Trinidad and Tobago declares new state of emergency over persistent violent crime

Port-of-Spain, Trinidad — PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad (AP) — Trinidad and Tobago declared a new state of emergency Tuesday, nearly a month after the previous one ended, as authorities in the Caribbean nation grapple with high levels of violent crime.

Prime Minister Kamala Persad-Bissessar cited credible reports of planned attacks against law enforcement officials in reimposing the state of emergency, which gives the government additional powers, including making arrests and conducting searches without warrants.

Trinidad and Tobago has spent roughly 10 of the past 14 months under a state of emergency, with the last ending on January 31.

Bissessar said the country’s National Security Council noted that the ongoing crime “has led to multiple deaths due to mass shootings and the persistence of retaliatory shootings among criminal gangs, if left unchecked, poses a threat to public safety.”

The state of emergency has an initial duration of 15 days, but the government can extend it if necessary. Government officials did not immediately announce any plans for a curfew.

The recent move to curb crime is expected to have a negative impact on tourism revenue.

“It’s not really good for tourism,” said Reginald McLean, president of the Tobago Hotel and Tourism Association.

With ongoing wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, the emergency comes “at a time when we need to capitalize on what’s happening in the rest of the world, to encourage people to come to our shores,” MacLean said.

The twin-island nation has recorded 63 murders so far this year, compared to just one in the same period last year.

The country’s main opposition has slammed a fresh state of emergency, accusing the government of failing in its efforts to tackle the crime situation.

“This government has demonstrated time and time again that it prefers authoritarian measures to sound, strategic crime management and, once again, has chosen to restrict civil liberties rather than address the systemic problems of crime in Trinidad and Tobago,” Opposition Leader Penelope Beckles said in a statement.