PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad and Tobago (AP) — A spike in deadly gang violence prompted the Caribbean islands of Trinidad and Tobago to implement a country-wide state of emergency Monday.
The declaration followed a weekend marred by a spate of gang-related violence that resulted in multiple deaths, including five men believed to be victims of reprisal shootings.
“There is no doubt in my mind that we are dealing with an epidemic,” National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds told reporters at a press conference.
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While the state of emergency will not see a curfew being implemented, residents were told to expect an increased police and military presence.
Law enforcement will also have the ability to conduct searches, detain suspects for 48 hours and conduct arrests without a warrant. Schools, business and other activities, including upcoming New Year’s celebrations are expected to proceed as scheduled.
Acting Attorney General Stuart Young stressed that while there was general concern about the increased violence, there was particular unease about “increased and heightened brazen acts of criminal activity” by gangs carrying illegal weapons.
“The criminal gangs via the use of the high-powered assault weapons and other illegal firearms in areas of Trinidad and possibly Tobago are likely to immediately increase their brazen acts of violence in reprisal shootings on a scale so extensive that it threatens persons and will endanger public safety,” Young said.
The twin island republic has recorded an unprecedented 623 homicides for the year to date and, according to Hinds, gang-related activities have accounted for 263 of them.
Trinidad and Tobago residents are not strangers to states of emergency.
In 2021 the Keith Rowley administration implemented one to restrict movements and limit the spread of the COVID-19 virus during the pandemic. Ten years earlier, his predecessor Kamla Persad-Bissessar instituted a limited state of emergency and curfew in areas that were declared crime “hotspots.”
Recently, Trinidad and Tobago has been plagued by rampant gang violence, leading to numerous incidents of shootings, murders, and other criminal activities. In response to this escalating crisis, the government has decided to enact a state of emergency in order to combat the threat posed by these criminal organizations.
The state of emergency will give law enforcement agencies increased powers to crackdown on gang activity, including conducting raids, making arrests, and seizing illegal firearms and drugs. Additionally, the government has called on the public to cooperate with authorities and provide any information that may help in the fight against gang violence.
This decisive action by Trinidad and Tobago’s government is a clear indication of their commitment to restoring law and order in the country. It sends a strong message to criminal elements that their activities will not be tolerated, and that they will face severe consequences for their actions.
As the state of emergency takes effect, it is hoped that the situation will improve and that the people of Trinidad and Tobago can once again feel safe and secure in their communities. It is a challenging time for the country, but with unity and determination, they can overcome this crisis and build a brighter future for all.
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