A picture is worth a thousand words but PUC’s ride is worth a million dollars
Have you heard of the million dollar ride? It’s not decked out in with spinners on twenty inch titanium rims, but reports are that this clumsy looking white Toyota Land Cruiser Prado is estimated to be worth one million dollars. It sits inside the yard of the Public Utilities Commission in Belize City. The only noteworthy appendage on it is a dome that is outfitted on the top of the vehicle. One report in the media suggests that the vehicle has an antennae that is able to monitor and analyze different frequencies. One question that has been buzzing throughout the city is the identity of the person who brought the million dollar ride into the country and how much did he profit from it. The P.U.C. is keeping quiet about the vehicle for the time being, but what we do know is that the government has been exploring surveillance equipment. Israeli experts in surveillance have visited Belize over the last year and on January twenty second, 2009, the Prime Minister said he intended to use telephone intercepts. He said that “this tool of telecommunications intercepts to assist our intelligence gathering.” Section 44(6) of the Telecommunications Act has a provision that phone tapping could be conducted for national security purposes after consultation with the P.U.C. But what’s the real reason for the million dollar vehicle? Time will tell.
Our constitutional right for privacy is being VIOLATED in the name of “intelligence gathering.” WOW I hope that this latest technology can catch the perpetrators in Galves murder. Come on people can’t you see it’s another wastage of Gov’t funds that could’ve been put to better use; for example right within the Police Dept. They need to upgrade the Forensic Services, acquiring the necessary equipment for the Police Dept.to their job in an effective and efficient manner. The Police Dept is the Dept that should be furnished w/ this state of the art equipment. So it’s the Dir. of the PUC who will be acting on the intelligence gathered. Give him his Police uniform one time and send home Jeffries then! WHAT A JOKE!!!!
Why is the PUC “keeping quiet” about this vehicle? Why is its’ purpose a secret?
What is the “national security purpose” that requires “telecommunication intercepts” ( my translation : Voice, text and e-mail data)?
Do Belizeans accept to have “surveillance equipment” used to gather “intelligence” against them for ANY purpose?
These are the questions that demand answers.
I am totally against telephone intercepts, but the attention given to this vehicle is misdirected. Would be quite silly to drive around in this thing trying to intercept your calls. Not the most discrete way of doing things. Just think of it, will they park outside your house or follow you around in this monstrosity? I think Logic should prevail and call out the obvious, if any wiretaps and intercepts are to occur they are more likely to happen via BTL….as to the price of the vehicle, well I hope it comes equipped with Surface to Air Missiles, Turbo boost (a la KIT), and at least a mini-fridge stocked with some good 23 yr old scotch.
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