My last article put forward the theoretical pros and cons of the proposed NIDS possible downsides and the handling of personal information in a secure manner in real life rather than by legislation. Our recent history of law enforcement and justice seem to be flawed every day as people who are deemed to be unfit to plead, languish and die in jail after 40 years. But back to NIDS the practical experience.
On Thursday May 4, 2020 at 1:55 pm, I received a press release from Communications at Integrity Commission outlining their objectives. Later at 5:45pm I received an apology from the same source for “inadvertently” releasing the e-mail addresses of the over 100 recipients in the previous communication. Both e-mails were unsigned and were from the anonymous “Communications”. In the spirit of transparence and accountability a communication should be signed by a person not a department. This is about taking responsibility.
Industry security studies show that 90% or more security breaches are caused by human errors. A leak of the names of 800 persons who visited a HIV clinic was released because a communication addressed to them was not put in the Bcc section but in the cc section thus revealing their identities. This is the exact situation as the Integrity Commission document which could have inadvertently caused a major leak of sensitive information. At that point what would be the result of that instance in the courts and what would be the level of damages awarded by the Privy Council?
However their apology is fully accepted by me and is only highlighted to prove the point of my last article on the flaws of human interaction on otherwise “safe” encryptions and applications. Does any reader remember the brave Mrs. Sonia Christie who “blew the whistle” on the still ongoing Trafigura Scandal and which remains that way as those who are asked to testify are still dragging out their testimony by legal delay methods?
Mrs. Christie was forced out of her job at the bank, and died within a few years, and certainly stress may have played a part in this. May her soul continue to rest in peace, and her family be comforted that she was a woman of strength and integrity and her actions are far more worthy than the politicians still in hiding behind their laws. To me she will remain my National Heroine of truth and integrity.
One of my conclusions is that the “whistle blower” legal protection is not valid if the subject of the infringement is a politician, or a political party. It is they who impose useless laws and regulations that they manipulate to their own benefit. I fear for the NIDS and other information linkages that re not properly secured. Good luck to the Integrity Commission. So if someone inadvertently leaked politicians’ documents from the Integrity Commissions or the NIDS will they (politicians) feel that they have they have been betrayed or set up?
My final observation is that injustice through police killings; frayed nerves by COVID-19 quarantine; bar closures; job losses; reopening of tourism seemingly to protect “the big men”; have brought us to a dry wood pile sitting and just waiting for a spark. We have seen this before and we must be aware of the possibility of civil unrest as an unplanned explosion that has been suppressed for some time.
America; London; Europe; Australia; and Canada among others, have erupted in protests over issues of police brutality in a way that not only black lives but all lives matter. These are reasonably unique events and unlike the older Civil Rights Movements that focused on the black population, this is beginning to embrace the philosophy of Marcus Garvey in its global reach and amplifying Pan-Africanism into Pan-Globalism.
Several formerly discreet groups are now emerging and merging into a state of coalescence and compatibility. The words are growing: “touch one touch all”. Governments everywhere must embrace this new paradigm then if not, as as Haile Selassie and Bob Marley suggested “everywhere will be war” could become the spontaneous new normal. Race; religion; and politics; will soon have to bow to the wish of the people, without doctrines; ideologies; and contrived political controls, as the process of self-determination and justice replace the tired and failed deceptions.
Those elected to political power, beware! You cannot predict the time of a flash fire.
