By COREY CONNELLY Thursday, September 24 2009

OPPOSITION Leader Basdeo Panday yesterday expressed concern that Government’s proposed

Interception of Communications Bill may constitute an invasion of privacy. “We would like to see what the bill entails because it would be an invasion of privacy...Obviously, there would need to be some protection to guard against abuse,” Panday said.

Panday was responding to National Security Minister Martin Joseph’s announcement in the Senate on Tuesday that Government intended to bring legislation to Parliament soon to further enhance the fight against crime.

Joseph revealed that the Interception of Communications Bill would form part of an omnibus legislation which would include and Anti-Gang Bill, a Security of Information Bill and an amendment to the Bail Act.

Essentially, the Bill would involve telecommunication surveillance to assist in the detection and prevention of offences such as murder, kidnapping, treason and drug trafficking. Panday yesterday said Government, through the legislation, would have to indicate how the average citizen would be protected.

“While it is necessary for us to do all in our power to fight crime, we have a corresponding duty to protect the rights of citizens,” he said.

President of the Downtown Owners and Merchants’ Association (DOMA) Gregory Aboud supported Panday’s view, but was cautiously optimistic about the measure.

“We hope Parliament will ensure that new legislation such as this will contain appropriate safeguards and checks and balances to preclude the possibility of using this type of surveillance for objectives other then crime fighting,” he said.

“Electronic eavesdropping and interception of telephone calls is considered to be a very serious matter in developed societies where the protection of personal rights is guarded very fiercely.”

Chairman of Yes TT Stephen Cadiz was optimistic about the benefits to be derived from the legislation. “It is necessary,” he said.

“The Police Service in the modern world must have some sort of electronic surveillance to combat the level of criminality.

It is impossible to get a handle without electronic surveillance.” However, Cadiz said the fact that many citizens had lost faith in the Police Service could be a problem. “People don’t trust the Police Service and they (Government) would definitely have to work on building back the trust,” he said.