Trinidad and Tobago Limited State of Emergency

Surgically Sanitizing The Country Of Gun Murderers

The Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago has just declared a limited State of Emergency.   The reason is too many murders in a short time span, gun murders gone rampant.

The Limited State of Emergency means is that if you live in certain parts of the country that is considered “hot spots”  you lose all your normal constitutional rights with respect to search seizure, arrest and interrogation. 

Now this is no simple move it has far reaching and direct implications for three areas.  The previous administration had considered it but never took the steps to implement it.  See Here. 

It means an interruption of the normal economy,  a blanket power to arrest and detain, a curfew and very importantly, the international community i.e. the UN, OAS and prospective investors.  

This move seems a little premature and a little surprising seeing that the country is carrying such a hefty monthly salaried Commissioner of Police.  And is not there still a contingent of English Yardie on the country’s payroll still.  It’s either we need them or we don’t.  

The real question is what would a limited or even a full fledged SOE do that the police could not do without it.  Mr. Gibbs the floor is not yours, imagine getting to this point without a squeak from you. Well not that you squeaked about anything else except when it had nothing to do with what you are paid to do.

It was only about a month ago that you locked down the Beetham and made mass arrests.  In fact the constitutional rights of those people were the same as what is offered in the SOE.   

     

The saga goes on.  If you don’t live in a “hot spot”  you may not even notice the difference.  Let’s see what happens here.