By Frances Robles and Prior Beharry
In response to a troubling increase in violence, highlighted by retaliatory gang-related murders, the government of Trinidad and Tobago has instituted a state of emergency. This declaration grants the military the authority to conduct arrests and permits officials to enter the homes of suspects without requiring a warrant, as well as to deny bail.
This state of emergency in the Caribbean nation, the first due to crime in more than a decade, was revealed by acting attorney general Stuart Young at an announcement in Port of Spain on Monday. The government has faced mounting criticism regarding its failure to control the wave of gang violence, with 623 homicides recorded as of late December 2024.
National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds, also present during the press briefing, stated that the violence had reached epidemic levels, raising concerns about public health. In 2024 alone, police dealt with 33 double homicides, eight triple homicides, four quadruple homicides, and one quintuple homicide, he remarked.
Unlike the COVID-19 pandemic, Young clarified that there will be no curfews or restrictions on public movement during this state of emergency; the aim is to lessen the impact on economic activities. However, he noted that police and military personnel have the power to stop and search individuals suspected of criminal activities.
Trinidad and Tobago has been grappling with the influence of criminal organizations for over 25 years, but recent years have witnessed a notable increase in violent acts perpetrated by street gangs, according to Alex Papadovassilakis, an investigator at Insight Crime, a research organization focused on organized crime based in Washington and Medellin, Colombia.
Experts project that the country is home to over 180 gangs comprising more than 1,750 individuals.
“The gangs we’re discussing aren’t particularly sophisticated; they are local, territorial street gangs primarily involved in drug dealing, arms trafficking, and various other illicit activities,” Papadovassilakis stated in a phone interview. “Their violence levels are extremely high.”
Revenge killings have significantly added to the rising death toll, he indicated. The previous peak in homicide numbers was reached in 2022, when 599 deaths were reported by authorities.
Young mentioned that last weekend saw two gang-related retaliatory murders carried out with high-caliber firearms. A man was shot dead while exiting a police station in eastern Port of Spain on Saturday, and the following night, in Laventille near the capital, six individuals were targeted in a shooting, resulting in five fatalities.
According to Young, gangs are employing AR-15s and AK-47s.
Attillah Springer, who oversees an organization assisting at-risk youth in Port of Spain, expressed that while many in the country may feel a sense of relief that the government took decisive action, there is also concern due to the lack of transparency from authorities.
“They announced there will be no curfew, but they intend to suspend parts of the constitution to tackle gang warfare and membership,” she stated.
“Numerous individuals working in these communities fear that this state of emergency will predominantly target young Black men, which is a frightening perspective,” she added.
The new measures allow suspects to be detained without charges for up to 48 hours, primarily aiming at gang members, though innocent individuals may also be caught in the sweep, Springer noted.
“Hundreds, if not thousands, of young Black men who are simply going about their lives could become potential targets,” she commented.
Derek Ramsamooj, a political analyst based in Port of Spain, stated that while residents might favor the state of emergency if it leads to reduced crime, lasting results are unlikely unless the government tackles the root causes of gang violence.
Ramsamooj pointed out that nations like Trinidad and Tobago experience significant crime increases due to their geographical position between South American drug-producing countries and the United States, a major demand market.
“We cannot solve our problems solely through a state of emergency,” he said. “It might just act as a temporary fix to a greater issue.”
Experts assert that the situation is exacerbated by Trinidad’s closeness to Venezuela, which facilitates the flow of high-powered firearms to criminals.
In April of the previous year, the Caribbean Community convened a symposium addressing crime, where one recommendation was to engage the U.S. government regarding firearms from American manufacturers illegally entering Caribbean territories and instigating violence and gang activities.
Gary Griffith, a former national security minister and retired police commissioner from the opposition, also asserted that the state of emergency would not remedy the issue of rising crime.
He highlighted that the current government had criticized a similar measure employed by the opposition People’s Partnership coalition in 2011, which lasted for 106 days, accusing them of hypocrisy and double standards. That state of emergency was confined to a few high-crime areas.
“A state of emergency should not be utilized as a tool for combating crime,” he stated. “It is merely a temporary solution.”
