As the Government’s second State of Emergency draws to an end, attention is turning to whether it will be extended or allowed to lapse.
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has declined to say what decision will be taken by the Government and the National Security Council.
The current SoE took effect on March 3rd and has already been extended twice, with the latest extension approved by Parliament in June.
Any further extension beyond six months would require a three-fifths majority in both Houses of Parliament.
The Prime Minister says national security remains a concern, but maintains the SoE has contributed to a decline in crime.
Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Pennelope Beckles-Robinson is demanding accountability from the Government as the State of Emergency comes to an end.
In a social media post today, she is questioning what she says is the lack of evidence showing that the extraordinary powers and mass detentions have resulted in successful prosecutions.
Mrs Beckles-Robinson is calling on the Government to say how many people detained under the SoE were charged, how many were released without charge, and how many ultimately faced successful prosecutions.
She says a State of Emergency must be judged not by the powers exercised, but by the results achieved.
