Security Boss Joseph says

RESPONDING to the disappearance of State witness Joel ‘‘Footy’’ Phillips, National Secur-ity Minister Martin Joseph said the nature of the Witness Protection Programme (WPP) did not impose incarceration or any infringement of a person’s constitutional rights.

“As such, during the two year period, after reviews of the threat to his life, Joel ‘‘Footy’’ Phillips was allowed to visit places considered safe for him,” Joseph stated in a release which was issued to the press. “After each (such) occasion, he (Phillips) returned. However on the last occasion, which was on December 12, 2005, Phillips did not return,” Joseph said.

The Minister was responding to mounting concerns over the disappearance of state witness Joel “Footy” Phillips which led to the discontinuation of the case involving Sheldon “Skelley” Lovell and others for kidnapping.

Joseph said as soon as Phillips disappeared, the Protective Services began “immediate efforts to locate him and enquiries as to his whereabouts are continuing.” Joseph said any person in the witness programme had to volunteer to participate and to remain in the programme.

Furthermore, Joseph noted: “A decision to volunteer to participate in the Programme requires significant life style adjustments and is a life-time commitment.”

Joseph stated that any individual entering the Witness Protection programme had to apply in writing to be included in the programme, understand the implications of being included in the programme and understand and sign a Memorandum of Understanding in accordance with the provisions of the Act.

He said as a prerequisite to joining the programme, the Director of Public Prosecutions had to determine that the testimony of the prospective participant was credible and essential and that the prospective participant could be relied upon to give the testimony.

The Minister stated that both these conditions were met with Phillips.

He added that a risk and threat assessment were also done to determine the level of danger.

This was used to determine the conditions under which Phillips would be protected.

Joseph said he too was concerned about Phillips disappearance and the implications for all the cases which hinged on evidence which he was due to provide. “Most importantly are the concerns of the public in this matter, which cannot go without explanation. In this situation the public is assured that this matter is actively receiving full attention from the Min-istry of National Security and Law Enforcement Agencies,” he said.

Joseph said both regional and international law enforcement agencies have expressed confidence in the practices and processes of the Trinidad and Tobago Justice Protection Programme.