St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ Minister of National Security, St Clair Leacock, has publicly criticised a media outlet for “very very irresponsibly” coverage of the ongoing investigation into a missing aircraft.
Addressing the issue during a recent radio broadcast, Leacock pushed back against the pressure to release sensitive operational details to the public. He expressed frustration with at least one media house, stating that they acted irresponsibly because “they simply expect because I am a minister of national security that can just simply open up my mouth and with utterances be all over the place”.
Leacock stressed that he is deliberately handling the “moving story” with strict “due diligence and due care” to fulfill his duty to the public without compromising ongoing efforts.
He explained that his need to be guarded stems from his dual roles; he is not only the Minister of National Security for St. Vincent and the Grenadines but also the current Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Regional Security System (RSS).
Releasing unauthorized information, Leacock warned, could embarrass the executive members of the RSS and disrupt the professional duties of regional and international agencies, such as CARICOM IMPACS and Interpol, which are currently involved in the situation.
He noted that international agencies are closely monitoring the aircraft—which intentionally turned off its transponders to avoid detection and the individuals involved with it. Leacock emphasized that he must ensure “nothing that comes from St. Vincent and the Grenadines on this subject matter compromises that international agency”.
Despite withholding the specific location to protect the investigation, Leacock confirmed that there is no evidence the aircraft crashed, noting that neighboring Caribbean nations would have reported any such incident.
He reassured the public that the aircraft’s location “is known to those who should know,” adding that intelligence suggests the plane may have recently moved from one South American destination to another nearby.