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Jeff Broomes to Hal Gollop, Hello?

A little story reported by the Nation newspaper on August 15, 2012 under the headline ‘Cellphone mystery’ has not generated the public debate BU expected. The gist of the story is that several calls originating from the cellphone of Jeff Broomes, principal of Alexandra School, terminated on the phone of Hal Gollop, attorney-at-law for the…

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Hal Gollop and Jeff Broomes, the men embroiled in the cellphone mystery

A little story reported by the Nation newspaper on August 15, 2012 under the headline ‘Cellphone mystery’ has not generated the public debate BU expected. The gist of the story is that several calls originating from the cellphone of Jeff Broomes, principal of Alexandra School, terminated on the phone of Hal Gollop, attorney-at-law for the Barbados Secondary Teachers’ Union (BSTU) last weekend. Both Broomes and Gollop are reported to be ‘mystified’ by what BU agrees was a very unusual occurrence.

Barbadians boast of a healthy Internet and mobile phone penetration which compares favourably to developed countries (In this regard we may accurately boast of attaining first world status). What is evident is that Barbadians have not demonstrated even cursory interest in the ‘backend’ which supports how information is managed by telecommunications companies in Barbados. What are the security protocols managed by LIME, Digicel, Telebarbados and others? To what degree is privacy of information respected and guaranteed? So many question can be asked but in Barbados we can be assured answers will not be easily forthcoming.

Remember Barbados is a country which boasts of being highly educated with a telecommunications infrastructure described as one of the best in this hemisphere.

The claim of “[the] mysterious appearance of calls and messages on the phones of two men at the centre of The Alexandra School Commission of Inquiry smells very fishy” and a normal public – including the Fourth Estate – should be ‘raising hell’ about this strange occurrence given the actors (Gollop/Broomes) involved.

  • At this point we do not know which of the service providers deliver service to the phones.
  • Is this a case where the phones were cloned?
  • Did the calls ‘actually’ take place?
  • Is there a match between outgoing and incoming calls?

The newspaper report states that the matter was reported to the police. This begs the question what are the local laws governing data retention. BU is aware that the service providers have to be given notice before they are obligated to ‘switch-on’ data retention. In simple terms, the service providers are under no obligation to retain any record of customer activity which might be of interest to the police unless officially notified; partially under judicial subpoena.

It is known in certain circles that data retention requests have not always been executed with efficiency between the police and local telecommunications companies.

BU’s best advice to Gollop and Broomes is that they submit a data retention request post-haste if it has not been done already. The documented request for data retention should be processed by the police and separately from the service provider(s) involved.

This business with Gollop and Broomes sure smells fishy.

73 responses to “Jeff Broomes to Hal Gollop, Hello?”

  1. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    What happens to students who are incapable of benefitting from the opportunities presented during their school life? …failure!

    Do you think that a scholarship winner or a sport champion or an entrepreneur succeeds by spending their youth focused on the vissititudes of life? …or do they tend to trivialize these distractions and focus instead on their long term goal?

    Those without the capacity to cope are unfortunately doomed to failure, however the real tragedy lies in those who CAN cope, but who are distracted with the frivolities until they realize that it is too late….
    Look around at the large number of intelligent Bajans who have missed the boat because they misspent their school days…it was probably fun then, but they will pay the price for the rest of their lives…

    This is just another example of the bigger picture of life…. We can focus now and apply the required efforts, or we can allow ourselves to become caught up in the distractions… Bushie has to admit,….Some of the distractions ARE FUN!! :). …especially the AX vissititude…. (thanks David, Bushie LOVES that word…) 🙂

  2. islandgal246 Avatar
    islandgal246

    “….how many of our boys are prepared for adulthood? Don’t you see them waiting at construction sites for a ‘laborer job’ – after 15 years of free education? ….or on the block? Or selling ackees? Or driving a ZR….. BECAUSE THEY SPENT THEIR SCHOOL DAYS FOCUSED ON THE VISSITUDES OF SCHOOL LIFE.”

    Good morning Bushie dahling, many men are boys and will always be boys. The difference is that the clubs all have a different criteria. There will always be construction site labourers, ZR drivers, and ackee sellers on this rock. The smart ones with AMBITION will see these jobs a a means to get where they want to go. For example a friend told me that her daughter who is working as a sales person in a Bridgetown retail establishment had enrolled at UWI to pursue a degree in economics. As a young person she didn’t take secondary school seriously and had a child soon after she left. She then decided to get more CXC’s and go to university. A male friend who is a van driver asked her how she was doing, she responded she was doing fine and was off to purchase some books for her course at UWI. She mentioned that she didn’t know that books were so expensive but she had to get them. He responded that he don’t see why she has to go to university and throw away her money on expensive books when she could be doing other things with her money.

  3. old onion bags Avatar
    old onion bags

    To be admitted and graduate from a credited university requires more than books and lunch money….Some often believe that once admitted means a qualification… too many many times, some enter only to leave disillusioned.On the other hand some can’t even meet application requirements.

  4. millertheanunnaki Avatar
    millertheanunnaki

    @ Bush Tea | August 19, 2012 at 6:58 AM |
    “Suppose it turns out that THERE IS a purpose for our existence, and that the things that we are currently spending our efforts on are actually wasteful, counter- productive and destructive”

    What purpose could there be for our existence, may I ask, out of a thirst for some enlightenment from the great philosopher Bush Tea (whom I admire unconditionally)?
    Do you really think that human beings are any more important in the Grand Scheme of Nature’s Things than the other animals? What makes us different in this ongoing cycle of birth and death with the requisite processes of ESAF (Eat, Sleep and F**P) to which can be added the vital waste disposal functions of P&S?
    The vicissitudes of life faced by humans are the same of those faced by the other animals: survival of self and the preservation of the species. Kill or be killed. That is why we kill other animals to survive.
    Human beings share a 98% or so genetic (DNA) similarity with other primates especially the chimp with our social/sexual behaviours almost identical to our bonobo family members. The remaining DNA difference is due to genetic manipulation or engineering by the Big Boss Engineers from the Tri-Star System Sirius. Even you book of myths makes reference to this experiment in a very simplistic and primitive way in the second chapter of the book .

    Bushie, tell me if I am wrong but the only difference between humans and chimps is that of ART and language (which is in itself a functional form of artistic expression). The 2% or so DNA variation is what makes humans an artistic animal to change the physical world around him for good or evil (never pick fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil or your eyes will be opened and you will be like gods similar to the BBEs from the skies).

    The only purpose of life for human beings is to survive, worship the Light and keep Mother Nature’s garden well tended and variegated. Failure to do so over time would result in banishment from the Garden and replaced by another experimental species more enlightened to the commands of the BBEs and obedient to Mother Gaia.

  5. Piece Uh De Rock Yeah Right Avatar
    Piece Uh De Rock Yeah Right

    @ bush tea, old onion bags and David

    Obscuration.

    Six lines and one word of unrelated profundity, i almost said dribble, from a neophyte who has just learnt about blogging, a virgin who is blatantly unaware of the protocol associated with submitting thoughts that are connected, lumen of association, to the inteligencia and illuminati who abound in these cyberspace halls.

    But soft awhile, one notes that they are not so befuddled after all for you do note that we have all diverted from Broomes and Mary Anne and the Inquisition.

    Indeed a master stroke by a braniac (possibly Gollop) for Broomes is not capable of this craft.

    Well done one “why are we here?” for, and i shall tell ye this, we are here to dance at your bidding.

    David who is normally able to discern the disambiguation was seduced by this and we have lost sight of Broomes in the smoke you blew up our respective po***es

  6. David Avatar
    David

    @Piece Uh De Rock Yeah Right

    You think so?

    BU allows great latitude in discussion BUT the substantive concern remains don’t you think?

  7. balance Avatar
    balance

    Our experience here has shown that our brain has a possibly limitless capacity. It seems incomprehensible that we are here only to reproduce and die – that after all we do, we can only look forward to death. Is it possible that there is another, higher level of existence that awaits those of us that are able to comprehend how to get there during our lifetime, before we die?

    since you are on the thread of existence, have you ever given thought as to the reason for borning if you are going to die anyhow. “Man that is born of woman have but a short time to live.” Are we then born with a death sentence hanging over our heads?

  8. Observing (...) Avatar
    Observing (…)

    @bushie
    “how many of our boys are prepared for adulthood”
    taking this totally metaphorically i’ll say hardly any! What is worrying is that most of the “boys” don’t even seem to know that there is an adulthood or bigger picture around the corner!

    @David
    “It is like focusing on the spiritual and neglecting the physical? Shouldn’t we be striving for harmony?”
    Some may say that the physical doesn’t and never existed except through our mortal senses and carnal perceptions which are so limiting and limited that it isn’t funny. Once you find spiritual harmony the physical harmony naturally follows.

    @miller
    good point. We believe that choice, thought and speech make us Lords of all nature, when in fact nature is much more beautiful, at peace and powerful than many of us!

    good Sunday morning discussion guys and gals!

  9. David Avatar
    David

    @Observing

    Agree with that unrivaled happiness will flow from the command one has with the inner self which suggest that the physical and spiritual must be one.

  10. Rose Avatar
    Rose

    caswell, how would broomes know tht calls were going to gollop? u have no proof of anything but a one sided view. cell phones are not the only devices tht could be bugged. i remember 3 yrs ago, a friend called me and the the number of a major institution showed instead of my friend’s number. i happened to recognised the institution instantly since i often had to call tht number during business. i told the family, that their phone had to be gugged, give them the number and they foolishly called to enquire wht was going on. needless to say after that when they called me their true number would show up, so they thought all was well. .another time after this incident, i called them, heard the phone stop ringing and could hear all the conversation in the home. i figured that something was wrong, hung up and called back 10 mins later. i asked them what was wrong since someone pick up the phone but did not respond to the call. they wife when she told me that they have been right next to the phone, it never rang, but when i told her the conversation i heard between she and her husband, they got really scared as they realised that somehow the bug was activated when the phoine rang. they never knew who did it but left the home about a home after.

  11. David Avatar
    David

    @rose

    Where has Caswell stated that Broomes knew about the calls?

  12. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @ Miller
    “Do you really think that human beings are any more important in the Grand Scheme of Nature’s Things than the other animals?”
    **********
    Not wishing to divert the thread from its earth shattering focus LOL…. But there is no doubt that human beings are CENTRAL TO and are the VERY REASON for the existence of the “reality” that we experience as life on earth. Equally obvious is that human beings, animals, and indeed everything that we experience is temporary and illusionary in the grand scheme of things.

    It is clearly a transitory experience designed with a more permanent outcome in mind….much like school is intended to be a transitory experience with a successful adulthood in mind.

    But this is not a thread for this discussion- Bushie just felt mischievous this morning and then David (as normal) egged the bushman to get all philosophical.

    ….apologies to all…especially the “piece of rock” 🙂

  13. David Avatar
    David

    We have read what Caswell believes happened in this matter so let us recap based on comments so far and BU’s research:

    It is possible to install software on a modern "smart phone" which can keep track of what calls are made, where they were made from – if the phone has a GPS  – otherwise only generally as a function of what cell-tower is being used, etc.  More advanced "malware" can even record the conversations and then stream them out over the data-channel without the user being aware unless they happen to notice the data-channel indicators. Such hacking BU understands is very sophisticated, and relies on software designed for each phone model.  It’s not something "Joe Blow" is likely to have done — it’s more the purview of law enforcement agencies.

    Then there’s SIM cloning, which basically clones a phone.  Then calls from and to the original phone can instead go to the cloned phone – but only if the original phone isn’t on the network.  If it is, the cell network should disable both.

    Lastly there’s intercept — lawful and non-lawful.  The former is generally done at the service provider’s facilities but with wireless it’s possible to do "over the air"..  Usually if the intercept is not-lawful this is how it will be done, but it’s important to remember that intercepting both sides of the communications can be extremely difficult because the transmission from the cell-phone to the tower tend to be very low power, and the interceptor would need to have "line of sight" to the phone with a very high-gain directional antenna, and/or be very near to it.

    But so far based on the info in the public domain it is not adding up!

  14. Alien Avatar
    Alien

    Piece Uh De Rock Yeah Right | August 19, 2012 at 10:17 AM |… and illuminati who abound in these cyberspace halls.

    Are you?

  15. Christopher Halsall Avatar
    Christopher Halsall

    Please forgive me for my ignorance on this (and probably larger matters), but could anyone explain to me what is the crux of this matter, and why this is considered important?

    Is it that Broomes shouldn’t be calling Gollop?

    Is it that Broomes and Gollop are both claiming they know nothing about the calls, and “have reported the matter to the police”?

    As everyone should know, all calls made through the cellular network are logged by the provider(s) involved. (Same goes for “land-lines”.) So it would be trial for law enforcement to determine if the calls actually took place from and to the cell-phones in question.

    What is a bit more difficult to determine is exactly who made the calls — particularly if Broomes didn’t have a password set on his phone (which everyone should do, but most don’t).

    As an aside, what a lot of the International press refer to as “cell-phone hacking” is little more than reporters and investigators leveraging on the fact that most people don’t change their voice-mail password from the default.

    Since most cell-phone services include voice mail accessible from anywhere (not just the cell-phone itself), a lot of information can be derived by accessing someone’s voice-mail using the default password without the user ever knowing….

  16. David Avatar
    David

    O dear!!!

    But Smith continued, stating: “This matter … is on the blogs and it has been spread in all the media in this country. It concerns my client because it is a fundamental breach of his fundamental rights under the Constitution.”

    http://news.barbadostoday.bb/2012/08/20/divide-over-hacking/

  17. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    chi ching.

    Lawyers salivating at the fees that they can collect if any of this goes to court.

  18. Ronnie Avatar
    Ronnie

    Hey! This is kind of off topic but I need some advice from an established blog.
    Is it tough to set up your own blog? I’m not very techincal but I can figure things out pretty quick. I’m thinking about setting up my own but I’m not sure where to begin. Do you have any points or suggestions? Thanks

  19. To The Point Avatar
    To The Point

    @Ronnie

    do some googling on the subject, but u will need a wb designer if u r not schooled in the area, web desing can be a tedius exercise, i tried it and and abandonned it. Try having a discussion with web.com, i think that the name

  20. see this website Avatar
    see this website

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  22. David Avatar
    David

    As is the norm in Barbados this matter has faded with no followup or
    closure.

  23. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    I myself have found myself in the position where calls to my cell phone were being forwarded to the land line of a then partner (now an EX)

    The cell phone was left on my kitchen table while I travelled. The now ex had legitimate access to my premises and my cell phone which had/has no password on it.

    EX still swears on mama’s grave (may she rest in peace) that they never touched my cell phone.

    Yeah right!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    However ex made a massive discovery.

    Only my children call me on my cell phone.

    So so booooooooooooring.

    More than a decade later I am still laughing.

    Lol!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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