Opposition Leader Pennelope Beckles has again signalled that the People’s National Movement (PNM) will not support any further extension of the State of Emergency (SoE).
Speaking to journalists outside Parliament yesterday, Beckles argued that the Government cannot rely indefinitely on emergency powers to address crime.
“It can’t be that you’re going to run a country with a perpetual State of Emergency,” she said.
Beckles questioned the effectiveness of several anti-crime initiatives introduced by the Government, including the stand-your-ground legislation and the Zones of Special Operations (ZOSO) framework, noting that authorities have reported a reduction in crime while simultaneously maintaining the need for emergency measures.
“If you have a reduction in crime, why would you want a State of Emergency?” she asked.
The current SoE is due to expire on June 17, but the Government has not yet indicated whether it intends to seek another extension.
Beckles also pointed to recent murders in Chaguanas and South Trinidad, saying crime continues to affect communities across the country regardless of political boundaries.
“As an Opposition, we have made it very clear about our willingness to work with the Government. They have not at all indicated any support, even considering as it relates to that offer,” Beckles said.
She maintained that the Opposition’s concerns stem from what it sees as the lack of a comprehensive crime strategy from the Government.
Opposition Senator Faris Al-Rawi also questioned the legal basis for continued reliance on emergency powers.
“A state of emergency under the Constitution is defined as a natural disaster, earthquake, flood, pestilence,” Al-Rawi said, suggesting there may be grounds for the issue to be challenged before the courts.
“I certainly do not think that anti-crime measures, policing, is what you use a State of Emergency for,” he added.
Al-Rawi, a former attorney general, further pointed to recent developments at the nation’s prisons, including concerns surrounding preventative detention orders and the anticipated release of detainees.
Opposition MP Symon de Nobriga was equally critical, arguing that the Government has repeatedly failed to justify both the declaration and extensions of the SoE.
De Nobriga contended that the measure has restricted citizens’ constitutional rights while failing to prevent serious criminal activity.
“We’ve also seen rampant crime and a return to multiple killings. We have seen killings within police stations,” he said.
Like Beckles, he argued that the SoE appeared to have become the Government’s primary anti-crime strategy.
Meanwhile, Independent Senator Dr Marlene Attzs says she expects the Government to seek an extension of the State of Emergency (SoE), citing the country’s ongoing crime challenges.
Attzs said while successive governments have attempted to address crime, the issue remains a major concern for the population.
“We have a crime issue in the country that the Government has not been successful in quelling despite their best efforts,” Attzs said.
“The State of Emergency was intended to address some of the issues and the disquiet in the population with respect to the state of crime.
“So, I quite expect that the Government will, in fact, extend the State of Emergency or find some alternative. I don’t know what the alternative might be, but certainly I think it’s an issue that we have to deal with.”
Attzs also linked the country’s recent election as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for the 2027-2028 term to ongoing security concerns.
“It’s good that we’re now on the UN Security Council because security is one of the issues that we’re going to have to be speaking to at that international forum,” she said.
