Minister of National Security Dr Bernard Nottage.
By RASHAD ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
rrolle@tribunemedia.net
NATIONAL Security Minister Dr Bernard Nottage said Cabinet is expected to review the long-awaited National Intelligence Agency legislation next week.
He told The Tribune more than a year ago that he would bring the legislation to Parliament “soon,” but he never did.
Recently he revealed that the draft copy of the legislation had been resting on his desk even as the agency operated without legal authority.
“I’m taking a paper to Cabinet on NIA next week and when Cabinet has approved it we will table it in Parliament for public dissemination and for people to look at it and we will hear what they have to say and we will then determine when we will debate it,” he said yesterday.
The NIA is intended to be an intelligence gathering hub where law enforcement agencies would combine their efforts to pinpoint and address threats to the country’s national security. It was launched by the Progressive Liberal Party shortly after the 2012 general election.
Long Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner has in the past accused the government of “running a spy agency with no clear legal footing and no accountability.”
The government has since denied that the NIA is spying on civilians.
In May 2014, Free National Movement Leader Dr Hubert Minnis called on the government to shut down the NIA.
“They are working outside the law,” Dr Minnis said at the time. “They should not have started outside of the law. They should now be closed. It should be shut down until the laws and framework are in place to govern it.”
In December 2014, Dr Nottage told the media that the government had to postpone tabling the NIA legislation because the Office of the Attorney General had requested to review it.
He said at the time that he intended to have the legislation tabled before Parliament broke for the holidays in 2014.
Comments
lkalikl 8 years, 10 months ago
F$%^ the PLP. How do Bahamians tolerate an illegal intelligence network that has no basis in law and no Constitutional checks or balances? Honestly. F$%^ this government.
TruePeople 8 years, 10 months ago
we're used to tolerating alot of illegal undertakenings by our gov't...... from long time
Well_mudda_take_sic 8 years, 10 months ago
We have an unintelligent cabinet about to review intelligence agency legislation.....now that's what I call a serious oxymoron!
proudloudandfnm 8 years, 10 months ago
So an intelligence agency and now 1.2 million in anti riot gear.
What is the PLP thinking?
Cobalt 8 years, 10 months ago
We want to! But the FNM is busy fighting with one another! So where does that leave us? Looks like five more years of the Perry shuffle!
ohdrap4 8 years, 10 months ago
the intelligence agency will train people who need to become inteligent. it is a good cause.
Cobalt 8 years, 10 months ago
Intelligence agency???????? Bol!!!! 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
Y'all dumb apes can't even put out a dump fire and y'all talkin bout intelligence agency?????? Show me one thing in the Bahamas that exemplifies intelligence. A bunch of porch monkeys in suits talking bout intelligence. Don't make me laugh!
Cobalt 8 years, 10 months ago
Imagine these bunch of barefoot Bahamian baboons attempting to convince the general public that they are capable of establishing and coordinating an intelligence agency!! What a good laugh!
SP 8 years, 10 months ago
........... Cabinet To Review Intelligence Agency Legislation - total oxymoron ................
This brilliant Cabinet intelligentsia also masterminded the destruction of the economy, small and medium business, massive unemployment and war zone crime levels.
sheeprunner12 8 years, 10 months ago
BJ ............. the horse is already out the gate ........... just another UR2.0 or NHI ........ its DOA .... you cannot convince Bahamians that this is an honest policy meant for our good
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