Legislators raise privacy concerns about Surveillance Bill
Premier and Minister of Finance Dr. The Hon. D. Orlando Smith moved a motion to have the bill entitled, “Authorisation of Surveillance Devices Act, 2013” read in the House of Assembly yesterday, May 14, 2013.
Dr Smith said the bill seeks to provide a legal framework for the operation and retrieval of data from surveillance devices by law enforcement agencies and other persons for the purposes of enhancing law enforcement and to provide for other incidental purposes.
Though the bill received support in principle, legislators on both sides of the aisle requested that further adjustments be made, especially in relation to issues dealing with the right to privacy of citizens of the Territory.
Hon. Fraser questioned whether the benefit of catching a thief was greater than the issue of liberty and freedom being invaded. “It is for the architects of this bill and the movers of the bill to convince the public that yes, you have to sacrifice that freedom and liberty in order for us to rid society of these petty criminals,” he argued.
He also objected to a section of the bill that empowered the Governor to designate areas where Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras could be set up to function, contending that the Governor has in many instances in the past delegated his responsibilities to the Commissioner of Police.
The section read, “The system is operated from control centres located at places designated by the Governor by an order published in the gazette.”
Deputy Premier, Dr The Hon. Kedrick D. Pickering, cited similar security models as critical to the economic success experienced in other jurisdictions such as Singapore and Denmark.
At-Large Territorial Representative Hon. Archibald C. Christian said he didn’t feel the bill was perfect, but felt it was a start to something that would guarantee the safety of every citizen of the Territory. “Obviously we would go through in Committee stages, the concerns that we have,” he said, “but at this particular time in our development I see no other option to help us to live safer and happier lives, than to support this bill.”
Leader of the Opposition and Ninth District Representative, Hon. Ralph T. O’Neal, was in agreement that addressing privacy concerns were critical in passing the bills. He also said the bill was actually the work of the Virgin Islands Party (VIP) administration, but there was a hold up since they wanted to be certain that the issue of confidentiality was included.
“We realised that [the bill] was most necessary and the Police have got to be equipped in order to be able to keep abreast of criminals,” he said, “but at the same time we wanted to make sure this system would operate in such a way that it would not affect too much of the citizens’ privacy.”
Other legislators, including Health Minister Hon. Ronnie W. Skelton, Hon. J. Alvin Christopher, Hon. Andrew A. Fahie and Hon. Marlon A. Penn also lent their voices to the debate.
Yesterday’s session of the House of Assembly ended with legislators reviewing the bill in committee stage.
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14 Responses to “Legislators raise privacy concerns about Surveillance Bill”
This is a total disrespect for Law and order!
You're are only trying to score cheap points for Your friends in the opposition.
You must have people running your territorial government who are mentally ill or just jealous of
all the intelligence agencies and police agencies the US has - which do NOT make the country any
better to live in. I'm just a tourist who visited you and really liked it overall and hoped to return
and be able to stay awhile, all with good will and intentions. I sure hope you don't flush yourselves
down the toilet of fascisim. Pardon my bluntness.