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MORE HI-TECH EQUIPMENT TO SPY ON THE PEOPLE WITH

It is a known fact that a leopard never changes its spots or so they say. This belief is particularly true in the case of the SPPF, during the dictatorial rule of the one-party state they were obsessed with spying on the people. They bugged telephone lines and followed people suspected of having a different political ideology to theirs. These activities continued to a lesser extent into the Third Republic.

We now have evidence to support further the claim that since assuming office this Administration has hired more personnel with the aim to intensify its effort at spying on the people. In fact thousands in foreign exchange (Euros) are being spent to purchase hi-tech surveillance equipment to monitor mobile telephone conversations. The latest consignment to reach the people in charge of these operations from a company in Europe was delivered earlier this month. Another company Sigma Wireless based in Dublin, Ireland has also been contracted to supply communication equipments to the Special Branch. Currently personnel from the Special Branch are on government sponsored espionage training in the United Kingdom.

We have long known about fixed telephone lines monitoring by the security services. Court orders are easily obtained to monitor fixed-line telephone calls. Allegedly, there even is a monitoring centre at State House.

Presently, it is alleged that private conversations are being listened to through a system called scanning. Apparently people employed by the security services are going around with hand held mobile scanners to monitor and record mobile telephone conversation. Criminals are said to be receiving help from people with access to these equipments. This system allows the operator to home in on mobile telephone conversation within a radius of one hundred metres. They can scan for mobile telephone signals in a place of their choosing, listen, record or do both.

If this practise is taking place and is being carried out with the approval of the people in power it is a major infringement on the privacy of the citizens. It is an unacceptable abuse of power which must end immediately without delay. A public statement is called for to explain, deny or clarify who are the people in charge of these equipments and operations, and for what purposes private telephone conversations are being monitored, on mob