(Trinidad Express) – Business chambers are calling for the proposed extension of the state of emergency (SoE) to be supported by evidence and facts demonstrating that it is producing tangible results.
Government will go to Parliament tomorrow to extend the SoE for a further three months.
In a media release yesterday, the Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce (T&T Chamber) acknowledged the Government’s intention to request a three-month extension and recognised the need for decisive action to combat serious and organised criminal activity. However, it called for evidence to support the proposal.
“The Chamber’s position is clear: any extension should be supported by evidence that crime prevention and mitigation measures are producing tangible results. Our interest is not in the continuation of emergency powers, but in achieving sustained reductions in criminal activity that create the conditions for the SoE to be lifted at the earliest appropriate opportunity,” the release stated.
It noted that citizens must feel safe in their communities, businesses must be able to operate with confidence, and investors must continue to view T&T as a secure and stable place in which to invest and conduct business.
The Chamber encouraged transparent reporting on progress, including measurable indicators that demonstrate improvements in public safety and the disruption of criminal networks.
