The extended state of emergency, which will continue for the next three months until December, will have reduced curfew hours of 11 pm to 4 am, starting tomorrow. Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar announced the reduction of the curfew in the House of Representatives yesterday, as she concluded three days of debate on the state of emergency and a three-month extension. "The state of emergency has worked," Persad-Bissessar said. "Rest assured the crisis has been averted...if I had to do it again, I'd make the same decision." She added that the measure had saved T&T from a "criminal uprising of untold proportions...it has been stopped in its tracks."
The extension motion was passed with the Government's 29 majority votes, but was vetoed by ten Opposition PNM votes. Government MPs chanted "Shame!" as PNM MPs voiced their rejection of the extension in the vote. Debate on the state of emergency and extension began at 10 am last Friday and continued from 10 am last Saturday and yesterday. Saturday's debate ended at midnight and yesterday's ended at 3 pm. During the initial 15 days of the state of emergency, the curfew had been from 9 pm to 5 pm. Yesterday's passage of the three-month extension will take the state of emergency up to December 4. Persad-Bissessar said the curfew between last night and early this morning would have been from 9 pm to 4 am. As of tomorrow, she said, curfew hours would be from 11 pm to 4 am.
Persad-Bissessar said this would assist children who needed to go to school-the new term starts today-and would assist businesses who had raised concerns, as they would get extra time to open.
"Certainly, we'll revise it if advised by the security forces if it needs to be further revised," she added. She said police also intercepted a car at 5.30 pm last Saturday in Couva with two male occupants and found a German-made sub-machine gun, ammunition, tripod and camouflage clothing. "And you say we're not in a state of war?" Persad-Bissessar added. The PM announced immediate establishment of a legal team selected by the Attorney General in consultation with the DPP to assist police in the processing, case preparation and case flow management of detainees.
The DPP's office will also establish policy to give consideration to an amnesty for cases involving minor offences more than five years old. A new policy and procedure will be created for the Mercy Committee to enlarge the number of people who no longer pose a threat to society and may be favourably considered for the grant of a presidential pardon. A gun court will be established to deal with all firearms-related offences or all offences in possession or in use of a firearm. Abolition of the Preliminary Inquiries Bill will also immediately increase the capacity of the magistrates' courts system to better cope with hundreds of new cases. A new DNA bill will allow for the compulsory taking of DNA samples and establishment of a proper DNA lab to store samples.
The Government will present legislation for debate on the Electronic Monitoring Bill to allow police to use GPS technology to track defendants' movements. The PM announced establishment of a counselling and rehabilitation unit within the prisons system for young offenders. Further plans she announced on the crime problem include:
• A team headed by Professor Selwyn Ryan to probe the causes of criminality including concerning at risk males;
• major investment plan for Invaders' Bay, generating opportunities for contracting services and construction jobs;
• East Port-of-Spain initiative, plans for other hot spot areas;
• discussion of a plan for construction and upgrade of the PoS city centre and for revitalisation of life and opportunity in the national capital with key business and civil society stakeholders;
• Ministerial plans in sport, a panyard initiative, an Adopt a School plan;
• US Aid-funded edcation programme for out-of-school youth;
• programmes targeting early-childhood youngsters in deprived communities and young males;
• maritime security plan-involving proper information and communication among radar, Coast Guard vessels, Army and Police patrols;
• linkage of the E999 rapid response system for faster service;
• Rapid Response Unit nationwide through GPS tracking;
• National Security Training Academy;
• restructuring of SAUTT, SIA; and
• offender management, offering offenders support and opportunities.
Persad- Bissessar dismissed accusations about the state of emergency by the Opposition whom she accused of "sanctimonious hypocrisy" on the crime issue. MPs return to Parliament on Wednesday to debate a finance bill concerning Government borrowings.