[UPDATED] President declares state of emergency as government warns of gang war

FORTY-EIGHT hours after a gang war led to the killings of six people in Port of Spain, the government advised the President to declare a state of emergency (SoE) out of concern over reprisals that could lead to more deaths and endanger the public, acting Attorney General Stuart Young has said.

He announced on December 30 that sweeping police powers of search and arrest would be in effect, although there would no curfew or restrictions on public gatherings.

Young said the SoE was declared owing to intelligence from the police that there would be “increased and heightened brazen acts of criminal activity with the use of illegal firearms that is going to endanger public safety through reprisal attacks.”

The SoE was proclaimed by the President on the morning of December 30 and the country was informed via statement on social media at around 8 am.

Two hours later, speaking at a media conference at the National Security Ministry, Port of Spain, Young outlined the circumstances which led to the decision being made by the National Security Council. National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds also spoke at the media conference.

He said over the last 48 hours, there was a shooting outside the Besson Street Police Station which left one person dead, while Calvin Lee, who is known to the police, escaped. He said on Sunday, there was an incident in Prizgar Lands, Laventille, where six people were shot and five died.

He said the police informed Hinds that the second incident was a reprisal shooting and could lead to heightened reprisal activities that took TT out of what was considered normal.

“Minister Fitzgerald Hinds informed the National Security Council that certain criminal gangs, and I’ll leave out the places at this stage, but I can say throughout Trinidad and possibly Tobago, are likely to immediately increase their brazen acts of violence in reprisal shootings, with the expected use of high-powered calibre, high-velocity assault weapons, on a scale so extensive that it threatens people and will endanger public safety.”

Young said there would not be a curfew, nor would public gatherings, marches or meetings be prohibited, as the SoE was targeting people who engage in criminal activity, endangering public safety using illegal firearms.

He said the police commissioner would have certain prohibitive powers which could be utilised via an order.

“...basically a SoE is the suspension of certain constitutional rights. The police service will be given powers to search premises without warrants, to search people without warrants who you have suspicions of carrying out criminal activities, a lot of it associated with illegal firearms, and also to detain people for certain periods of time.”

He said there would be a 48-hour holding period where people could be held under the regulations, and then a magistrate or senior police officer could make out a detention order for another seven days while evidence was being gathered.

Young said under the Constitution, the SoE would be brought before Parliament in the next 15 days. Once approved and ratified, the SoE will last for three months with no further extension. A further extension may be sought, but the total duration cannot exceed six months. He said the SoE would be monitored daily and would be lifted if possible before the constitutional period was up.

“The government has had the option for an SoE for the last ten years and avoided it, but now given the information brought to us, we see it as fit and necessary to do so.”

Young said the regulations governing the SoE targeted the unlawful possession of firearms, explosives, and ammunition. He said people found in the company of people with these items would also be detained. He said it would also suspend the granting of bail.

“Additionally, the Defence Force, under the Chief of Defence Staff, will be put in a ready position to assist and co-operate with the Police Service. A member of the defence force will have the powers of a police officer and shall, where acting in accordance with any general or specific instruction of the Chief of Defence Staff or any superior officer of the force, be given such powers.”

Young said limiting movement in areas where criminal elements were known to be did not make sense as it would give criminals the opportunity to leave those areas.

He said the measure would not impact Carnival celebrations nor the opening of schools and businesses, but there would be inconveniences to the public, especially when there were roadblocks and police exercises.

Hinds: Gang violence traumatising society

Hinds said the escalation in murders over the weekend joined 15 homicides in the four days preceding it, from December 23 to 26. He gave statistics for the year.

“There has been a virtual outbreak of gang violence affecting and traumatising the entire society. As at December 26, 2024, there were 551 incidents of murder with 614 victims. Of the 551 incidents, 93 had more than one victim. There were 33 double homicides, eight triple homicides, four quadruple homicides and one quintuple homicide.”

He said there had been 32 domestic incidents, 60 robberies, 55 for revenge, 84 drug-related, 29 altercations and eight other, such as family situations for financial and property gains, while gangs accounted for 263 murders.

He said there were 616 incidents of woundings and shootings with 713 victims.

“The SoE is a useful and necessary development. It will give the police, supported by the defence force, the leverage to fight back against these trends on behalf of the TT public. Operations are under way currently and people who are known to the police and the focus of police attention are being engaged by the police and defence force.”

Asked why the Prime Minister was not present to make the announcement, Young said it would not be appropriate. Shortly before 8 pm, Dr Rowley, in a post on Facebook, announced the death of his brother Alpheus.

"My sincerest thanks to those of you who have taken time to express your condolences to me and my family on the passing yesterday of my dear brother Alpheus. Your kind thoughts and good wishes of support are appreciated," Rowley wrote.

Young was asked why the SoE had been put in place now to deal with weapons, as there had been previous complaints. He said it was owing to the high number of murders.

“With respect to the high-powered weapons, it is not only limited to this government. The prime ministers of nearby Caribbean countries are talking about the same dilemmas we are having, which has also led to an increased and heightened relationship with the US.

“You’ve seen the PM and Minister Hinds in the last year or so talking about the types of arrangements we have engaged the US government on as many of the high-powered weapons are coming from there. You had legislation passed in the US Congress targeting the illegal export of firearms, which came out of their consultations with the Caricom leaders.”

Young said there would also be increased patrolling of the borders, as the regulations included “controlling of harbours, ports, territorial waters of TT, movement of vessels, transportation by land, air, water, control of transport of people and things.”

Young was asked what regulations had been put in place so people were not arrested and released to then sue the State, as happened in 2011.

“In drafting the regulations, we have been very careful. We removed the prohibition against marches and gatherings. The National Security Minister provided us and the Police Service with the Court of Appeal case which dealt with the illegalities and errors made in the 2011 SoE.

"We have studied it in our drafting and in the laws we will pass. However, those who have to enforce activities during the SoE will best be guided by this decision and following the law while carrying out the duties we’re asking them to do.”

He said the judiciary would be guided by the regulations and the laws to be passed.

Young said he could not say if large seizures were expected or comment on operational details as it would jeopardise the objectives of the SoE.

He said the issue of criminals were using police and army uniforms to commit crime did not arise and he hoped those responsible for dealing with the matter in both organisations were doing so.

Young said the recent calling out of the defence force reserves by the President was done yearly before Christmas and leading up to Carnival and had nothing to do with the SoE.

He added that a request had been made to the police commissioner to ask police officers on leave to report to duty.

Young said the public should get information from the Ministry of Communications, the Ministry of National Security and the Ministry of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs.

This story was originally published with the title "President declares state of emergency" and has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.

President Christine Kangaloo has declared a state of emergency (SoE) in Trinidad and Tobago.

In a statement on December 30, the Communications Ministry said the SoE was declared under Section 8 of the Constitution.

“President Christine Kangaloo, as President and Commander in Chief, has, on the advice of Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, declared a state of public emergency being satisfied that the circumstances of section 8(2)(c) of the Constitution exist.”

It said the circumstances warranting the declaration of the public emergency are based on the advice of the police service to the National Security Council of heightened criminal activity which endangers the public safety.

Newsday understands the current murder toll in TT to be 622 so far this year.

In a proclamation bearing the President’s seal, Kangaloo said under Section 8(1) of the Constitution, the President may from time to time make a proclamation that a state of public emergency exists.

She said under Section 8(2) of the Constitution, a SoE could be enacted if the President was satisfied that action had been taken, or was immediately threatened, by any person, of such a nature and on so extensive a scale, as to be likely to endanger the public safety.

“Now, therefore, I, Christine Carla Kangaloo, President as aforesaid, in pursuance of the powers conferred upon me by section 8(1) of the Constitution hereby declare that: I am satisfied that a public emergency has risen as a result of the occurrence of action that has been taken, or is immediately threatened, by any person, of such a nature and on so extensive a scale, as to be likely to endanger the public safety; and a state of public emergency exists in TT.”

A media conference is scheduled for 10 am at the Ministry of National Security.