Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley says the Government exhausted all other steps to tackle crime before deciding to implement a State of Emergency without a curfew.
Speaking at a Media Conference, Dr. Rowley defended the move, noting that the Government took several measures over the years to avoid interfering with citizens’ rights.
“We used other options, and one of the things I did along the way, as we moved to this point, was to strengthen the ability of the Ministerial side of working with the police, and we added a Minister to the Ministry of National Security. We took a number of steps at the Ministry and we sought help externally where help was required, and we have been using every other option to try to avoid interfering with your rights in an Emergency.”
But he said the Government was mindful not to implement a curfew, saying it would have had a negative effect on the economy.
“Big businesses invariably work from 8:00 to 4:00. During the period 8 to 4, broad daylight, they can conduct their business, whatever it is, or most of it, and not be affected. Even their employees can get home after 4 o’clock without a curfew. A lot of medium and small businesses, especially small businesses, exist in that twilight zone from 4 to 11. So a curfew literally shuts them down, and the Government has been mindful of that all along. Entertainment, if you have a curfew, you kill off that part of the economy.”