Communications minister: SoE is no 'political gimmick'

COMMUNICATIONS Minister Symon de Nobriga has rejected Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar's claim that the state of emergency (SoE) that was declared on December 30 is a political gimmick by the government.

In a statement, de Nobriga said, "The Opposition Leader’s statement is contradictory, conflates issues and serves to undermine the efforts of the government in protecting citizens yet again. It is most unfortunate that the Opposition Leader continues to do her best to mislead the population whilst seeking relevance."

Acting Attorney General Stuart Young and National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds held a news conference earlier in the day to explain the reasons for the SoE.

"The presence of the minister responsible for National Security and the minister responsible for carrying out the legal implications of the SoE at the first public discourse related to it was absolutely essential and appropriate."

De Nobriga said Persad-Bissessar's criticisms of the Prime Minister's absence from the briefing had no relevance.

"To question why the Prime Minister was not present is a reflection of the previous government’s approach of creating a PR opportunity for the former prime minister wherever possible as opposed to having the responsible ministers leading the conversation to ensure that the population is accurately informed."

He said, "The intelligence pointed to incidents that occurred over the last 48 hours. The first, a shooting using high-powered, high-calibre, assault weapons that resulted in the death of one man and the second, a reprisal in the form of a mass shooting incident that resulted in the death of five people and the wounding of a sixth."

Based on the intelligence shared, de Nobriga continued, further heightened reprisal shootings by certain gangs throughout Trinidad, and possibly Tobago, using these same automatic weapons, are expected.

" Having carefully considered the intelligence, the National Security Council took the necessary decision which was transmitted via a Cabinet decision to Her Excellency, The President, advising that a State of Public Emergency be declared."

De Nobriga said that was shared by Young and Hinds at the briefing.

"The simple truth is that she (Persad-Bissessar) was not privy to the intelligence. In this case, the Government won’t be hamstrung by having to convince her in the way we have been by the weaponisation of her political minority in the Parliament which has stymied critical legislation designed to protect citizens."

De Nobriga recalled that earlier in the year, the UNC refused an invitation by Dr Rowley to work with government to adopt a bipartisan approach to fighting crime.

He said no amount of “gimmickry” can change the fact that the decision taken today was guided by intelligence, consideration of the impact and in the best interest of the majority of Trinbagonians who are right thinking and law abiding."

De Nobriga added, "For her to continue her sustained attempts to both politicise and undermine the Government’s efforts should be seen for it is and that is not what is best for all of us."