The Government of Trinidad is set to seek parliamentary approval this Wednesday to extend the current state of emergency (SoE) for an additional three months. The resolution will be debated in accordance with Section 10(1) of the Constitution, coming just ahead of the current SoE’s scheduled expiration date of June 17.
The Office of the Attorney General announced the planned extension on Sunday, noting that Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar made the decision following a Friday evening meeting with the National Security Council (NSC). The NSC reviewed reports and datasets regarding both local and international threats to national security spanning from December 2024 to May 2026. According to a statement from the Attorney General’s communications unit, the reports concluded that the preceding emergency measures resulted in “meaningful disruptions in all categories of datasets reviewed and analysed,” significantly impacting criminal activity.
Defence Minister Wayne Sturge publicly backed the extension, stating in a Sunday Express interview that more time is needed to consolidate the significant gains made against gang networks, the drug trade, and illegal firearms trafficking. Sturge highlighted that law enforcement agencies have successfully strengthened border security and reduced the street availability of cocaine and illegal firearms.
“I think we can govern without an SoE, but not at this time,” Sturge said. He also pointed to targeted measures implemented within the prison system, specifically the designation of the Staubles Bay and Teteron facilities as prisons used to restrict communication among high-risk inmates. While acknowledging that crime statistics have improved, Sturge maintained that authorities must continue pursuing key national security objectives.
The move to extend the emergency measures will face resistance in Parliament, as the Opposition People’s National Movement has already indicated it will not support a further extension of the SoE.