By Prior Beharry
CERTAIN former employees of the Strategic Services Agency (SSA) belonging to a church were in a cult and arming themselves to replace Trinidad and Tobago’s political directorate.
This was the startling revelation made by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley in the Lower House on Wednesday.
He was speaking about an audit conducted on the SSA by its acting director retired Brigadier Anthony Phillips-Spencer.
Dr Rowley said, “The audit also found disturbing practices of nepotism and opportunism.
“For example, several family members and associates of particular persons; and of a particular church, were found to have been surreptitiously employed in this agency.
“Such persons belonged to a cult which was arming itself while preaching a doctrine for trained military and paramilitary personnel with a religious calling to be the most suitable to replace the country’s political leadership.
“They were exerting high levels of influence on the affairs of the agency to the detriment of National Security.
“Many of these persons were never polygraphed or otherwise screened or integrity-tested, this being an absolute essential given the nature and mandate of the agency.
“The audit currently includes a preliminary review of the polygraph policy, published in April 2022.”
He said in March, 28 employees of the SSA were terminated either for violations of the SSA Act and regulations or for anomalous recruitment or faulty promotion processes and practices.
Dr Rowley said, “ It was discovered that the SSA had adopted an unapproved organisational design/structure and staffing, without the required authority of a decision, either by the Cabinet, the National Security Council or the Minister of National Security.
“For example, the SSA established and operated, a highly trained and militarised so-called ‘Tactical Response Unit’ for operational purposes.
“As part of the audit review this unit was examined and abolished in March 2024.
“Its operations prior to March 2024 is under review by SSA and the TTPS (Trinidad and Tobago Police Service).”
He asked, “Why would an intelligence-gathering organisation, with a mandate to collect and share information with operational units in other law enforcement and defence agencies, find it necessary, to secretly have an operational unit of that nature and magnitude?”
Dr Rowley said the main functions of the SSA include to centralise information “that could facilitate the detection and prevention of serious crime, for co-ordinating operations for the suppression of serious crime and for co-operating with the Services or the corresponding services of other countries.”
He said, “The receipt by the National Security Council of certain information from the Special Branch of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service warranted an immediate intervention and the installation of new leadership at the SSA.”
SSA director retired Major Roger Best was fired in May after being sent on administrative leave in March.
Dr Rowley said, “Instances of dishonesty and deep deception have also been discovered. For example, the composition of a Strategic Services Agency’s delegation, was authorised to travel abroad on official business, after which, a non-employee of the agency was inexplicably inserted into the delegation, in the place of an employee who was approved for the delegation.”
He added, “The audit found that there existed a clear need for improved management of the Controlled Equipment and Supplies Inventory (CESIM), to accommodate and treat with the increased stock of firearms and ammunition, now possessed by the SSA, as well as for security-related ICT and other technical equipment and supplies.”
He said in 2017, the SSA purchased 8,000 rounds of nine-millimetre ammunition but in 2022, the amount bought was 100,000.
Dr Rowley said, “While arming itself the agency did not disaggregate ammunition held for operational use, from ammunition stored for the purpose of training, in accordance with international best practices.
“Similarly, whereas in 2016, the SSA held a mere 24 firearms, consisting of pistols or revolvers, since 2021, the number of firearms held by the SSA, increased to 103, of different types and calibre, including military grade.”
He asked, “Why would an intelligence-gathering agency need 103 firearms of different types, and calibre; and why would the agency in 2022, need 100,000 rounds of ammunition?”
Dr Rowley said that Best initiated the procurement of high-grade military bolt-action rifles, complete with the most modern silencers and other accessories. And, he added, the SSA was engaged in training specially selected questionably hired personnel in the skill of the use of such weapons. This Madam Speaker, before, the amendment to the Act in November of 2023.”
He said, “It was only on the 1st of November 2023, upon the request from the then Director, SSA, for the agency to bear arms in certain restricted circumstances and persuasive reasons offered, that Cabinet approved and Parliament authorised SSA staffers, to keep and carry concealable pistols, whether on duty or not. This matter, Madam Speaker, is gaining the attention of the Police as we speak.”
He said the audit also revealed that 70,000 rounds of ammunition purchased by the SSA remained unaccounted.
Dr Rowley said, “Prior to that legal November 2023 authorisation, the National Security Council of the Government was not aware that the SSA possessed those levels of arms and ammunition or that the SSA was actively engaged in extensive weapons training, procuring and consuming large volumes of ammunition.
“There was never a budget in the SSA to purchase military grade weapons nor was the NSC ever informed of any such activities or that such capabilities were being developed within the SSA. This did not prevent the SSA from making part payment for military grade weapons with suppression capabilities.”
He said on March 5, 2024, a self-described spy who was appointed a special reserve police officer by former police commissioner Gary Griffith, appeared at the Cumuto Barracks to and voluntarily handed over a cache of firearms and ammunition, to a member of the National Operations Task Force, located at the same camp.
Dr Rowley said, “Subsequent investigations confirmed that these weapons came from the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service by way of transfer to the SSA before it was authorised to have any such weapons.” He said these were automatic weapons.
He said, “Arising out of these related matters, the Police personnel and former SSA employees were all arrested and charged for several criminal offences. It is still to be determined where these weapons were stashed, whether they were ever fired and if so, in what operations, for what purpose and under whose authority and direct control.”
Dr Rowley said, “Several members of the SSA and former members are the subject of continued investigations by the TTPS, in respect of certain motor vehicles, currently and previously assigned to the SSA.”
