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

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

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar cited credible reports of attacks planned against law enforcement officers in reimposing the emergency, which grants the government additional powers, including to make arrests and conduct searches without warrants.

Trinidad and Tobago has spent roughly 10 of the last 14 months under an emergency, with the last one ending Jan. 31.

Bissessar said the country’s National Security Council has noted that ongoing crime has led to “multiple deaths due to mass shootings and that the continuance of reprisal shootings amongst criminal gangs, if left unchecked, would endanger public safety.”

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

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

“It really isn’t good for tourism,” said Reginald Mac Lean, president of the Tobago Hotel and Tourism Association.

With ongoing wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, Mac Lean said the state of emergency comes “at a time when we should be capitalizing on what is happening in the rest of the world, to encourage people to come to our shores.”

The twin-island nation has already recorded 63 killings so far this year, just one killing shy of the count for the same period last year.

The country’s main opposition slammed the newest state of emergency, accusing the government of failing in its attempts to address the crime situation.

“This government has demonstrated time and again that it prefers authoritarian measures over sound, strategic crime management, and once again, it has chosen to restrict the freedoms of citizens rather than address the systemic problems of crime in Trinidad and Tobago,” opposition leader Pennelope Beckles said in a statement.