dramatic Parliament production on November 12 last year, Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar lifted the lid on the sordid world of secretly conducted State spying, which violated the law and constitutional rights of citizens of this country. Then SSA spy chief Nigel Clement, who Persad-Bissessar identified as former prime minister Manning's main man of business, was fired in the ensuing furore over the clandestine activities of the State's spy apparatus.

Browne and another deputy director of the SSA, Trevor Keron Ganpat, were interviewed by the interministerial committee for the top spy post, according to sources with knowledge of the situation. Ganpat, a relative newcomer to the agency and an unknown to the Persad-Bissessar administration, was not viewed as a deserving candidate on the grounds that he was not familiar enough with the inner workings of the agency.

On January 10, Browne secretly submitted the Ramnarine nomination to the Prime Minister. The following day, January 11, Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar pushed through the Browne recommendation for an interim replacement to the spy director's chair at the NSC meeting, according to sources familiar with the matter. Two days later, on January 13, the Prime Minister pushed through ad hoc Cabinet Note 92, which made the case for Ramnarine's appointment for the top job.

The Prime Minister has not responded to requests from this newspaper for a comment on her role in the appointment process of Ms Ramnarine and is reported to have read her Cabinet the riot act at the February 10 meeting about leaks to the media and maintaining strict confidentiality about Cabinet's deliberations.

Last week, the Prime Minister's lieutenants in the Government seemed to have gotten the message, with several ministers repeating their leader's mantra that Ramnarine has resigned and it was now time to move on. They held that the Prime Minister had taken responsibility for the "misstep" made in the initial appointment, and it was now time to put "the story to rest".



No one, however, was willing to talk about the secret Government appointment process which placed the 31-year-old Ramnarine in the top spy job or the personal role the Prime Minister played in the appointment. "You are beating a dead horse. That is yesterday's news," was how one Government minister responded to questions about the process.

Government ministers were eager to talk, instead, about the new candidate, Colonel Albert Griffith, who has an impressive list of military accomplishments and academic credentials. On Friday, the Prime Minister, in formally presenting the Griffith candidacy for the top job, said a letter of invitation offering him the SSA appointment will be issued by the Ministry of National Security. Why this was not done in the Ramnarine case remains a mystery.

From all accounts, the Persad-Bissessar Government seems intent on selling what was a deliberate act as a "misstep" and/or an error and reluctant to provide details or even discuss the appointment process of Ramnarine, which appears to lead right back to the Prime Minister herself.

[Bakes]

Repeated calls to Browne, who is said to be known to the Persad-Bissessar Government

Is that "known" as in the biblical sense?  If so then I suspect Camini Marajh might be more on point than even she realize.

Marajh eh playing though boy.  Biting commentary at the end there, and great professional committment in not letting the story die as intended.

[Brownsugar]

Repeated calls to Browne, who is said to be known to the Persad-Bissessar Government

Is that "known" as in the biblical sense?  If so then I suspect Camini Marajh might be more on point than even she realize.

Marajh eh playing though boy.  Biting commentary at the end there, and great professional committment in not letting the story die as intended.

Boy to hear some tell it, the Express jess damn mischievous....we in a real mess dread.....

http://www.facebook.com/CCNTV6/posts/185834574788083

[Jah Gol]

Repeated calls to Browne, who is said to be known to the Persad-Bissessar Government

Is that "known" as in the biblical sense?  If so then I suspect Camini Marajh might be more on point than even she realize.

Marajh eh playing though boy.  Biting commentary at the end there, and great professional committment in not letting the story die as intended.

You like ting yes.

[Bakes]

You like ting yes.

Watch when de mark buss who go end up getting screwed... lol

[Bourbon]

I thought we was supposed to move on?

[zuluwarrior]

More SIA Lies
Reshmi's back on payroll as a Technical Operator 1
By Camini Marajh Head Investigative Desk

Story Created: Feb 27, 2011 at 12:33 AM ECT

(Story Updated: Feb 27, 2011 at 12:33 AM ECT )

Who wrote the Cabinet Note that described Reshmi Ramnarine as the "current acting chief of Telecom Technology, Ministry of National Security"?

Evidence has emerged that the low-level intercept technician and personal friend of the Prime Minister's public engagement and policy adviser, Sasha Mohammed, has now returned to her substantive post as technical operator 1 after she was caught out in a lie about her academic and work qualifications, and forced to resign the coveted top spy chief job.

And while a claim about an information technology degree from the University of the West Indies (UWI) was the biggest lie, it was not the only lie that helped catapult Ramnarine's career to the top post in the country's premier intelligence agency.

Continuing Sunday Express investigations into the spy chief appointment debacle indicate that Ramnarine, who is currently on vacation leave, is on the agency's payroll as a technical operator 1, a position one of two resumes, submitted to the Kamla Persad-Bissessar Government in January, listed as her current job designation.

The second resume, which formed part of Cabinet Note 92 and made the case for Ramnarine's candidacy for the top intelligence job, listed her current position as "Ag Chief of Telecom Technology, Ministry of National Security of Trinidad and Tobago". Security sources, however, report that Ramnarine was never appointed or functioned in that position before her meteoric rise to the director's chair of the Strategic Services Agency (SSA) on January 14.

When she resigned the interim post of director, SSA, with immediate effect on January 22, she went back to her old job and substantially reduced pay as a technical operator 1, according to law enforcement sources.

Cabinet Note 92, however, which facilitated the Ramnarine appointment to the director's chair, described her as "current acting chief of Telecom Technology, Ministry of National Security".

The substantive post was held for a number of years by Clint Eligon, one of the 27 Security Intelligence Agency (SIA) career officers who were dismissed by the Persad-Bissessar administration following public revelations in the House of Representatives about illegal State spying on civilians. Ramnarine reported to Eligon before the December shake-up of the domestic spy agency involved in illegal wiretapping of citizens, according to sources.

Both Cabinet Note 92 and the appended resume submitted for Cabinet's consideration described Ramnarine as the "current acting chief of Telecom Technology". Julie Browne, the deputy SSA director who made the secret nomination to Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar, however, described Ramnarine "as a member of the transformation team comprising senior members of the SSA and SIA".

She wrote a glowing recommendation for her very junior subordinate to be her boss, failed to conduct basic background security checks and took Ramnarine at her word that she had obtained an IT degree from UWI. She also allowed an embellished resume with claims of Mossad training to go forward.

The other notable difference in the two Ramnarine resumes is the list of references given.

In one resume, Roger Gibson, a senior technician, Research Associates of Trinidad and Tobago, one of several front companies for the spy agency, is named as a character reference. Gibson expressed surprise that his name made the list and made it clear his approval was never sought, when contacted by the Sunday Express.

As reported previously by this newspaper, two other named references, Keithan Browne (no relation to the deputy director, SSA) and Sharon Sharma, also never consented to being named as references. Shireen Ali, a close friend of Ramnarine, is also named as a reference and has refused comment on the matter.

In resume number two, which formed part of Cabinet Note 92, Gibson's name is replaced by deputy director Browne, the woman who made the secret recommendation to the Prime Minister. National Security Minister Brig John Sandy is on public record that he took Note 92 to Cabinet, but who wrote it is not clear. The highly controversial Note 92 was presented to Cabinet on January 13 by Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar, two days after her nomination of Ramnarine went unopposed at the National Security Council, of which she is the chairman.

The Prime Minister is said to have played a pivotal role in the Ramnarine appointment as interim director of the SSA and was initially sharply critical of media queries about the decision-making process which placed the woman, whom the Prime Minister's engagement and policy adviser described as the SIA whistle-blower, in the country's top spy post.

Ramnarine is also reported to have breached her confidentiality contract with the intelligence agency by discussing sensitive intercept assignments, including the Vindra Naipaul-Coolman kidnapping, with her circle of close friends and associates. Neither Ramnarine nor Browne has been censured for the cascade of security failings and official lies related to the junior technician's appointment to the SSA director's chair.

Sandy is out of the country, attending a security conference, and Minister in the Ministry of National Security Subhas Panday yesterday made clear that questions relating to the Ramnarine matter would be better put to the substantive minister.

The Persad-Bissessar administration, which won office on a promise of open and transparent government, has failed to tell the country the truth about the Ramnarine appointment and has urged critics instead to "move on".

[lefty]

I still doh understand overstating yuh qualifications to get ah job is not atleast fraud , if so this girl committed a crime....not so , at worst dat would have been a serious breach of security right

[weary1969]

SIA files a mystery to DPP
Published: Sun, 2011-02-27 21:44
Anika Gumbs-Sandiford
 
Did secret files of the Security Intelligence Agency (SIA) really exist? According to DPP Roger Gaspard, if it does exist he is unaware of it, since it is not in his possession. Contacted by the Sunday Guardian yesterday, a no-nonsense Gaspard frankly stated: “In spite of public statements made by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar on the SIA issue, I have received no file on the matter.  No such file has ever been sent to my office and checks with the CoP also revealed that his office has not received any such file.

“If anybody is to contend this, it would be fallacious. It is total misinformation to be putting out there; I know nothing about any SIA file.”  Months after Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar announced that the files were expected to be sent to the DPP to decide whether criminal charges could be laid against people acting unlawfully, Gaspard is yet to receive the file. Sunday Guardian has learnt while the controversial matter continues to rear its ugly head, not a single piece of correspondence has been sent to Commissioner of Police Dwayne Gibbs for investigating.

 It was on November 16, days after the Prime Minister revealed in Parliament the “illegal spy list” that Persad-Bissessar stated that a full police report and files would be sent to DPP. Speaking with the media at the end of the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) conference at the Hyatt Regency, Port-of-Spain, Persad-Bissessar had said: “That report, when we compile it, will go to the DPP.” Attorney General Anand Ramlogan who described the scandalous revelation as a “sordid affair” also signalled his intention to refer the matter to the DPP.

Flashback—On November 12, the PM stunned the nation when she announced in Parliament that the SIA was illegally using the agency to spy on prominent people and citizens in society. The Prime Minister claimed that the SIA wire-tapped the telephones of His Excellency President George Maxwell Richards, Chief Justice Ivor Archie and members of both the Government and Opposition as well as some members of the media. According to the Prime Minister, a source tipped her off about the SIA in October.
One month later Justice Minister Herbert Volney claimed that the secret files of the SIA were destroyed by two Israeli men.

.

[Bakes]

I dunno what files allyuh still waiting on... like allyuh ent hear that "two Israeli men"... dressed as Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy no doubt, break into we secret sumting and spirit away de evidence?  Apparently they leave Stars of David... or sheet music to "Hava Nagila", so that we'd know they from Israel.

[Jah Gol]

SIA files a mystery to DPP
Published: Sun, 2011-02-27 21:44
Anika Gumbs-Sandiford
 
Did secret files of the Security Intelligence Agency (SIA) really exist? According to DPP Roger Gaspard, if it does exist he is unaware of it, since it is not in his possession. Contacted by the Sunday Guardian yesterday, a no-nonsense Gaspard frankly stated: “In spite of public statements made by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar on the SIA issue, I have received no file on the matter.  No such file has ever been sent to my office and checks with the CoP also revealed that his office has not received any such file.

“If anybody is to contend this, it would be fallacious. It is total misinformation to be putting out there; I know nothing about any SIA file.”  Months after Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar announced that the files were expected to be sent to the DPP to decide whether criminal charges could be laid against people acting unlawfully, Gaspard is yet to receive the file. Sunday Guardian has learnt while the controversial matter continues to rear its ugly head, not a single piece of correspondence has been sent to Commissioner of Police Dwayne Gibbs for investigating.

It was on November 16, days after the Prime Minister revealed in Parliament the “illegal spy list” that Persad-Bissessar stated that a full police report and files would be sent to DPP. Speaking with the media at the end of the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) conference at the Hyatt Regency, Port-of-Spain, Persad-Bissessar had said: “That report, when we compile it, will go to the DPP.” Attorney General Anand Ramlogan who described the scandalous revelation as a “sordid affair” also signalled his intention to refer the matter to the DPP.

Flashback—On November 12, the PM stunned the nation when she announced in Parliament that the SIA was illegally using the agency to spy on prominent people and citizens in society. The Prime Minister claimed that the SIA wire-tapped the telephones of His Excellency President George Maxwell Richards, Chief Justice Ivor Archie and members of both the Government and Opposition as well as some members of the media. According to the Prime Minister, a source tipped her off about the SIA in October.

One month later Justice Minister Herbert Volney claimed that the secret files of the SIA were destroyed by two Israeli men.

I shame to say I take that chain up too. Today not a file can be found. It so funny that Jack say he see he file ,"it tick so" he say . Then he say he never see any file. Volney say two Isreali move with the files and Gopeesingh get up in the house to ask the PNM to explain where the files gone. But ent dey had 'files' on people ? It was also laughable that both the CoP and PM say they have nothing to do with SIA files at all.

The whole thing is I am certain that abuse occured due to the lack of a legal framework for the SIA to operate. The way this government handled the situation was more to score political points than to correct a wrong.

This was the scenario as I recall it. The government was facing a firestorm of criticism concerning
1) the PM's statement about conditional aid to hurricane affected countries ;
2) the subsequent dismissal of Fazeer Mohammed after an interview with the Minister of Foreign affairs concerning the same issue;
3) Criticism of the government handling of the economy and public sector wage negotiations all within a two week period.

So KPB had to play something so she played the SIA card. The issue blew up and now they don't know what to do or say. Added to that The Reshmi Ramnarine issue is the single most brazen case of reckless nepotism in public appointments I have ever seen in this country. The PM was going to make sorry actually made that totally unprepared woman head of a national security agency as payback for information received.

I accustomed to better organised and orchestrated bobol and skullduggery. It just embarrassing now.

[weary1969]

Kamla say I could b PM she could head d SIA.

[elan]

Why not call in SA Reshmi to find the files. Is Iraeli men take it and she have Mosad training.

[Jay10]

I still doh understand overstating yuh qualifications to get ah job is not atleast fraud , if so this girl committed a crime....not so , at worst dat would have been a serious breach of security right

Not in Trinidad, you would just get back your old post, and be sent on vacation leave...just like her

[weary1969]

I still doh understand overstating yuh qualifications to get ah job is not atleast fraud , if so this girl committed a crime....not so , at worst dat would have been a serious breach of security right

Not in Trinidad, you would just get back your old post, and be sent on vacation leave...just like her

Jay try it and let me know if u get through.

[lefty]

I still doh understand overstating yuh qualifications to get ah job is not atleast fraud , if so this girl committed a crime....not so , at worst dat would have been a serious breach of security right

Not in Trinidad, you would just get back your old post, and be sent on vacation leave...just like her

I doh know nah even wit d smiley dat soundin more truth an sarcasm  or is it

[zuluwarrior]

Reshmi returns to SIA this week
By Nalinee Seelal Sunday, March 13 2011

click on pic to zoom inReshmi Ramnarine...expected back on the job this week....Former interim director of the Strategic Services Agency (SSA) Reshmi Ramnarine who resigned from that position mere days after her appointment is expected to return to her duties as a technical operator at the Security Intelligence Agency (SIA) some time this week.

Sources revealed to Sunday Newsday yesterday that when Ramnarine resigned her position as SSA Interim Director on January 22 earlier this year she opted to revert to her original job at the SIA and proceeded on leave which would end sometime this week.

All SSA and SIA operatives like Ramnarine are entitled to 30 days leave and can accumulate leave if they work on public holidays.

Yesterday marked 49 days since Ramnarine went on leave from the SIA and according to National Security sources her fate now rests with new Interim Director of the SSA Colonel Albert Griffith.

It is not known what Griffith’s decision will be with respect to Ramnarine’s continuation of employment at the SIA since it has already been stated publicly that due to the controversy involving Ramnarine’s appointment at the SSA she compromised the security agencies.

Sources also pointed out yesterday that it will be up to Griffith to decide with the assistance of the two other directors of the SSA Julie Browne and Keron Ganpat whether Ramnarine’s tenure at the spy agency should be retained.

Griffith has the option of absorbing Ramnarine into the SSA if he so chooses. Griffith took up duties at the SSA on February 28 and has been working closely with the other two directors - Browne and Ganpat. Browne was the person who had recommended Ramnarine for the position of Interim Director of the SSA to the National Security Council chaired by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar.

Browne has refused to be interviewed on why she recommended Ramnarine for the position and why no security checks were made on Ramnarine to verify if she was suitably qualified for the job.

On February 2, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar admitted the People’s Partnership Government made a mistake in appointing Reshmi Usha Ramnarine to head the Strategic Services Agency (SSA).

Ramnarine’s appointment became effective on January 14, earlier this year.

Ramnarine resigned on January 22, one day after questions regarding her qualifications for the job were raised. Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley had also threatened to withhold Opposition support for critical legislation unless she was removed from the position.

In the days that followed, it would be revealed Ramnarine was not qualified for the post, and Rowley threatened to take National Security Minister Brigadier John Sandy (who said in Parliament she was a University of the West Indies graduate) to the Privileges Committee for misleading the Parliament on the matter. Sandy apologised and avoided facing the Privileges Committee, but Persad-Bissessar did not clear the air on the issue, saying the country needed to move on.

However, at a Vision on Mission’s second annual awards ceremony at Queen’s Hall, St Ann’s, earlier this year the PM said: “We had a National Security Council meeting; a couple hours of meeting where issues with, of course, anti-crime initiatives, something to do with the Caribbean Financial Task Force and, of course, looking forward to taking the process forward to find an acting interim director for the Strategic Security Agency.

“We are doing everything we can to ensure that the misstep that was made doesn’t happen again.” When asked if Government would consider getting parliamentary approval for the next appointment, Persad-Bissessar said they could not wait that long to consider having Parliament’s approval. In her resignation letter to National Security Minister Brigadier John Sandy, Ramnarine had stated that it was with deep regret she had to tender her resignation.

“I had looked forward to serving my country as diligently as I have in the SIA for the past nine years,” Ramnarine said, but she was of the view that “the work of the Agency and her duties as Director had been compromised by the high level of exposure over the past few days.”

Yesterday sources within the SSA told Sunday Newsday since Ramnarine has stated that the publicity surrounding her appointment compromised both agencies they feel she should be terminated when she returns to work this week. SSA operatives claimed since the controversy surrounding Ramnarine’s appointment the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), The Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and other special security agencies have withdrawn full support for the work of the SSA and the SIA.

Operatives believe that apart from terminating Ramnarine, Government has a duty to also dispense with the services of SSA Director Julie Browne for her bungling in the appointment of Ramnarine.

They believe her actions brought the Spy agency into disrepute and wants her removed from that position.

Ramnarine has been working with the SIA for the past nine years and that Agency which has been deemed illegal was raided by police in October last year where it was discovered that the Agency, was involved in the illegal, spying of persons in public life including Government Ministers, Opposition MPs Journalists, trade union members and others.

The SIA is to be merged with the SSA and later this year the SSA will undergo a name change in the form of The National Intelligence Agency (NIA).

 
 Click here to send your comments on this article to Newsday's Ch@tRoom 
 
     Print 
 

[Jah Gol]

SSA operatives claimed since the controversy surrounding Ramnarine’s appointment the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), The Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and other special security agencies have withdrawn full support for the work of the SSA and the SIA.

Strong on National Security.

[Brownsugar]

We fed up...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NWRSyWYo7M&feature=player_embedded

[weary1969]

HUNT FOR SIA SNITCH
Govt brings in 7 US lie detector experts to probe media leaks
By Denyse Renne denyse.renne@trinidadexpress.com

Seven US polygraph experts retained by Government will today begin testing employees attached to the Strategic Services Agency (SSA), in a bid to ascertain how sensitive information is being leaked to the media.

Sources said yesterday the experts arrived here on Saturday and their stay is likely to last at least a week.

Apart from their airfare (business class), taxpayers will also be footing the bill for the experts' hotel accommodation, transportation and their services, which could run into the hundreds of thousands, sources said.

The Express understands the experts will be using computerised polygraph testing and were retained after "sensitive" information pertaining to the agency and its employees appeared in the media in recent weeks.

Although it is unclear which firm the experts are attached to, sources said they are no strangers to the SSA, having conducted polygraph tests in the past for the Security Intelligence Agency (SIA). The Express understands the firm was also instrumental in the screening process of officials during the 2009 Caribbean Heads of Government Conference (CHOGM).

The decision to utilise foreign expertise came following a series of Express exclusives on the appointment of former SSA director Reshmi Ramnarine and the part played by Deputy SSA director Julie Browne, who, it was learnt, recommended Ramnarine to the post.

The once operational SIA is currently undergoing transition and will be merged with the SSA.

Sources said yesterday the decision to administer the lie detector tests on SSA employees came from Browne, who, the Express understands, wrote to Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of National Security Jennifer Boucaud-Blake early last month, explaining there was a leak within the SSA and recommended the experts be brought in to test employees.

Browne herself said she is willing to take a test and the Express understands one of the main questions to be asked relates to leaked information to the media. Boucaud-Blake approved the request.

Sources said Browne will be the first to be tested today, but requested that Sheldon Sahadeo conduct her test. Sahadeo is a local polygraph expert attached to the SIA.

Employees were notified of the testing via BlackBerry phones last week, in a memo sent by Browne, and expressed concern as to the reason why Sahadeo was requested to conduct Browne's test, while the US experts are to conduct theirs.

Senior personnel and other employees have expressed concern over the testing, since they were already subjected to one upon entering the SSA/SIA. At present, there are 137 people employed at the SSA. This figure includes those who were absorbed into the SSA from the SIA. Several employees have indicated they will not subject themselves to testing, since they see this as being a distraction from "the real issue".

One employee who did not want to be identified, for fear of victimsation, yesterday said that questions pertaining to whether senior personnel had prior knowledge of Ramnarine's qualifications should be posed.

Contacted for a comment yesterday, Minister in the Ministry of National Security Subhas Panday said he was unaware of the experts being in the country. "I don't know nothing about that at all. I have no info on that," Panday said.

He said, however, that questions on the SSA were internal matters and ministers are not necessarily privy to such details. He then directed queries to National Security Minister Brig John Sandy. Efforts to contact Sandy and National Security Adviser to the Prime Minister Gary Griffith were unsuccessful, as calls to their cellphones went answered.

Ramnarine, 31, was said to have a BSc in information technology from the University of the West Indies and several Government Ministers, including Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, said part of the reason she was appointed as SSA director was due to her qualifications.

However, an Express expose subsequently revealed she was not qualified for the post.

On January 22, exactly one week after the appointment, Ramnarine tendered her resignation, indicating her "personal safety has been compromised".

Following her resignation as SSA director, Ramnarine proceeded with immediate effect on vacation leave. This leave ends tomorrow.

In an address to Parliament weeks after Ramnarine's resignation, Persad-Bissessar apologised for the "mis-step" and subsequently announced that Col Albert Griffith would be the interim head of the SSA.

[weary1969]

Rowley questions Ramnarine's return


Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley said yesterday someone had to have taken a decision to rehire Reshmi Ramnarine, since she could not just walk back into a job at the Strategic Services Agency (SSA)

"Based on what happened, I don't know that such a person is someone you would want to rehire in an organisation where integrity and respect for your oath is important.

"Because we are now satisfied that there were certain violations of the code of employment... and if she is being rehired, that has to be a call being made by someone who disregards those requirements," he said at City Hall, Port of Spain, where the People's National Movement held a forum for candidates in next week's internal elections to address delegates.

Rowley was commenting on a report which suggested Ramanrine was going to report back to work at the SSA today, following vacation. She had previously tendered her resignation as head of the SSA.

Rowley noted that Ramnarine had a job at the SIA, was elevated to another job at the SSA and then resigned from that job.

"I do not know that one can just walk back into the job that one had before. It doesn't go like that. If you move on from one job to another, you either get fired or resign from there—you don't just walk back into the one (the position) that you (originally) came from. So when I saw it in the papers (that she was going back to the SSA), I assumed that she was going to be rehired, in which case she now has to be re-examined and reviewed. So we will watch to see what standards are being set by the Government," he said.

Rowley said he had every reason to believe the Prime Minister has some serious questions to answer in this matter, and she has not answered those questions to explain her personal conduct. He said as long as the Prime Minister is using her office in this way, the country will not be well served. —Ria Taitt

[Bourbon]

HUNT FOR SIA SNITCH
Govt brings in 7 US lie detector experts to probe media leaks

Arhmm...a few questions.

1) I take it there are no lie detectors or at least lie detector experts locally?
2) De so called  leaks really eh bizness it seem. Imagine dey leak dat dey looking to investigate the leak.   

3) How de testing going and take place? Meaning which leaks dey going and check? De ones dat make this whole saga get exposed? De ones dat probably supplied leverage for persons politically? De ones that said who recommended who for the position? Which?

4) How coincidental that this happening just when Ms. Ramnarine returned from her "vacation"?

[Daft Trini]

I say if we want to employ US methods of finding leaks, we should employ US measures for dealing with leaks. Imagine if a person was to blatantly doctor their resume and had to get a US government clearance. If caught there was no way that person providing Reshmi's lies would be returning to that position. This is pure fackery to allow her near that establishment.

Kamla is a failure... worse that Manning in he latter years and more duncy that Chambers...

[truetrini]

HUNT FOR SIA SNITCH
Govt brings in 7 US lie detector experts to probe media leaks

Arhmm...a few questions.

1) I take it there are no lie detectors or at least lie detector experts locally?
2) De so called  leaks really eh bizness it seem. Imagine dey leak dat dey looking to investigate the leak.   

3) How de testing going and take place? Meaning which leaks dey going and check? De ones dat make this whole saga get exposed? De ones dat probably supplied leverage for persons politically? De ones that said who recommended who for the position? Which?

4) How coincidental that this happening just when Ms. Ramnarine returned from her "vacation"?

1.   There are local polygraph experts in T&T.

2.  That is not a leak, that is a well crafted release...finding the source of the leaks is important to the government..think about it.

3.  They will test all employees, for deception and for breaching agency protocols.  Thing is, Reshmi did the same or worse and still has her job....do you think the leakers/whistle blowers in this instance will get a promotion and be able to keep their jobs?  lol

4.  Just coincidental methinks.

[weary1969]

HUNT FOR SIA SNITCH
Govt brings in 7 US lie detector experts to probe media leaks

Arhmm...a few questions.

1) I take it there are no lie detectors or at least lie detector experts locally?
2) De so called  leaks really eh bizness it seem. Imagine dey leak dat dey looking to investigate the leak.   

3) How de testing going and take place? Meaning which leaks dey going and check? De ones dat make this whole saga get exposed? De ones dat probably supplied leverage for persons politically? De ones that said who recommended who for the position? Which?

4) How coincidental that this happening just when Ms. Ramnarine returned from her "vacation"?

D peeps who does administer 2 police recruits eh good enuff

[Daft Trini]

HUNT FOR SIA SNITCH
Govt brings in 7 US lie detector experts to probe media leaks

Arhmm...a few questions.

1) I take it there are no lie detectors or at least lie detector experts locally?
2) De so called  leaks really eh bizness it seem. Imagine dey leak dat dey looking to investigate the leak.   

3) How de testing going and take place? Meaning which leaks dey going and check? De ones dat make this whole saga get exposed? De ones dat probably supplied leverage for persons politically? De ones that said who recommended who for the position? Which?

4) How coincidental that this happening just when Ms. Ramnarine returned from her "vacation"?

D peeps who does administer 2 police recruits eh good enuff

No by having a US expert do it, makes it sound more official and unbiased