The State of Emergency (SoE) has been extended until September after the Government secured a majority vote in Parliament shortly after midnight on Thursday.
The motion to extend the SoE was passed at 12.27 am with 26 UNC MPs and the two TPP MPs voting in favour. Twelve Opposition PNM MPs present voted against it.
Piloting the motion, Attorney General John Jeremie pointed to reduced murder rates and argued the measure was producing results.
“Given the gains we have gotten with the SOE,” Jeremie said, the Government was seeking an extension.
Winding up the debate, he added, “We were headed to a very dark place, but Haiti will not be citizens’ fate under this UNC Government.”
Opposition Leader Pennelope Beckles said the Opposition could not support what she described as the normalisation of a State of Emergency and did not see it as a substitute for governance.
She argued the Government had not provided sufficient information or evidence to convince the Opposition an SoE would effectively address crime.
Beckles called on the Government to reveal its broader anti-crime strategy.
She also criticised some of Jeremie’s remarks during the debate.
Beckles said she was shocked by some of the Attorney General’s statements and suggested he appeared to have issues with certain people outside Parliament.
She questioned whether he would make the same comments outside the protection of parliamentary privilege.
Responding to Jeremie’s reference to “grubby PNM hands”, Beckles said: “Take it to the police! And don’t only come and use Parliamentary privilege to make accusations against us. If you have evidence against me, take it to the police! If any one of us is named in that Special Report (the AG referred to), make it public.”
She also challenged Government MPs directly.
“MP for San Juan/Barataria – if you know I’m a ‘willing pawn’ for the One Percent, you provide the information! All yuh obsessed with the One Percent! I can’t understand why all you so in love with the One Percent,” she said.
Beckles warned the Government: “If it feels I will remain in Opposition… prepare yourselves!”
She accused the administration of lacking a coherent anti-crime plan and said many citizens did not feel safer under the SoE.
“These SOEs are all about abuse of power and frightening the people into submission – what is this Government so afraid of??” she asked.
Referring to indications the Government intended to revive Zones of Special Operations (ZoSOs), Beckles said she hoped there would be consultation and again called on Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar to identify the Independent Senators whom she had previously claimed sought “favours” in exchange for support.
Beckles said the Opposition had repeatedly indicated a willingness to work with the Government but had not heard a similar commitment from the administration.
Jeremie responded by saying he was not afraid of anybody.
“I am terrified of the Prime Minister,” he said jokingly, while adding he had respect for Beckles.
However, he said he was disappointed she interpreted his earlier remarks as threats regarding people’s visas.
He also maintained there could not be one rule for people who “like to put money in brown paper bags and give to others” and said he could repeat those comments outside Parliament.
Jeremie said the Government had made significant progress in disrupting gang activity under the first SoE of 2025 and argued the second SoE, declared in March following escalating gang violence, had continued those gains.
He said the UNC Government was determined murders such as those of Calvin Lee and prosecutor Randall Hector would not occur under its watch.
The current administration’s first SoE was declared in July 2025 following intelligence concerning a prison-based plot targeting members of the State, judiciary and protective services. That emergency was later extended until January 31, 2026.
The current SoE began on March 3 and, following Parliament’s approval, will now remain in effect until September.
