THIRTY one years after the bloody attempted coup of July 27, 1990, key recommendations are not fully in place.
The recommendations were made by a Commission of Enquiry headed by Sir David Simmons, which was appointed by then-Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar on September 6, 2010.
The commission recommended the establishment of a National Operations Centre (NOC), which was undertaken by the Persad-Bissessar Administration.
But the subsequent Dr. Keith Rowley Government later made NOC part of the Strategic Services Agency (SSA).
That move, according to then-National Security Minister Edmund Dillon, was meant to “enhance intelligence gathering and sharing” and improving “inter-agency operability.”
There were criticisms from some security experts over the decision.
The commission said an NOC should be “a focal point for all arms of the security and intelligence community” and would “greatly enhance the capability of the State to respond to emergencies.”
The coup investigators criticised the Special Anti-Crime Unit of Trinidad and Tobago (SAUTT), saying “it was not welcomed by most arms of the security structure because it was seen to be doing things that other people were already doing…”
SAUTT saw itself as a separate entity, the commissioners reported.
Members of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service had complained that the agency was better equipped than other officers.
The Persad-Bissessar Government scrapped SAUTT.
The Rowley administration set up an agency titled Special Operations Response Team (SORT), which is involved in crime-fighting and is headed by Supt. Roger Alexander.
A further recommendation of the investigating team was the establishment of a functional National Security Council (NSC).
An NSC was operational during the tenure of the Persad-Bissessar administration, and also exists under the current Rowley regime.
But it is not known how often the NSC meets and how effective it is.
The Prime Minister heads NSC.
Ms. Persad-Bissessar said her government had “a very active National Security Council that meets on a weekly basis…”
The commission said there was an “overwhelming need” for a crisis management centre.
The investigators also called for “a more scientific approach” toward the operations of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM).
There were several other recommendations on the need to boost national security agencies to avert another attempt to overthrow the elected government.
The enquiry was conducted “to ensure that history will not repeat itself,” Ms. Persad-Bissessar told Parliament when she presented the report on March 14, 2014.
But 31 years later, the security apparatus is still not what was recommended by Chairman Simmons and his four fellow investigators.
Ms. Persad-Bissessar had said the report would be distilled into an effective educational work study programme.
The aim was for tertiary students to discuss and review the report.
Several people died, buildings were destroyed and looted and government officials were assaulted during the attempted insurrection, which was mounted by the Jamaat al Muslimeen.
