Journalist's telephone records leaked

[rfari]

skids, yuh sticking on de wuk man.

Reporter’s phone records leaked to CDA
Investigative reporter
Published:
Sunday, October 14, 2012

A top Telecommunications Services of T&T (TSTT) official has been fingered in a ploy that has led to confidential telephone records of a T&T Guardian reporter being leaked to the Chaguaramas Development Authority (CDA) in a bid to trace the source of information being published.

Sunday Guardian learned the telephone records were requested in a surreptitious manner following the publication of a September 9 article. CDA board members had objected to a decision to grant an extension to continue contracting out legal services. However, in an unprecedented move, the decision was overturned by line minister Bhoe Tewarie.

The shocking development comes almost two years after Parliament enacted the Interception of Communications Act 2010 following revelations of illegal spying on citizens by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar. The act states telephone records can be obtained on directives issued from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Commissioner of Police, Chief of Defence Staff and the head of the Strategic Services Agencies to assist with investigations.

And in responding to a text message as to whether he instructed police officers to obtain telephone records belonging to the reporter, DPP Roger Gaspard stated, “I gave no such directives.” According to the T&T Constitution, the move is also an infringement on the rights of a citizen.

Section 4 (C) of the Constitution states: “It is hereby recognised and declared that in T&T there have existed and shall continue to exist, without discrimination by race, origin, colour, religion or sex, the following fundamental human rights and freedom namely—the right of the individual to respect for his private and family life.”

Telephone records used to reveal CDA leak
Several board members told Sunday Guardian the telephone records are being used to trace all incoming and outgoing calls from the reporter’s telephone to officials at CDA. Three employees of CDA contacted T&T Guardian last week complaining of being interrogated.

“They are looking to find the origin of the source of information. Even telephone records of CDA employees are being pulled. Instead of fixing the problems at CDA, workers are being victimised,” the terrified employee disclosed. A senior official at TSTT who spoke to Sunday Guardian under the condition of anonymity said while there was a procedure to obtain telephone records the system can be accessed from customer service to the managerial level.

“We have a gag order on telephone records since the act became law, but our system allows employees in the department that manages mobile phones to view records in various departments. We have a view-only and a print and view system. If an issue is raised then an employee would be called upon to explain the reason for accessing the customer's account,” the official revealed.

Questioned as to whether telephone records can be obtained even though the mobile phone may not be on the name of the individual using the telephone, the official said. “A person’s name may help but it is not necessary. Once the telephone number is given the system allows for all records to be shown pertaining to the customer. We are mandated to follow the law and trust that employees would not violate it. A customer could request the records but must produce identification.”

Commenting on the matter yesterday, head of public relations and external affairs Camille Salandy said once the matter was reported to TSTT it would be investigated. In the case of an investigation, Salandy said, telephone records relating to customers receiving threatening or nuisance telephone calls are handed over to the police and not the customer.

Seetahal: Court must grant order
Giving a legal perspective on the matter, former president of the law association Dana Seetahal, SC, said a court can make an order requiring various bodies to produce documents that could be of assistance. “The records could be ascertained if the telephone records are necessary for your defence in a civil or criminal matter or necessary to produce evidence for the prosecution or plaintiff,” Seetahal said.

He said telephone records of a customer cannot be obtained by citizens unless the court grants an order.

Solomon mum
When contacted yesterday for a comment on the matter CDA chairman Danny Solomon said he was unable to speak. However, communication specialist Peter Campbell said the CDA had no information on the matter. He did not comment on why employees were being interrogated and being accused of leaking information to the Sunday Guardian. The matter is expected to be reported to the police later this week.

http://www.guardian.co.tt/news/2012-10- ... leaked-cda

Ramesh: TSTT leak an attack on media
Published:
Monday, October 15, 2012
Reshma Ragoonath

An attack on the media. This is how former attorney general Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj yesterday described the leak of a T&T Guardian reporter’s telephone records to the Chaguaramas Development Authority (CDA.) He was referring to yesterday’s Sunday Guardian report which said the CDA had launched an investigation to trace the reporter’s source of information for a September 9 article. The reporter’s article indicated that moves were afoot to disband the CDA board.

The article said the reporter’s records were being used to trace incoming and outgoing calls to find out who leaked the information. Maharaj, in his address to a Clico United Policyholders’ meeting at the San Fernando City Hall Auditorium, Harris Promenade, said he was amazed to learn that the Telecommunication Services of T&T (TSTT) handed over of the journalist’s telephone call record.

He said the passing of that information to a Government agency “strikes at the root of illegal conduct.” Maharaj said citizens should be concerned by this illegal development. “Under the laws of T&T it is imprisonment and it is a breach of confidence and it is illegal…Therefore I think that it is a serious attack on the media for the source of information of the journalist to be violated,” he said.

The former AG said under the law, if the Government wrongfully tapped “your telephone, the minister who authorises it could be jailed. That is a serious matter.” He said journalists protect their source of information and had gone to jail in the past to do so. Maharaj said a source of information was integral for journalists.

The former AG also took issue with the impromptu dismissal of attorneys Fyard Hosein, SC, and Michael Quamina, both of whom were representing the State at the commission of enquiry into the collapse of Clico. The two lawyers were hired under then finance minister Winston Dookeran when the commission started.

They have been replaced by president of the Law Association Seenath Jairam, SC, who is leading attorney Jagdeo Singh and Joseph Toney. Maharaj questioned why the lawyers were dismissed. He said their removal would cost the Government more money in legal fees.

Maharaj questioned why the Government was dragging its feet to pay the policyholders. He said it cannot be because the State does not have money to pay. He said the Government has turned its back on the Clico policyholders.

http://www.guardian.co.tt/news/2012-10- ... tack-media

[xtech]

lol....
TSTT does this to their own employees who have company mobile phones....an email addresses

If managers are vex with you for some reason or u have a union matter against them they look for everything they have on you... to use against u an may end up pulling phone records to see who you been calling with the company phone.

One poor guy placed an advert for his biz in the dailys an was receiving calls....they even checked his company email his personal biz was there too

They string him up on that.....

[Rainman]

A top Telecommunications Services of T&T (TSTT) official has been fingered

sorry

[SmokeyGTi]

when the journalists getting phone records of ministers from their frends in tstt you don't hear them making noise though.

I sorry for those employees. I would fire they arse for breach of confidentiality.

[foss]

A top Telecommunications Services of T&T (TSTT) official has been fingered

sorry

[pugboy]

nothing will become of this

[rfari]

A top Telecommunications Services of T&T (TSTT) official has been fingered

sorry

Kklks hd+

[Sky]

lol....
TSTT does this to their own employees who have company mobile phones....an email addresses

If managers are vex with you for some reason or u have a union matter against them they look for everything they have on you... to use against u an may end up pulling phone records to see who you been calling with the company phone.

One poor guy placed an advert for his biz in the dailys an was receiving calls....they even checked his company email his personal biz was there too

They string him up on that.....

This is the company's right, as owners of the phone and email address.
You can walk into any red or green network store and pick up a prepaid sim.
There are dozens of free mailhosts you can use to conduct personal business.
The company even has the right to check what web pages you're loading, because they own the internet connection.

[Bareback]

Not sure why this is news considering they have been doing this for a very long time now. Police used to make money on this by takin payment for these records and then walkin in to TSTT and getting it for free.

[geodude]

in before ppl start bawling "PP is ah dictatorship, them taking away we freedom, etc"

[Mark!]

A top Telecommunications Services of T&T (TSTT) official has been fingered

sorry

as far as i reached

[MG Man]

oooooooooo a Rainman / Foss / rfari sandwich
dreams do come true

[redmanjp]

Not sure why this is news considering they have been doing this for a very long time now. Police used to make money on this by takin payment for these records and then walkin in to TSTT and getting it for free.

b4 the Interception of Comm. Act was passed- now is jail if you do it without authorization

[Dizzy28]

oooooooooo a Rainman / Foss / rfari sandwich
dreams do come true

[mitsu_chick941]

[Rainman]

oooooooooo a Rainman / Foss / rfari sandwich
dreams do come true

On account of foss being there, it will be an ice cream sandwich

[MG Man]

oooooooooo a Rainman / Foss / rfari sandwich
dreams do come true

On account of foss being there, it will be an ice cream sandwich

all the better for dunkin' mih oreo

[VexXx Dogg]

A top Telecommunications Services of T&T (TSTT) official has been fingered

sorry

I luld too.

[rfari]

Lawd. Mg issa unc

[DTAC]

oooooooooo a Rainman / Foss / rfari sandwich
dreams do come true

On account of foss being there, it will be an ice cream sandwich

Now you've made like a Big Mac.

[Rainman]

On account of foss being there, it will be an ice cream sandwich

Now you've made like a Big Mac.

[Sky]

Wait.... That big mac line was supposed to be funny?
I read it like 3 times and couldn't understand why they'd say that..

[dougla_boy]

i think he was drunk when he post that.....

[foss]

well that escalated quickly.