The Strategic Services Agency purchased 100 thousand rounds of ammunition in 2022 and had up to 103 guns.

Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley says this was part of an ongoing audit of the agency, which started on March 4th this year.

He says there are still questions surrounding why the SSA, an intelligence-gathering agency, would secretly establish and operate a highly trained and militarised so-called Tactical Response Unit.

Dr. Rowley then outlined what the audit showed regarding the agency’s weapons acquisition prior to November 2023 when a law change allowed the SSA to keep firearms.

He says the SSA also had disturbing practices of nepotism and opportunism.

Dr. Rowley says the investigations continue, but they aims to rebuild the agency to ensure its core mandate is discharged and that it operates within the law.