Caption: Opposition Leader Pennelope Beckles after receiving her instrument of appointment at President’s House with her 12 other PNM MPs
By Alicia Chamely
OPPOSITION Leader Pennelope Beckles is willing to work and collaborate with the government on their Stand Your Ground laws once she sees the legislation.
Beckles was speaking to reporters on Tuesday, shortly after receiving her instrument of appointment at an official ceremony at the President’s House, Port of Spain.
After discussing the People’s National Movement (PNM) opposition’s stance on supporting legislation that is “progressive and in the best interest to the people of Trinidad and Tobago,” she was asked if that support would include the amending of the Firearms Act to include a Stand Your Ground policy, which was cornerstone initiative in the United National Congress’s 2025 election manifesto.
Beckles said, “We haven’t seen the bill and its concept of stand your ground. We know that it is part of some legislation in some parts of the world, for example some parts of the United States, but we need to see the bill.”
She said, “You talk about stand your ground, but what exactly does that mean? The truth is all matters related to crime are a serious concern to every citizen of Trinidad and Tobago. I’ve made it very clear that as a responsible opposition that we are willing to sit, we are willing to listen, we are willing to collaborate, but we need to see the legislation first.”
In her first address as Opposition Leader Beckles set a new tone for the opposition, saying, “Let me be clear, it is not my conviction that opposition means obstruction.”
Beckles added, “We must model for the youth of this nation, our future leaders, a new way, where collaborations are valued over confrontation.”
Stand Your Ground laws allow for the use of deadly force in certain situations to defend oneself against violent crimes.
While in Opposition, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar first brought up her intentions to institute Stand Your Ground laws, should she return to office, on 17th April 2023 at a Monday Night Report meeting held in the Couva South constituency.
She said, “I propose we adopt the Stand Your Ground legal principle that allows a person to use force in self-defence without retreating. This principle is also called ‘Castle Doctrine,’ as in, ‘your home is your castle,’ and it states that individuals have the right to use force, including deadly force, to protect themselves and their families from intruders.
“This law will protect homeowners, occupiers of property, business owners, any property, this business will help. When the bandits use force, they can use deadly force against any intruder who unlawfully and forcibly enters their residence.”
Her announcement caused a stir among the legal fraternity and the general population, with both those for and against.
