Caption: Kamla Persad-Bissessar. Photo: T&T Parliament

Summary

• PM alleges two independent senators sought favours for ZOSO support; Government refused.
• ZOSO bill defeated in Senate: Govt 15 yes; Opposition 6 no; Independents 8 no, 1 abstained.
• Government needed 4 independents; bill meant to replace SoE ending Jan 31.
• PM says ZOSO would have limited SoE powers; criticises PNM/independents for blocking action.

Prior Beharry

TWO Independent Senators approached a senior Government Senator for personal favours in exchange for support for the Zone of Special Operations (ZOSO) bill before it was defeated in the Upper House on Tuesday.

This revelation was made by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar in a post on X on Wednesday.

She said, “My Government will not buy votes. I fully expected the President’s Senators to vote against the Law Reform (ZOSO) Bill, 2026.

“During the debate, two of the President’s Senators approached a senior Government Senator seeking personal favours in exchange for support and for securing the remaining votes needed for passage.

“Those requests were rejected. From that moment, it was clear the Bill would not pass. They know who they are. They must live with that shame. This is why I warn about the fake ‘eat-a-food’ elite.”

On Tuesday, when the vote was taken at the end of the debate, all 15 Government Senators said yes, with the six Opposition Senators voting no, along with eight Independent Senators while Independent Senator Courtney Arthur Mc Nish abstained

The Government needed at least four independent senators to support the legislation that would have replaced the State of Emergency (SoE) that is scheduled to end on January 31.

In her post, Persad-Bissessar said of the independent senators, “They do not care about decent, hardworking citizens – only self-interest and privilege.

“The PNM and its supporters also fail to grasp a basic fact: It is amazing and amusing that the PNM hierarchy and their supporters still do not yet understand that your UNC government has more powers under an SoE than it would have had under the ZOSO bill.

“Your UNC government was actually trying to dilute and limit the state’s SoE powers by introducing the ZOSO legislation to use instead of an SoE.

“Your UNC government could have simply called another SoE. Hopefully someone (not me), eventually explains this to the PNM who are rejoicing and celebrating that they outsmarted themselves, only the PNM could do that.”

She said it was an undisputed fact the “majority of murder victims over the past decade were young Afro men.”

Persad-Bissessar said, “Most victims of gang violence and assaults are young Afro adults and teenagers. Most communities that are oppressed and abused by violent gangs are Afro-dominated communities within PNM stronghold constituencies.

“Yet the PNM – an Afro-dominated party – continues to block action by the security services. Their real concern appears to be protecting local drug-mafia financiers.”

She said under the past PNM regime under former prime ministers Dr Keith Rowley and Stuart Young and current Opposition Leader Pennelope Beckles, there were 124,062 crimes including 5,000 murders and nearly 9,000 rapes and sexual assaults.

Persad-Bissessar said, “Rapists, murderers and violent gangs flourished under the PNM. The PNM and the local drug mafia will not stop trying to derail national security progress – but they will not succeed. This Government and our security services remain committed to reducing crime, with the support of decent, law-abiding citizens.”

The ZOSO legislation was intended to replace the ongoing SoE, which ceases at the end of the month.