Former Mayaro MP Rushton Paray is warning that the Emergency Powers Regulations, 2026 raise serious constitutional concerns.
A State of Emergency was reinstated in Trinidad and Tobago on 3 March.
Paray says provisions allowing warrantless searches weaken long-standing protections against arbitrary entry.
“Your home, traditionally protected under the law, can now be entered without prior judicial approval,” he said.
He also argues that arrest and preventive detention based on suspected future actions shift the legal standard from evidence to speculation.
“A person can be detained not only for something already done, but for what an officer believes may happen. That shifts the legal standard away from evidence toward speculation,” the former Mayaro MP stated.
Paray further warns that broad limits on speech and assembly could chill public criticism.
“It becomes an offence to attempt to influence public opinion in a manner seen as harmful to public safety. That wording is wide. It can apply to speeches, protests, or even commentary on social media,” he said.
While supporting efforts to fight crime, he cautions that repeated reliance on emergency powers may erode constitutional safeguards over time.
“History shows that emergency powers require strict caution. Governments often introduce them as temporary measures. Over time, the line between emergency governance and normal governance can begin to blur,” he said.
