Former National Security Minister backs probe of Cambridge Analytica's role in Trinidad & Tobago

Gary Griffith, a former national security minister in Trinidad & Tobago, has backed the decision of  the government to investigate whether UK based political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica had undertaken a project in the twin-island republic involving the harvesting of data on the population.

Last Wednesday, Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi told Parliament that a whistle-blower, Christopher Wylie, had informed United Kingdom lawmakers that the company had undertaken the work in 2013 under the former People's Partnership administration headed by Kamla Persad Bissessar.

Mr. Griffith, who served in the Cabinet of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, said the probe will ascertain whether State funds were used to pay for political campaigns and contract an agency involved in committing illegal acts.

He said it was also necessary to ensure the reputation of Trinidad and Tobago.

Cambridge Analytica is facing allegations that it improperly accessed data from social media website Facebook to target voters prior to the U.S. presidential election and Britain's Brexit referendum in 2016.