Government to expand crime-fighting powers when Parliament resumes

Attorney General John Jeremie in Parliament in 2025. - File photo

THE government is pressing ahead with legislation aimed at tightening its grip on violent crime, citing sharp reductions in homicides and woundings following recent security measures, as Parliament prepares to address the legislative agenda in the coming weeks.

Attorney General John Jeremie, speaking at a UNC media briefing on January 14 on the parliamentary schedule, said the administration intends to advance the Special Zones of Operations Bill, designed to target crime “hot spots” without resorting to a nationwide state of emergency (SoE).

He said the policy builds on lessons learnt during the SoE when authorities disrupted communication channels between incarcerated gang leaders and criminal networks operating outside prison walls.

“That disruption yielded tangible benefits,” he said, pointing to declines in murders, shootings and violent crime. The new legislation, he added, would allow the state to “lock in those advantages” through focused, time-bound security operations.

Jeremie said Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar stressed the proposed zones would be subject to judicial oversight, clear procedures and time limits, ensuring proportionality between the threat faced and the state’s response.

He also discussed an amendment to the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Act, following public backlash over increased fines and penalties.

The government, he said, has “listened to the voices raised in the national community” and now plans to introduce a system of mandatory warnings for certain traffic offences while maintaining its commitment to restoring discipline and order on the nation’s roads.

“Our resolve has not weakened,” he said, “but it will be implemented with the level of humanity this government is known for.”

Meanwhile, lawmakers will also consider amendments to the Tobago House of Assembly Act, following the Tobago People’s Party’s recent victory in the THA elections.

The proposed amendment would increase the number of secretaries and raise the quorum required for conducting Assembly business.

Jeremie described the bill as brief and non-controversial, expressing confidence it would receive support from all sides in the House.