ALTHOUGH the Opposition has publicly pledged its support for the State of Emergency (SoE), its support is not unconditional and should not be taken for granted.

Opposition Leader Pennelope Beckles said the government still has many questions to answer, including “What is your crime plan?”

Beckles led off the Opposition’s side debating the SoE proposed extension in Parliament on Monday during an extraordinary sitting after the motion was brought forward by Attorney General John Jeremie.

The Opposition had previously issued statements on the SoE stating while the reason behind the SoE was cause for concern, citizens seemed confused as it unfolded last week Friday.

It has been ten days since the SoE was declared by President Christine Kangaloo acting on advice of the government.

On Monday Beckles said, “We therefore will not obstruct lawful efforts to restore order and protect lives of citizens of Trinidad and Tobago but Mr Speaker, we want to make it abundantly clear that our support is not blind nor is it unconditional.

“We understand that as a Parliament we must strike a careful and vigilant balance between protecting national security and of course, upholding the democratic rights of citizens.”

She said of concern to citizens is that no one has been formally charged yet for any offence relating to the reasons behind the SoE as stated by Commissioner of Police Allister Guevarro.

Beckles noted that while prisoners have been moved to curb communication with persons on the outside, no new person has been arrested in that matter.

“The public is waiting patiently for someone to be brought to justice,” she said.

Beckles also reminded Parliament about the last SoE declared under Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar first term as prime minister back in 2011 when 17 persons were arrested and released.

Also reminding parliamentarians of the date July 27, 1990 when there was an attempted overthrow of the government of the day, Beckles said it would not be wise to not think a similar catastrophe could occur.

She said, “No right-thinking Member of Parliament would believe that incidents like those cannot occur again… Notwithstanding modern technology and efforts by all governments to avoid a matter of such.”

Referring to a newspaper article which tells of a devious plot to attack the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS), members of the Judiciary, and the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Beckles again called for more information regarding the SoE “that would give the people of Trinidad and Tobago a certain level of comfort that the government is in control of this particular situation.”

She admitted, “The country has not being doing very well, both as it relates to detection rate and as it relates to conviction rate.”

Beckles said, “This moment calls for a certain amount of collaboration, it calls for a certain amount of maturity, calls for a certain amount of responsibility on both sides.”

She is also hoping that an SoE would not become a routine way of handling crime with the country going through its second SoE in less than 12 months.

Above all, the protection of citizens rights was necessary including a right to be aware of certain details said the opposition leader while acknowledging certain aspects would be deemed sensitive.