Nadaleen Singh

Pressed yes­ter­day by jour­nal­ists to ex­plain the ap­point­ment of For­eign and Cari­com Af­fairs Min­is­ter Den­nis Moses as a Min­is­ter in the Min­istry of Na­tion­al Se­cu­ri­ty, Com­mu­ni­ca­tions Min­is­ter Max­ie Cuffy said the Min­istry has dif­fer­ent de­part­ments and there­fore a Min­is­ter of Na­tion­al Se­cu­ri­ty does not nec­es­sar­i­ly need to have mil­i­tary or po­lice train­ing. He said there is noth­ing that dis­qual­i­fies Moses as a Min­is­ter of Na­tion­al Se­cu­ri­ty.

"The Min­istry does not on­ly re­quire the qual­i­fi­ca­tions of a Min­is­ter of Na­tion­al Se­cu­ri­ty to have a ser­vices back­ground. Min­is­ters of Na­tion­al Se­cu­ri­ty are al­so re­spon­si­ble for im­mi­gra­tion, counter ter­ror­ism,...na­tion­al se­cu­ri­ty mat­ters.

"There are a num­ber of in­ter­na­tion­al se­cu­ri­ty mat­ters that fall un­der the Min­istry of Na­tion­al Se­cu­ri­ty, it is not just a po­lice­man or an army per­son who can be min­is­ter. If you check the his­to­ry you will see the for­mer mem­bers of Na­tion­al Se­cu­ri­ty did not have mil­i­tary or po­lice back­ground., he said.

Asked what makes Moses a suit­able can­di­date for the po­si­tion, Cuffie said "con­nect the dots."

Pressed fur­ther for a bet­ter ex­pla­na­tion, he said: "The Prime Min­is­ter an­nounced that he was putting greater re­sources in the Min­istry of Na­tion­al Se­cu­ri­ty, then he an­nounced the ap­point­ment of a Min­is­ter in the Min­istry of Na­tion­al Se­cu­ri­ty, I don't think I should go fur­ther than that."

Cuffie al­so said Moses knows what his re­spon­si­bil­i­ties are, and has a "good idea" of what he is sup­posed to do.

Asked when was Moses briefed, Cuffie said: "I don't want to get in­to that...I am quite sure the Min­is­ter of Na­tion­al Se­cu­ri­ty, who is al­ways avail­able to the me­dia, to ex­plain at some point what are the re­spon­si­bil­i­ties that Mr Moses will pur­sue while be­ing Min­is­ter in the Min­istry."

Cuffie said Moses is a Mem­ber of Par­lia­ment since he is a mem­ber of Sen­ate, "so the Prime Min­is­ter would have sur­veyed all his mem­bers of Par­lia­ment who will be able to bring ad­di­tion­al val­ue to the Min­istry of Na­tion­al Se­cu­ri­ty and clear­ly he felt that Mr Moses was (one) who would bring great­est val­ue to the Min­istry of Na­tion­al Se­cu­ri­ty at this time." (See page A5)