Comments on: Wiretapping bill raises red flags

By: El diablo

El diablo — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 02:35:04 +0000

This bill will cost the phone company millions of dollars and is a complete waste of time. As an example,If i wanted to hide my location from stabroeknews, i can simply use a proxy. There are many ways to encrypt data and falsify information. Any dummy with a brain can be a star and Gt@t primarily will be left holding the bag chasing ghosts.

By: evileyes

evileyes — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 23:38:46 +0000

Badlall:::Use your common nugey if you have one:::If this was a dictatorship would you have a forum like SN to blog your poison?

By: evileyes

evileyes — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 23:37:07 +0000

Dorian::::Why stop there? Lets wiretap those in the PNCR too…Sounds fair to me….dont you think?

By: tiger

tiger — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 20:34:39 +0000

YOU are right my friend start with the present administration first then work your way down, and i am sure you would’nt reach midway in years to come.

By: jamel

jamel — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 20:27:41 +0000

If Guyana and our country was safe from high levels political and racial discrimination wire tapping would have been effective in trying to catch criminals and the national security.
But at present it would be a disaster to allow wire tapping.

Guyanese people . please wake up. Think about development of our people and stop voting on issues based on which political party proposes it. Think of how it will impact on a country which is already heavily corrupted

By: tiger

tiger — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 20:23:35 +0000

certainly not by wiretapping

By: Johan

Johan — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 19:29:29 +0000

Bgs, I’d like to know your definition of a ’stable government.’ As for those lines in the sun, if u r referring to what I think u r, then I’d take those any day in exchange for being jerked out of my sleep with a machine gun in my face. I tell u, Bgs, you almost make me wanna be Elmr Fdd.

By: amen-ra

amen-ra — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 16:43:48 +0000

Pepie i totally agree with you that’s too much on the security force, an independent entity needs to be organized to carry out that function.

By: amen-ra

amen-ra — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 16:40:38 +0000

This may be a good bill for national security, of course this was expected because all countries are doing this after 911, so people don’t get angry. Only one thing i disagree with is if someone loses or sells their phone they have to report it to the police as lost property, i feel the only person who should have that info is the telephone carrier, and not the police that’s giving them too much liberty in your personal business.

By: Fulano de Tal

Fulano de Tal — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 15:24:20 +0000

Wiretapping can & will only work in a society that has a legitimate judicial system & an independent agency needs to take the responsibility. There should be no government interference, which is more than likely what will happen in Guyana. The PPP/C government has proven itself to be way too corrupt for wiretapping people’s phones not to be used for the fulfillment of THEIR objectives & not necessarily maintenance of law & order.

By: Badlall

Badlall — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 15:18:27 +0000

BET THE GOVT WILL WIRETAPP ANYONE WHO DOES NOT FOLLOW THEIR AGENDA …THIS IS A DICTATORSHIP IN GUYANA POLITICAL CONTROL ETC IS PARAMOUNT TO ANY LIBERTY.

By: bgsbny

bgsbny — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 14:24:02 +0000

ehhh ! what’s up doc ! chomp ,, chomp,, i see y’all speculating here like the guys on wall st,, some ah y’all helping in a large way to destabilise the govt,, of GUYANA ,, is it possible for u to harness ur destructive behavior ,, and exude anything positive ,, if not for ur sake but for those suffering in GY !……

can any of u remember how it was during the times ,, when ,, the lines in the sun ,, was symbolic with king kong !???????????????????

By: Pepie

Pepie — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 13:31:04 +0000

The funny thing about life in Guyana is that Roger Khan had his wiretapping Bill passed more than six years ago and never sought a judge permission before exercising the contents outline in his Bill. He didn’t need or requested the help of employees of any telephone company, yet he was effective in tapping into the conversations of many. Lets not forget according to Roger Khan he was fighting crime on behalf of the government. Suh dis wiretapping ting sweeten dem now dem gon mek am into law.

I await Uncle Freddie’s interpretation of The Telecommunications Amendment Bill 2008.

By: sagga

sagga — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 13:22:43 +0000

Then it should go for the Government and all political parties.

By: Pepie

Pepie — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 13:17:18 +0000

I have a few reservations about this bill.

(1).One was already mention by Vatvic that is, no judge in his/her right mind would refuse to sign the order coming out of Robb Street, which would grant permission to invade one’s privacy. If they did then tomorrow they can rest assure that they will be on the bread line or see they careers through the door.

(2). Why is it, if you lost your cell phone you need to report it both to the police as well as the Phone company. This double entry process is a waste of time and resources. Unless, you were robbed or had the phone insured then a police report is necessary in order for you to make a claim with your insurance company. Else, the only report that should be made is with the phone company and they should have a well kept record should the police need it.

(3). Again if you are transferring your number to a friend or someone else what does the police has to do with this? If i transfer my number to a friend then the telephone company records will should the history of that number. should the police need to know who held the number before the phone company should be able to provide them with this information.

(4). Why is it that the employees of the telephone companies are being handed this responsibility. The Joint Services need to create special department fully equip with todays technology and with properly trained staff to coordinate and execute such mandate provided within the Bill.

So putting this all together, i see no reason to burden the GPF with unnecessary “report taking”. Let us be smart here there is no reason for two entities to be taking the same report. Why create redundancies in process? We should have our police officers concentrating on fighting crime thats really where they focus ought to be in this period of uncertainty. Or we should have an Independent Agency setup to conduct and carry out this mandate. I have no Confidence in the PPP nor the PNC to respect the rule of Law and i can only see this law, if pass, being used for partisan means.

By: Ankoko

Ankoko — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 13:10:59 +0000

Wiretapping is a serious thing which must have restrictions on its use. In developed countries it is only done on an order signed by a judge after a case has been made by relevant authorities requesting for such use.
No one has to physically go where anyone is to do such. It is done within the telecommunications centre.
I am opined that solving crimes and catching criminals is only an afterthought about this ‘Bill’.

By: kabaka

kabaka — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 12:09:35 +0000

This exercise is not designed to wire tap everyones phone,but those that are suspected in engaging in criminal enterprise.A judge or similar symbol of authority will issue a warrant or directive to monitor transmission.If you or yours are affected then you have a reason to be concerned.

By: RALS

RALS — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 11:55:27 +0000

Dorian. Can you tell us how your crime was solved in the UK?.

By: vatvic

vatvic — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 11:52:10 +0000

This is law will accelerate and compound the blatant abuse of political power; of course the government will use it’s majority in parliament to establish this ‘law’ . I mean which judge is going to refuse to sign the invasive order that comes out of Robb street? With the high level of discomfort among the populace about the way the ppp is ‘running things’ here, who or what is the oversight committee to ensure that this powerful political tool does not become a greater lever against “freedom of expression.”
Simply put, I do not believe that this instrument will be used solely for the purpose it was written in it’s present state and in the hands of the ppp.

By: JUAN GABRIEL

JUAN GABRIEL — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 11:35:31 +0000

Give me a break Satish. You are a sympathiser who cannot and will not accept that your government is engaging in TOTALITARIAN acts and is hell bent on riding rough shod on CIVIL LIBERTIES. This will give them CARTE BLANCHE FREEDOM to interfere with everybody’s business. Read George Orwell’s novel which deals with this issue.

By: RALSalleged

RALSalleged — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 11:28:09 +0000

What ’s all the big fuss about. Govt. in developed countries does this all the time to solve crimes and terrorist activities. I guess the Massay guy alleged crime in the UK was not solved by this method.

By: Satish

Satish — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 11:01:56 +0000

The Communications Bill 2008 which appears to have been formulated in response to the widespread use of mobile phones in the planning and commission of recent major crimes is one of the most important pieces of legislation being processed by the government.

This is not a matter needing input from the Postal and Telecommunications Workers Union. This is a matter of urgent national security; however Gillian Barton may have a point in commenting that forces technicians dressed as telephone workers may be need to install any listening devices.

In a perfect world, such recordings would not be necessary but crime in Guyana (including drugs related crime) must be curbed urgently and criminals are frightened about what their telephone logs reveal.

It is for this reason forces wireless communication equipment is stolen time and again in order to bypass the telephone networks.
The government should fast-track this bill.

By: Dorian Massay

Dorian Massay — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 10:46:38 +0000

I dont what whats really wrong with this government!! Lets wire tap the Office of the President and State house along with some Ministries and see how they like it. Like old say “dem too fass”.