Parliament security in shambles

In fact, sources stated, contrary to Prime Minister Patrick Manning’s statement last week that the security arrangements for Parliament were "very tight and sophisticated," there was only minimum security for the building which is frequented by the country’s leading politicians.

The Parliament is currently secured by the Court and Process Branch of the police. There are supposed to be at least 40 dedicated police officers on a 24-hour basis, working in eight-hour shifts, but sources said there were not even 16 dedicated officers. Furthermore, police sources revealed that at no time were all the entry points in the Red House covered by security.

The building, which is considered high-risk by security experts, suffered a major security breach in July, 1990, when it was stormed by armed Muslimeen insurgents during the coup attempt.

Accordingly, sources said the country was lucky that since then no one had attempted to breach the security at the Red House. "Because there is little to breach," they added. "John Public walks to and fro. Nobody is stopping anybody on any corridor (in the Red House) to ask ‘who you are, and where are you going,’ the source stated.

Parliament sources said the police officers could not be blamed. "They are trained to run after bandits and other criminals, and therefore are not keen on standing and watching a building," they noted. As a consequence, "any person who spends 15 minutes observing the Parliament building could gain entry to the innermost sanctum of the Parliament with very little effort," one source lamented.

According to the sources, on days when the Parliament is sitting, the security provided by the Court and Process Branch was beefed up by the Guard and Emergency Branch, which is stationed around the periphery. The Special Branch is also present, but only if the Prime Minister is expected.

But even on these sitting days there are entrances to the Red House that are not properly secured, one source pointed out.

"Sometimes on a sitting day the corridors have no security, except for the one or two special branch officers looking after the Prime Minister. And sometimes when all the MPs are in the chamber, there is no officer in the eastern corridor (the one opposite Woodford Square" it was pointed out. "And when he (the PM) goes, his security goes, so there is no security at the special entrance (for the Prime Minister) after this point," one source added.

Another source noted that the security situation was even more strenuous at night. There are supposed to be regular patrols around the building at pre-determined intervals. But that does not happen.

Sources also stated that as soon as Parliament was adjourned, the officers disappear, many times leaving parts of the building unsecured.

One source stressed that one of the factors which had to be recognised was that securing the Red House was not simply about providing security on days when the Parliament was meeting, since there are meetings of the Parliament committees during the week.

Additionally, there is a dedicated Parliament staff working in the building all week. It is understood that the Parliament staff is uncomfortable with the current arrangements.

A recommendation was made for a new security policy in which a dedicated security force, trained in guarding buildings as well as in securing documents and historical records, be established.

Sources said this was what was done in the UK, Canada, Australia and other modern parliaments of the Commonwealth.

Furthermore, it was suggested that officers in this dedicated security force take instructions from the Speaker, (not, as is the current practice) operating under the commands of the Commissioner of Police through a superintendent, or a corporal (which is very often the highest ranking police officer in charge of Parliament security).

However, these recommendations for the new security policy were not accepted by the Government, one source disclosed.