National Security Minister John Sandy is now saying that all military or crime-fighting assets over $100,000 must be first authorised by his ministry's permanent secretary.

Sandy said although Commissioner of Police Dwayne Gibbs has the authority as Accounting Officer of the Police Service and, as such, was allowed to make purchases under one million dollars, military and crime-fighting equipment must be authorised by the Ministry of National Security.

"There is also the situation with respect to sole selective tender, and any asset that would be considered military asset in excess of $100,000, there is a committee that ought to sanction that, and that was not done," Sandy said.

He was speaking with reporters after the United Nations Development Programme's (UNDP) report on citizens' security at the National Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA) in Port of Spain yesterday.

Sandy admitted a fault in that process was the reason the entire purchase was currently before Attorney General Anand Ramlogan.

"This is why it was sent to the Attorney General to look at the legal aspect of it," he said.

Sandy said he would be the first to admit the Government's three-month State of Emergency did not produce any of its "long-term yield" but said security strategies would be successful if they were guided by a holistic national security policy.

"Well, I'd be the first to admit that the thrust that we envisaged did not yield the results, and we are seeing a spike in the homicide rate as the UNDP report pointed out," he said.

In keeping with that national security strategy, Sandy said two helicopters would arrive in April and expected the request for proposals (RFP's) for "two or three" long-range vessels to be advertised around the same time.

Sandy said these new vessels would not fall into the off-shore patrol vessel (OPV) category because of key differences.

"They are different in terms of size, mission and operational capabilities," he said.

Sandy said these purchases would be open and transparent.

"Anything I am involved in will be above board," he said.

Ramlogan, in a brief telephone interview yesterday, said he did not have all the required documents to investigate the matter just yet.

"I am awaiting a response from Commissioner Gibbs. When I receive all the pieces of that jig-saw puzzle, then I'd be able to respond," he said.

Last month, People's National Movement (PNM) MP Donna Cox queried Gibbs' decision to lease a light aircraft for a three-month period for just under $1 million.

She had then read a letter written by Gibbs last September in which he noted the National Security Ministry had awarded a $902,772 contract to a Tacarigua firm for 720 hours of use of the Zenith aircraft for aerial surveillance.