BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – NEWLY-APPOINTED Commissioner of Police Ian Queeley is claiming that he is not aware of anyone in the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force involved in tapping people’s phone but he would investigate.
Queeley’s statement comes in the wake of allegations made by the St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party’s caretaker for Constituency Number Eight, Dr. Terrance Drew.
A press release from the political party stated that while as a guest on Freedom FM’s radio programme ‘Issues’ on Wednesday (Feb. 10), Dr. Drew had commented on allegations that members of the Police Force were involved in the illegal tapping of phones of some residents.
“I want you to take handle of the phone tapping capability and capacity of the force. I know and we know that the police have the technology to tap people’s phone. It has been used for nefarious reasons and reasons not associated with policing, criminality and national security, but reasons associated with politics.
“You as the Commissioner would be in charge of this and I am asking you to appoint whoever you have to appoint to oversee and supervise so that persons do not use the technology to look at people’s private messages and listen in on conversations and use them for political reasons or to blackmail persons,” the release quoted Drew as saying.
When contacted for a comment on the incendiary allegation, Queeley proclaimed that he is ignorant of such activity taking place in the institution he heads.
“I am not aware of any police officer who is involved in any phone tapping at this point in time. One of the things that I want to bring to this job is integrity and so if allegations are made they will be investigated.”
Insinuating that the country’s Prime Minister might want to impose his hierarchal position upon the decision-making body of the Police Force, Dr. Drew beseeched the Top Cop to stand firm and to not give in to political influences.
“I ask you to stand by principles and good police practice. I ask you to recognise that you are not serving a leader but ultimately the people of St. Kitts and Nevis and they demand a lot of you. I ask you to speak truth to power when it is necessary by telling Harris what are best and not what he wants.”
When invited for a comment to those requests, Queeley emphatically stated that he does not want to be embroiled in the differences between and or among political parties’ representatives or affiliates, noting that he was appointed Commissioner of the Police Force and he would serve to the best of his ability with dignity and a very high degree of professionalism.
