T&T prime minister signals fresh emergency if needed

Trinidad and Tobago’s government could once again resort to emergency powers if serious threats to public safety return, Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar has warned, even as Parliament advances legislation designed to strengthen joint police and military operations.

Persad Bissessar issued the warning after the House of Representatives passed the Special Operations Bill on Friday, September 18. The legislation has since moved to the Senate, where the prime minister said she expects it to be approved next week without amendments.

Reflecting on the recently concluded State of Emergency, Persad Bissessar described the measure as “highly successful” and said 3,552 people were charged during the period.

“However, if serious threats to the safety and security of citizens re emerge, I will not hesitate to put the country under another SoE,” she said in a social media statement.

The prime minister also directed a warning at organised crime groups and gangs, saying the government would maintain pressure on those involved in violence and the trafficking of illegal drugs and firearms.

“I want the local drug mafia and the violent gangs to understand clearly that the cells at Teteron and MSP await again if you continue your criminal behaviour,” she said.

The proposed law establishes a framework for special operations involving the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service and the Defence Force. It covers designated closed areas and military assistance to police while requiring joint protocols and separate standard operating procedures for personnel involved in such operations.

The legislation would also require annual reports to Parliament detailing special operations and instances in which military assistance is provided.

Persad Bissessar accused the opposition People’s National Movement and some critics of the legislation of siding with criminal interests, although her statement provided no evidence for those claims.

The bill has prompted debate over the extent of the proposed security powers and the safeguards surrounding their use.

“My Government will continue to work in the best interests of our citizens,” Persad Bissessar said.

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