December 31st 2024.
Trinidad and Tobago, a small Caribbean nation, is facing a dire situation as it grapples with a surge in violent crime. The government has declared a state of emergency after a recent spate of killings that have added to what has already been a deadly year for the country. The decision was announced on Monday by Prime Minister Keith Rowley's office, with the aim of curbing the high levels of violence that have plagued the nation.
Under the emergency powers, the police will have the authority to conduct searches without warrants and detain suspects for up to 48 hours. This move comes as the leader of the nation has expressed concern over the unacceptable level of violent crime that has been witnessed. However, there will not be a curfew imposed, as the government's focus is on targeting and addressing the root causes of the issue.
The declaration of a state of emergency comes after a series of gun-related incidents over the weekend that resulted in multiple deaths. These tragic events have brought the total number of murders in 2024 to a staggering 623 – the highest ever recorded in the country since 2013. With a population of just 1.5 million, Trinidad and Tobago already has one of the highest murder rates in the Caribbean, comparable to countries like Jamaica and Haiti. In fact, the US Government Accountability Office reports that the region has a much higher rate of violent deaths compared to the global average.
The police have also issued a warning that they expect more incidents of gang-related violence, particularly involving powerful assault weapons. Acting Attorney General Stuart Young revealed that there have been 61 homicides in the month of December alone. This includes a shooting on Saturday where a high-calibre automatic weapon was used outside a police station, resulting in one fatality. Less than 24 hours later, another incident in the Port of Spain area left five people dead and one injured.
During a press briefing, Minister of National Security Fitzgerald Hinds stated that there were two other fatal incidents on Friday, one of which was linked to gang activity and the other to a domestic dispute. He also mentioned that 15 other gun-related deaths had occurred since the previous Monday. The police are treating these incidents as an "outbreak of gang violence," and the military has been called in to assist in enforcing the state of emergency.
Attorney General Young expressed his deep concern over the use of high-calibre firearms by criminal gangs, which has contributed to the recent surge in violence. He emphasized that these weapons pose a significant threat to the safety and security of not just Trinidad and Tobago, but the entire Caribbean region. He also revealed that the government is in talks with the US, where most of these weapons originate from, to address this issue.
According to the US State Department, a large portion of the violent crime in Trinidad and Tobago, including murder, assault, and kidnapping, is linked to criminal gang activity and drug trafficking. In light of this, the US has issued a Level 3 travel advisory, urging its citizens to reconsider traveling to the country due to the high risk of terrorism and kidnapping. The attorney general assured that the government is working closely with the US to find ways to control the influx of high-powered weapons into the country.
It is worth noting that Caribbean countries do not manufacture firearms, yet a staggering number of over 7,000 weapons were recovered between 2018 and 2022. The majority of these weapons, nearly three-quarters, were traced back to the US, according to the GAO. As the situation in Trinidad and Tobago continues to escalate, it is crucial for the government to address the issue of illegal firearms and their impact on the safety and security of its citizens.
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