MINISTER of Homeland Security Roger Alexander chided Port of Spain MP Keith Scotland for seemingly exposing details of six spy drones being acquired by the police service, as the minister endured hours of grilling by opposition MPs over national budget allocations to the police service ($2.61 billion) and Minister of Homeland Security ($1.9 billion).

A mix of rancour, humour and exasperation marked the sitting of the Standing Finance Committee of the House of Representatives on October 22.

When Alexander guardedly spoke of the purchase of "technical items" for the police service, Scotland pointedly asked what criteria would guide the purchase of drones.