UPDATE: The state of emergency declared around midnight comes with no curfew among several other regulations.
Acting Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs and Minister of Energy and Energy Industries Stuart Young revealed that the decision was based on intelligence provided by the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) after thorough deliberation by the National Security Council. This intelligence indicated a significant risk of reprisal shootings involving automatic weapons, such as AR-15s and AK-47s, in gang-related conflicts.
‘So in a nutshell, what we were faced with is a decision being provided with the information by the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service that there was going to be heightened criminal activity with the use of, expected use of high-powered caliber, high-velocity assault weapons in reprisal attacks between gangs. As we now all know, in these types of incidents, very often, too often for us as a government, innocent people would be affected,’ explained Stuart.
Notably, no curfew has been imposed, and there are no restrictions on public gatherings, marches, or meetings. Instead, the focus is on targeting criminal elements engaged in violent activities. ‘There is very little chance of survival due to the velocity and the caliber of these weapons. This has been a major concern not only for us here in Trinidad and Tobago, but throughout the whole CARICOM region.’
New Police Powers Under the SOE
Under the emergency regulations, law enforcement officers now have expanded powers to:
- Search premises, individuals, vehicles, and vessels without warrants.
- Detain suspects for an initial 48 hours, with potential extensions of up to seven days pending judicial or senior police authorization.
- Arrest individuals without a warrant if suspected of committing or planning to commit offenses under the regulations.
- Suspend bail for those detained in connection with unlawful possession of firearms, ammunition, or explosives.
The Trinidad and Tobago Defense Force will also assist the TTPS, with soldiers granted police powers to ensure public safety during the emergency.
ORIGINAL: A State of Emergency (SoE) has been declared in Trinidad and Tobago following a sharp escalation in crime.
Prime Minister Keith Rowley announced the decision, citing advice from the country’s police service to the National Security Council about “heightened criminal activity” that poses a threat to public safety. Further details are expected during a national address by the Ministry of National Security at 10 am.
The move has drawn criticism from former police commissioner and National Security Minister Gary Griffith, who accused the government of hypocrisy. Griffith recalled that when the People’s Partnership administration declared a state of emergency under similar circumstances, the current government criticised the measure as an ineffective crime-fighting tool.
Prime Minister Rowley, speaking on Tuesday, expressed disappointment over the failure of extensive efforts by national security agencies to curb criminal activity. As of December 27, the country recorded 615 murders—an all-time high, with widespread violence driving the grim statistic. Tobago alone saw its highest-ever murder toll, doubling its previous record.
Rowley admitted he had hoped for and expected a decrease in violent crime but acknowledged that the situation has worsened.
