By Faith Edwards
FORMER prime minister and political leader of the People’s National Movement Dr Keith Rowley has raised serious concerns about the United National Congress (UNC), accusing the opposition party of attracting individuals with questionable backgrounds, including former Strategic Services Agency (SSA) head Roger Best.
Rowley made the statements during PNM’s public meeting, Diego Martin, on Wednesday night, where he highlighted the presence of Best in a UNC crowd, after speaking about people allegedly involved in criminal activity aligning themselves with the UNC.
Paid political ad
He said, “UNC is a magnet for people whom the police are looking for… This fella called Best, who was the head of the SSA.”
Rowley went on to describe the situation as dangerous, singling out Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar.
“Tonight, I want to accuse the UNC, especially Kamla Persad-Bissessar, of being the most dangerous person aspiring to the leadership of Trinidad and Tobago,” Rowley said.
Speaking as a former chairman of the National Security Council, Rowley said the SSA, Trinidad and Tobago’s premier intelligence-gathering agency, was never given Cabinet approval to be armed with high-powered weapons.
He said it was only in November of the previous year that the Cabinet approved a handful of handguns for SSA officers who, in certain situations, might need to defend themselves while gathering information.
He revealed that the SSA had been “penetrated” by people outside the organisation, leading to unauthorised activities unknown to the Cabinet.
He said, “When the information came to me not as gossip or old talk, substantial information came to me, that the SSA had deteriorated in that way. In 24 hours as Prime Minister and head of the National Security Council, I had to take action.”
Rowley said he immediately called Ambassador Anthony Philip Spencer from Washington to take over the role of SSA Director.
“Pack your bags, don’t even speak to your wife, get on the next plane,” Rowley recalled telling Spencer. “The next day, I was able to tell the country that we removed the head of the SSA and Spencer is now in that position, and they’re dealing with the problem.”
Two weeks later, according to Rowley, Spencer uncovered a document informing Best that a purchase had arrived, and a final payment was due.
“What did the SSA buy without Cabinet knowledge, without a budget, without anyone knowing?” Rowley asked.
“Two military-grade sniper rifles.”
He said the weapons were equipped with telescopic sights and silencers, capable of killing a target from 3,000 yards without any audible gunshot.
Rowley said, “These weapons cost hundreds of thousands of dollars,” he said to this day, the former SSA head has not answered how he came to purchase them, adding that the matter was now under police investigation.
Despite this, he said, Best was seen on a UNC stage supporting MP Roodal Moonilal.
“And is them so who is looking to be in the parliament. ,” he said.
