Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar SC has revealed that half a billion dollars is being spent to provide security services for government ministries.
She noted that this money is being spent on private security firms.
“Contracted security services – the government is spending 500 million, another half a billion dollars there, on contracted security services. I am not here speaking about TTPS. I am not speaking about the army or any of the other Protective Services. This is contracted security services.”
The Prime Minister said government would investigate to learn exactly which private security firms were benefiting from these government contracts as this was all public money.
“The Ministry of Education accounts for almost $200 million, the THA about $80 million, the Judiciary about $70 million, National Security about $30 million. We are trying to get the contracts to account for the $500 million with the intention of getting savings. This cost is too high.”