If he so chooses, fired Strategic Services Agency (SSA) director, Bisnath Maharaj, has a good case for wrongful dismissal.
This was the response of former prime minister Basdeo Panday on the revocation last Friday of Bisnath’s appointment as SSA director.
“There must be a reason why he is dismissed. If there is no reason, surely it is an act of discrimination.
“I thought a reason would be supplied as to why he was dismissed. I think Maharaj may very well have a case of wrongful dismissal, if he so chooses,” Panday added.
Bisnath, an attorney and former assistant superintendent with the police Special Branch, was appointed head of the intelligence agency in 2012 under the last People’s Partnership administration.
He was also part of Panday’s security detail during a former UNC administration. His appointment was revoked with immediate effect and there are reports he was not to be allowed into the SSA’s compound.
Former national security minister, Gary Griffith, in response to questions from the T&T Guardian on the matter, said Maharaj’s sacking was “expected.”
“Every administration has a right to put people (of its own choosing) in strategic positions, even in national security,” he added.
He said that must not be viewed as political victimisation since the State had the right to appoint people, even on the National Security Council.
The SSA falls under the National Security Council, usually headed by the Prime Minister.
Griffith said qualified and experienced people must be appointed in those strategic positions, however.
Mathew Andrews, a seconded police officer attached to the SSA, has been appointed acting director.
Panday had a completely different view of the matter, saying outright Griffith “was certainly wrong.
“Griffith is wrong because the position of head of an intelligence agency is supposed to be a non-political one. This is not a political appointment,” he said.
Panday said if the norm was that every time a government changes, people were to be fired then that should be written into the Constitution and be made legal.
“So people will know they are going to be fired,” he added.
Panday said he had not seen Maharaj since he (Panday) left government.
There have been questions over the independence of state intelligence agencies.
Under the former PNM adminstration, the SSA was dubbed Manning’s secret service and it was believed the phones of politicians and journalists were tapped.
It is also believed that continued under the PP government.
The SSA is a merger of three intelligence agencies, the Security Intelligence Agency, the Special Anti-crime Unit of T&T and the Strategic Services Agency.
Maharaj has been mum on the issues surrounding his position as SSA director and several efforts to reach him yesterday were not successful.