- NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 20/Jul 19:53

Rowley: Remember Kamla’s SoE ‘gimmickry’ talk

FORMER prime minister Dr Keith Rowley says the population must be reminded that his successor Kamla Persad-Bissessar has held a dim view on the effectiveness of a state of emergency (SoE) to reduce crime. Rowley made this comment on July 18 in response to Persad-Bissessar's statement about the declaration of an SoE on July 17 to deal with an alleged plot from inside and outside of the prison system to target certain people and institutions. On July 18, the PNM issued a statement calling for responsible leadership and answers with respect to the third SoE called within the last decade. Apart from this one, two others were declared under the PNM between 2015 and 2025. In a WhatsApp comment, Rowley provided Persad-Bissessar's verbatim comments last December as opposition leader in response to an SoE which the former PNM government declared at that time. At a news conference on December 30, 2024, then acting attorney general Stuart Young and then national security minister Fitzgerald Hinds said the SoE was called to deal with intelligence from the police about reprisal killings by gangs on a large scale, using illegal high-powered firearms. At that time, Rowley dismissed suggestions the SoE's declaration was because government was slow to respond to violent crime. "The government has acted and acted decisively." Rowley said citizens would do well to recall what Persad-Bissessar's view last December was when an SoE was declared under the PNM. "Remember these words." At that time, Persad-Bissessar said, "This SoE is a shameless political gimmick, a band-aid in an election year to address the root causes of crime." She added, "This (PNM) government is out of ideas and out of time and is hiding from the violent crime crisis he and his government contributed to over the last ten years. No plans were given for post-SoE." Persad-Bissessar said, "The only way to bring real change and restore safety to Trinidad and Tobago is to vote the UNC into government." She added, "A UNC government has a comprehensible, actionable plan to combat crime. We will not hide. We will not fail. We will act." The UNC won the April 28 general election 26-13-2. Rowley said, "To be copied is flattery." On January 3, Rowley said he hoped the SoE (declared last December) would lead to a suppression of the levels of violent crime, especially involving the use of firearms. The House of Representatives approved a three-month extension to the SoE on January 13. When the SoE ended on April 13, two weeks before the election, Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal said the SoE was ineffective in reducing crime. "Many citizens do not even know when the SoE will end and that shows it had no impact on the citizenry. It was a knee-jerk reaction to the intense build-up of criminal activity and murders." Moonilal is now Energy Minister. Last December's SoE was the second one declared while the PNM was in office from September 7, 2015 to April 28, 2025. The first was on May 16, 2021, in response to the covid19 pandemic. At that time, Rowley said the SoE was declared in response to an increase in covid19 cases. This SoE initially involved a nationwide curfew from 9 pm to 5 am with exceptions given to members of the protective services and essential services including the energy sector, supermarkets, and pharmacies. Regulations were gradually amended as different sectors of the economy were reopened on a phased basis as covid19 cases decreased and covid19 vaccines became available. This SoE was ended in November 2021. Speaking in the House then, Rowley identified the government's covid19 vaccination thrust among the reasons for ending the SoE. In a statement on July 18, the PNM called on the UNC to provide details to justify the reasons for declaring a state of emergency (SoE) so soon in its tenure in office. "The declaration of an SoE is a serious matter that has direct implications for the rights and freedoms of every citizen." The opposition added, "It is critical such a decision is accompanied by transparency, accountability and leadership." The PNM noted comments made by Commissioner of Police Allister Guevarro at a press conference about the SoE and an earlier press release issued by the police on this matter. The opposition acknowledged Guevarro's recommendation for the SoE being based on "a co-ordinated and highly dangerous criminal network, operating simultaneously and from within and outside of the prison system and targeting senior officials and national institutions." "The opposition takes these allegations very seriously." The PNM said it is reviewing the SoE regulations, the transcript of the police briefing on the SoE and all other available information on the public domain. Based on this, the opposition continued, it will caucus on this matter and issue a further statement on this matter after that caucus. The PNM said moments like these demand national unity and responsible governance. "Silence and avoidance from the executive is not an option." After Guevarro's briefing, Attorney General John Jeremie, SC, held a press conference to give the government's first official response to this matter. He said government endorsed the need for the SoE. Jeremie provided a timeline of events from the National Security Council (NSC) meeting on this issue to President Christine Kangaloo signing the proclamation to declare the SoE at midnight on July 17. He said Persad-Bissessar has not slept for two days because of this matter and has been "commanding her troops" from her private residence in Philippine, South Trinidad. The post Rowley: Remember Kamla’s SoE ‘gimmickry’ talk appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.