The National Security Council Being Formalised to Assess Local and External Threats

The National Security Council Bill was brought from the House of Representatives to the Senate for debate on Tuesday. The bill seeks to formalise the council that has been in operation since the early nineties. Eamon Courtenay, the Lead Senator for Government Business, explained that roles are not clearly defined under the informal system. On the other hand, Lead Opposition Senator, Michael Peyreffite contended that the opposition is not comfortable with the fact that the council’s director general will be subjected to the directions of the prime minister.

 

Eamon Courtenay, Lead Government Senator

“The bill seeks to formalize something that has existed in an informal way. The National Security Council has existed for decades, and I believe Senator Peyrefitte and myself are two senators who have served on the national security council. One of the challenges is the operationalizing of national security issues in the absence of a legislative framework. Who is in charge? Is it ministry of defense, ministry of national security or the prime minister? Who is responsible for intelligence gathering, the police, the Belize Defense Force, private agents? Who is responsible for coordinating, collating intelligence and ensuring it reaches the right eyes and ears in the national security apparatus of the country.”

 

Michael Peyrefitte, Lead Opposition Senator

“The director general shall be subjected to the directions of the prime minister. That is the part I don’t like.  What it says here when you look at the powers of the director general, it says in section twelve, the prime minister may from time to time give the director general directions of a general of specific nature to be observed with relation to his powers. When you look at the powers for example it says that the director general can even request for the interception of communication. More recently that was reserved for the police Department through the D.P.P. Now that same director general can, it is not just an advisor position, this person is taking on operational duties. I don’t know if any protocols will be worked out to ensure there is no overlapping with those duties with the police primarily.”