SoE over, but crime crisis persistsThe state of emergency (SoE) ends today. The SoE was declared in the face of 625 murders, the bloodiest year in Trinidad and Tobago’s history.
The Government declared the SoE on December 30, 2024, which was extended by Parliament on January 13, 2025, for an additional three months. At that time, Prime Minister Stuart Young was serving as the acting Attorney General and during a news conference, he said the decision to implement the SoE was aimed at targeting violent criminal activity, particularly involving illegal firearms, ammunition and explosives.
At the time, several business chambers voiced support for it, viewing it as a necessary measure to address the country’s crime crisis.
Three and a half months later, some chamber heads have expressed their disappointment, saying it had very little impact, with few successes, and ultimately deemed the SoE a failure for the business community.
Here’s what chamber heads had to say to Sunday Express Business:
Fyzabad Chamber of CommercePresident of the Fyzabad Chamber of Commerce Angie Jairam said the SoE did not have the effect expected in communities.
“It failed to serve its intended purpose and had little to no meaningful impact throughout the country, as crime and criminality continued. It gave us no comfort of safety and it certainly did not positively impact the business sector,” she said in a WhatsApp exchange with the Sunday Express.
She said the business community continued to spend on security measures and took actions to protect themselves by closing early and spending on security apparatus.
“We continued to take measures by sacrificing key business opening hours and early evenings into nightfall, when members of the public can utilise those periods to shop without hassle after a full day’s work. Many avoided the nightlife and late business experience,” she said.
Jairam said despite the SoE, homicide and armed robbery rates continued to rise, with kidnappings still happening.
“In our neighbouring community of Siparia, we heard one of the most gruesome crimes reported, where a woman’s head was found in a cooler. The killings, home invasions, and other criminal activities occurred throughout this entire period. There was no noticeable increase in police or military presence as we expected. No visible community policing and even their presence, despite more vehicles added to their fleet. Was it adequate?” Jairam questioned.
Jairam was referencing the murder of a Siparia grandmother, Joanne Estick, who was found beheaded in her community in March.
Stressing that the sense of security that the SoE was supposed to provide was not present, Jairam said:
“I believe much more could have been done. For example, setting up police booths in designated hotspots, conducting more frequent roadblocks, and having officers routinely patrol main streets, especially near business areas, all of which would have made a difference. Additionally, more attention should have been given to securing our borders against illegal immigration, which continues to be a serious concern.”
As the SoE comes to an end, she questioned the availability of hard data on known criminals and their whereabouts, and whether there were an action plan to get them off the streets.
“What’s the plan of action? Don’t tell us that after a little over three months, all these resources boil down to zero, and we have to find another way to deal with crime. We are hopeful that some sort of security intelligence will come out of this period,” Jairam said.
Chaguanas Chamber of CommercePresident of the Chaguanas Chamber of Commerce Baldath Maharaj recognised the statistical reduction in certain criminal activities during the SoE but stressed that reduction from a crisis point does not reflect meaningful progress.
“The reality is that the public continues to live in fear, and that lingering sense of insecurity continues to impact the way businesses operate, from shortened opening hours to added private security expenses,” Maharaj said.
He added that the chamber will continue its call for a shift away from broadstroke enforcement tactics such as roadblocks at odd hours, and advocate for more targeted, intelligence-led policing that dismantles criminal networks and prevents recurrence.
Maharaj noted the chamber is also addressing extortion, which continues to affect many small to medium enterprises (SMEs):
“The Chaguanas Chamber has been a strong advocate for tackling the long-standing issue of extortion, which has plagued many SMEs in Central Trinidad. We have held several meetings with senior officials throughout the Ministry of National Security, offering our insight and support for sustainable, intelligence-driven crime-fighting initiatives. The business community remains committed to being part of the solution,” he said.
Maharaj stressed that aside from the SoE, it is crucial for authorities to set clear, measurable crime reduction targets and to report on them publicly.
“Transparency and accountability are essential to rebuilding public trust and investor confidence. The end of the SoE must not be seen as the end of enforcement but rather the beginning of a smarter, more coordinated and community-focused approach to crime,” he said.
Couva/Point Lisas Chamber of CommercePresident of the Couva/Point Lisas Chamber of Commerce Deoraj Mahase said feedback from some areas in his community has been positive, but it is anticipated that the measures will be improved and continued after the SoE.
“While there appears to be more use of technology and intelligence in investigations, much more implementation of technology is needed within the protective services. Joint patrols with the T&T Defence Force throughout T&T, not just in certain areas and a more visible presence of the protective services are needed,” Mahase said.
The Greater San Fernando Area Chamber of CommercePresident of the Greater San Fernando Area Chamber of Commerce Kiran Singh believes there were “varying successes” during the SoE.
“We witnessed a drastic reduction in the murder rate, a statistic that we normally use to determine the intensity of criminality in this country. Reports of serious crimes have also fallen. However, there is a troubling element—youth involvement in crime continues, apparently spurred by the gang development that has not been stamped out,” Singh said.
He added that while crime remains relatively low in San Fernando, joint police and army patrols would have contributed to the reduction in serious crime.
“We would advocate for these patrols to continue indefinitely even after regular business hours, weekends and public holidays to maintain the safety of patrons and businesses,” he said.
Singh said the community is promoting Downtown San Fernando to become a hub of commercial activity beyond regular business hours and on Sundays. “The consistent presence of the armed forces will ensure that we remain safe in the city. The SoE gave the police and the Defence Force more power to arrest perpetrators of crime. It is hoped that we do not see a spike in criminality after the SoE ends,” he said.
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