State of Emergency Declared

TT Defence Force drill. Photo: Newsday

President George Maxwell Richards has signed a proclamation under section 8 of the constitution declaring a limited state of emergency in Trinidad and Tobago, effective midnight, Sunday 21^st August।It is not clear what the limits are।

Period of Public Emergency

8.- 1. Subject to this section, for the purposes of this Chapter, the President may from time to time make a Proclamation declaring that a state of public emergency exists.

2. A Proclamation made by the President under subsection (1) shall not be effective unless it contains a declaration that the President is satisfied-

a. that a public emergency has arisen as a result of the imminence of a state of war between Trinidad and Tobago and a foreign State;

b. that a public emergency has arisen as a result of the occurrence of any earthquake, hurricane, flood, fire, outbreak of pestilence or of infectious disease, or other calamity whether similar to the foregoing or not; or

c। that action has been taken, or is immediately threatened, by any person, of such a nature and on so extensive a scale, as to be likely to endanger the public safety or to deprive the community or any substantial portion of the community of supplies or services essential to life.

POLICE CAN ARREST WITHOUT CHARGE

ANY CITIZEN who is arrested can be detained by the police without charge for at least 24 hours, Attorney General Anand Ramlogan advised yesterday as the police took up extraordinary stop and search powers under emergency orders relating to six local government corporations.

However, Ramlogan also advised that actual detention without charge may be substantially longer if the police and Defence Force arrest persons under the provisions of anti-gang legislation which allows police to detain persons tied to gang-related activity for 72 hours.

Under the Emergency Powers Regulations 2011, which were published yesterday, police may stop and search persons on the street and enter premises without warrants.

TT Defence Force Hotline for State of Emergency: 634-3221।