Government touts new anti-crime bill: Special zones for 'hot spots'

Crime scene investigators secure a crime scene at Beetham Gardens, Port of Spain on July 22, 2024. -

The government says it is fulfilling its campaign promises by strengthening national security and advancing key crime-fighting legislation ahead of the next sitting of Parliament on January 16.

Minister of Land and Legal Affairs and Minister in the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries Saddam Hosein made the statements on January 14 while addressing the media at the United National Congress (UNC) headquarters in Chaguanas, alongside Attorney General John Jeremie.

Hosein said since the government took office on April 28, it has worked to ensure commitments made on the campaign trail were translated into clear, actionable public policy.

Holding a copy of the party’s manifesto, he said each ministry has taken a multifaceted approach to rebuilding the country after what he described as years of corruption, ineptitude and incompetence under the former PNM administration.

Turning to the legislative agenda for the upcoming parliamentary sitting, Hosein commented on the three bills listed on the Order Paper, including the Law Reform (Zones of Special Operations, Special Security and Community Development Measures) Bill.

He referred to the proposed legislation as the Special Zones or Special Areas of Operation Bill, which had earlier been addressed by Jeremie.

Jeremie said the administration intends to advance the Special Zones of Operations Bill, aimed at targeting 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,” Jeremie 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 has stressed the proposed zones would be subject to judicial oversight, clear procedures and defined time limits to ensure proportionality between the threat faced and the State’s response.

He also addressed a proposed amendment to the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Act, following public backlash over increased fines and penalties. Jeremie said the government had “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 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.”

Lawmakers will also consider amendments to the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) 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 to conduct Assembly business. Jeremie described the bill as brief and non-controversial and said he expects it to receive bipartisan support.

Hosein stressed the government’s commitment to transparency and accountability, noting although neither the law nor the Constitution required the media briefing, the administration believed it was important to report to the public on its work and achievements.

Discussing the SoE, which Hosein said was prompted by “exceptional circumstances” related to public safety. He reported by the end of 2025, the country recorded a 42 per cent reduction in the murder rate.

He contrasted the figures with 2024, which he described as the bloodiest year in the country’s history, with 626 murders recorded. In 2025, following the change in government, murders declined to 369.

Gang-related murders also fell from 273 in 2024 to 108 in 2025. Hosein believes it demonstrated the government’s policies and legislative measures were working.

He described the proposed legislation as progressive and necessary to sustain gains in national security. He said since declaring the SoE, Hosein said police have seized 292 firearms and 4,341 rounds of ammunition, including revolvers, pistols, shotguns, rifles and air rifles, removing them from the nation’s streets.