August 22, 2011: Several areas in Trinidad and Tobago will be under a curfew from 9 pm to 5 am under the proclamation of the limited State of Emergency.
This was confirmed by Minister of National Security Brigadier John Sandy and Attorney General Anand Ramlogan on Monday at a press conference at the Ministry of National Security, Temple Court, Abercromby Street, Port of Spain. Acting Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams and Chief of Defence Staff Kenrick Maharaj were also in attendance.
Government has indicated that the main objective of the measures were to eliminate crime and to get the illegal guns off the streets, assuring law abiding citizens that they had nothing to worry about.
The areas under curfew will be those under the boundaries of the Municipal Corporations Act, that is local government areas under the Port of Spain and San Fernando City Corporations; the Chaguanas and Arima Borough Corporations and the Diego Martin and San Juan/Laventille Regional Corporations.
These areas include:
The City of Port of Spain:
St. James East
St. James West
Woodbrook
Northern Port of Spain
Belmont East
Belmont North & West
Southern Port of Spain
East Dry River
St. Ann’s River South
St. Ann’s River Central
St. Ann’s River North
Belmont South
The City of San Fernando:
Cocoyea/Tarouba
Les Efforts East/Cipero
Les Efforts West/La Romain
Marabella East
Marabella South/Vistabella
Marabella West
Mon Repos/Navet
Pleasantville
Spring Vale/Paradise
The Borough of Arima:
Calvary
Arima North East
Arima West
Arima Central
Malabar
Tumpuna
O’Meara
The Borough of Chaguanas:
Charlieville
Edinburgh/Longdonville
Enterprise North
Enterprise South
Cunupia
Montrose
Felicity/Endevour
Munroe Road/Caroni Savannah
The San Juan/Laventille Regional Corporation:
Maracas Bay/Santa Cruz/La Fillette
Febeau/Bourg Mulatresse
Morvant/Upper Malick
San Juan West/Caledonia
St. Ann’s/Cascade/Mon Repos West
St. Barb’s Chinapoo
Beetham/Picton
Success/Trou Macaque
Aranguez/Warner Village
Barataria
Petit Bourg/Champ Fleurs/Mt. Lambert
San Juan East
The Diego Martin Regional Corporation:
Chaguaramas/Glencoe
Goodwood/La Puerta
Covinge/Richplain
Diamond Vale
Morne Coco/Alyce Glen
Petit Valley/Cocorite
St. Lucien/cameron Hill
Belle Vue/Bossiere #1
Moka/Bossiere #2
Following are some points from the press conference:
• Members of the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force will have powers of arrest as well as the power to search and seize without a search warrant; they will work either independently or with members of the police service; police will be on heightened alert throughout Trinidad and Tobago;
• The limited State of Emergency will be for a period of 15 days and will be reviewed daily;
• Persons who must be on the streets during the curfew hours must secure a permit from the police station nearest to their home; Companies whose employees must be on the road should apply for permits from the Police Headquarters at Sackville Street; Acting Police Commissioner Williams said all those who need permits should have them by 6 pm today (Monday); He advised persons to also have two forms of identification and police and soliders have been advised to exercise discretion and leniency; As a precaution, persons should have two forms of identification on their person;
• Persons travelling to the airport should obtain a permit; a booth will be set up next to the domestic terminal of the Piarco International Airport to process permits for those travelling out of the airport;
• An inter-ministerial team comprising the Attorney General Anand Ramlogan; Minister of Foreign Affairs and Communications Dr. Surujrattan Rambachan; Leader of the Government Business in the House of Representatives and Minister of Housing and the Environment Dr. Roodal Moonilal and Leader of Government Business in the Senate, Minister of Public Utilities Emmanuel George has been set up to oversee the Independence celebrations during the limited State of Emergency;
• If you have to access hospitals and other health facilities, use the normal routes and police and soliders will exercise discretion;
• Persons arrested during the limited State of Emergency can be held for up to 24 hours and a senior officer has the authority to detain the person for a further seven days;
• No bail for those arrested during the period; discussions will be held with the Chief Justice to set up a tribunal to hear greviances;
• Allegations of police brutality will not be treated lightly; police and soldiers will approach their duties in a mature and sensible manner and law abiding citizens have nothing to fear during this period;
• Persons with information about criminal activity are urged to share the information with the authorities;
• The limited State of Emergency is not about the deprivation of human rights but about restoration of all human rights to citizens;
