Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley has called for an extension of the current State of Emergency, emphasising the need for additional time to tackle the root causes of the current crisis.
Dr. Rowley moved the Motion to extend the SOE in the House of Representatives on Monday.
The SOE was declared in Trinidad and Tobago on December 30th, 2024 for a 15-day period and the Government is seeking to extend it for a period of three months.
Prime Minister Rowley explained that the Government and law enforcement agencies require more time to fully utilise the tools provided under the State of Emergency, including enhanced support from the Defence Force.
“We need more time to have this intervention impact upon the circumstances which caused us to be here, which caused us to declare the emergency, which caused the President to be convinced that the time has come, the situation warrants it, and we are under a State of Emergency, and that State of Emergency and the powers that were given to our officers should be maintained for a while longer.”
Dr. Rowley also emphasised the Government’s reluctance to impose a State of Emergency, despite increasing crime concerns. He acknowledged that while some advisors have recommended this measure, it is not a “panacea” for addressing the issue. The Prime Minister outlined the economic and social disruptions it could cause.
“But we know what a State of Emergency can do to the economy of Trinidad and Tobago, and we were hoping that we would not get to the point where we would disrupt the day-to-day lives of our people more than the criminals are disrupting it, and that we would not threaten the society’s economic well-being. Especially, Madam Speaker, especially the activity of Small and Medium-sized businesses, many of which are operating on margins that are very narrow, very small, just on the edge.”
The Prime Minister underscored that this period of intervention is crucial to creating a lasting impact on the circumstances that necessitated the declaration of the State of Emergency.
“So to say that we are in a State of Emergency and they kill somebody, that is not the best way to look at it, Madam Speaker. It’s whether the runaway criminal effects have been checked in part, if not in whole. My colleague may enter the debate and give us some numbers to see, whether in fact, there has been any amelioration in the behaviour of the violent few, and if there has been, then one can only assume that it has been as a result of the action we have taken.”
Dr. Rowley highlighted the broader cost of crime on the nation, from the economic burden of legal proceedings to the emotional toll on families.