Kamla on SoE: I won't allow criminals to terrorise Trinidad and Tobago

PRIME Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar SC says she will not stand idly by and allow criminals to terrorise the public, as she endorsed the state of emergency (SoE) to cut crime “at the root.”

In a media statement issued on the afternoon of July 18, Persad-Bissessar reaffirmed her government’s commitment to tackling crime head-on. Persad Bissessar insisted that she and her government were doing everything necessary to ensure that people felt safe in their homes and in public places, such as workplaces, schools, and places of worship.

She said that after receiving an intelligence report from Police Commissioner Allister Guevarro on July 17, she immediately directed the Attorney General to take the requisite steps to advise the President, Christine Kangaloo, to declare the SoE.

“I will not stand idly by for years, months, weeks or even days while a minority of illegally armed individuals act in concert to intimidate the people of TT,” Persad-Bissessar said.

“I will not tolerate a resurgence of kidnappings for ransom and other heinous crimes initiated by gangs. I will not allow these elements of society to continue to terrorise and traumatise law-abiding citizens and to wreak havoc in our land.”

Earlier, on the morning of July 18, Guevarro detailed how intelligence indicated that organised criminal gangs, both inside and outside the prison system, were plotting murders, robberies and kidnappings. The top cop said he immediately held a briefing with Persad Bissessar and AG John Jeremie and formally requested the SoE, to which they agreed.

The Prime Minister noted her consistent stance on the issue.

She added, “For years, while in opposition, I repeatedly called for a SoE, not as cheap political gimmickry to appease the population leading up to an election, but as a critical measure to attack the crime situation within the parameters of the law.”

She charged that the current administration is taking decisive action.

“This government walks the walk. We are taking urgent action to cut off this immediate threat at the root, and to safeguard our people. Our government is working closely with the police service to ensure that this SoE brings tangible results in our fight against crime,” Persad-Bissessar said.

After the President signed the proclamation, the police launched immediate operations to stabilise the security situation. The SoE went into effect just after midnight.

Persad-Bissessar said the police immediately engaged in operations “to secure the citizenry and the institutions that uphold the integrity of the state.”

She promised that the public will be kept informed by both the government and the police “as appropriate, within the coming days.”

This is the second SoE declared in less than a year.

The last was under the Dr Keith Rowley-led administration in December 2024, in response to escalating gang violence. That SoE, initially declared on December 30, was extended in January 2025 for three months and ended on April 13.