by Linda Straker
- National Security Council will formulate strategies and policies to safeguard our citizens
- National Security Council Steering Committee comprises 13 members
- Press Secretary only provided representative entities or agencies
Press Secretary Neila Ettienne has only provided the government entities or agencies represented on the National Security Council Steering Committee, and not the names as promised by Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell during a news conference on 12 March.
“The committee is being chaired by me. I cannot give you the specific names of all of the persons who make up the committee, but we could get that to you,” the Prime Minister promised when asked to list the names of the members and other information. The committee was approved by Cabinet on 12 June 2023.
“It’s a pretty large committee made up of representatives from a broad cross-section of government agencies and entities — from the airport to the port, from customs to immigration to NaDMA to the Prime Minister’s office,” he disclosed during the news conference.
Following the news conference, a letter was submitted to the Press Secretary requesting the names of the committee members, however, her response did not provide the names nor the terms of reference as requested.
The 13-member committee comprises:
- Prime Minister and Minister for National Security
- Permanent Secretary with responsibility for National Security
- Commissioner of Police
- National Security Advisor
- Director of ICT
- The Permanent Secretary with responsibility for Foreign Affairs
- Representative from the Ministry of Legal Affairs
- Representative from the Financial Intelligence Unit
- Representative from the Customs and Excise Department
- Representative from the Grenada Ports Authority
- Representative from the Grenada Airports Authority
- Representative from the Private Security Service Sector
- Representative from the National Disaster Management Agency (NaDMA)
In a national address in August 2023, the Prime Minister announced the formation of the council. He said the Steering Committee, composed of dedicated and skilled individuals from various sectors, will be tasked with providing leadership and oversight of the process that will result in the establishment of the National Security Council.
“The National Security Council will in turn be tasked with formulating strategies and policies to safeguard our citizens. It will be required to create and implement a comprehensive national security policy and strategy for Grenada that will underscore the country’s security goals and priorities,” the Prime Minister said back then.
“While law enforcement may be paramount to promoting law and order, securing the safety communities and the country requires an integrated approach. The evolving local, regional and global dynamics of crime and violence necessitates a collaborative mechanism for monitoring and developing proactive preventative strategies to threats to safety, peace, and freedom from threats of violence and actual violence,” he told the nation.
