Caption: AG John Jeremie. Photo: T&T Parliament

Summary

• Extension Approved: Parliament voted 26-12 late Friday night to extend the current State of Emergency (SoE) by an additional three months.
• Opposition Rejection: The opposition PNM unanimously voted against the measure. Former Prime Minister Stuart Young warned of constitutional rights infringements and the disproportionate targeting of marginalised communities.
• Government’s Stance: Attorney General John Jeremie defended the extension, declaring that the country is “at war with criminal gangs” and will fight until citizens get relief.

THE Trinidad and Tobago Government used its parliamentary majority to extend the current State of Emergency (SoE) by a further three months. The SoE was initially declared on March 3, following the expiration of a previous measure on January 31.

The motion to extend the SoE was passed with a 26-12 majority. No opposition members from the People’s National Movement (PNM) supported the measure, having earlier described it as a continuous, rather than temporary, crime-fighting tool utilised by the Kamla Persad-Bissessar administration.

MP for Port of Spain North/St Ann’s West Stuart Young argued that “states of emergency are measures of last resort.”

“States of emergency are all about suspending important constitutional rights, fundamental rights, the right to freedom of movement, the right to freedom of speech, and the right to due process,” Young said.

Young referred to a recent court judgment in Jamaica, which ruled that “states of public emergency by their very nature involve infringement of citizens’ rights.” He noted the court held that while democratic rights may be restricted to ensure public safety, these restrictions should be temporary so that affected rights are impaired as little as reasonably possible.

“It is unquestionable that the constitutional rights of members of certain marginalised communities will be disproportionately affected as there is an increased policing of such communities. There is likely to be an erosion of public trust in government,” Young said, adding, “And that is happening right here in Trinidad and Tobago.”

He warned that the Jamaican court had noted negative implications for social and economic stability, stating, “That is the caution that is applicable here as it was in Jamaica.”

Wrapping up the debate, Attorney General John Jeremie declared that the country is at war with criminal gangs. He stated that the difference between the Government and the Opposition “is that we know we are at war with criminal gangs, and we intend to fight that war until it is won.”

“We will not stop in this fight against the criminal gangs which have held this country to ransom for a difficult and long decade. Our people are crying out for relief… and that is what we hear; we will fight for them,” Jeremie added.

The Government previously stated that it introduced the new SoE after receiving credible evidence linking criminal gangs and former detainees to a projected increase in crime. (CMC)