Trinidad and Tobago’s House of Representatives approved extending a state of emergency for three months over crime, giving the government continued extra powers as the country faces sustained violence, an Associated Press report said. Lawmakers backed two separate motions late Friday, and the measures allow officials to arrest and conduct searches without warrants.
The AP report said the vote came as the twin-island Caribbean nation continues to operate in an emergency posture that has been renewed repeatedly. The state of emergency’s initial duration can run up to 15 days, with the government able to extend it if needed, the report said.
According to the report, the two motions to extend the emergency were approved in a 26-12 vote, and there were no abstentions. The renewals grant additional powers to the government, including authority to make arrests and conduct searches without warrants.
The report also said Trinidad and Tobago has spent roughly 10 of the last 14 months under an emergency. The persistence of emergency extensions has affected the country’s tourism industry, the AP report said.
The AP report said the main opposition criticized the renewed emergency periods, accusing the government of failing to address the crime situation. The report said Trinidad and Tobago has recorded more than 60 killings so far this year.