Trinidad and Tobago declares state of emergency after weekend of violence
GuardianDEC 24 2024
Trinidad and Tobago Declares Emergency as Murder Rate Hits Record High
Above: Trinidad and Tobago Pres. Christine Kangaloo makes a speech during the Opening Ceremony of the 2023 Youth Commonwealth Games at Hasely Crawford Stadium on Aug. 4, 2023, in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. Image copyright: Matt McNulty/Stringer/Common Wealth Sport/Getty Images Sport via Getty Images
The Facts
Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) Pres. Christine Carla Kangaloo declared a state of emergency on Monday following an unprecedented surge in violence, with a record 623 murders recorded in 2024 among a population of 1.5M people.
The declaration grants police and military enhanced powers, including detaining individuals without charge for 48 hours and conducting warrantless searches of properties and people. Detentions can be extended by seven days with proper authorization.
The latest violence saw five men shot dead in a shop in the Laventille area in what authorities believe was retaliation for the murder of a prominent gang member the day before.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
T&T faces a dire situation with violent crime, predominantly driven by drug trafficking-linked gang activities. This has led to not only murders but countless assaults and kidnappings, making areas like Laventille and Beetham no-go zones. The prevalence of sexual and gender-based violence also underscores the urgent need for comprehensive action to protect citizens, particularly women, from both gang and domestic violence.
Establishment-critical narrative
T&T's violence and inequality stem from the European legacy of colonialism. Indentured labor and racial hierarchies set the stage for enduring economic disparities and social divisions, leading to a much-needed 1970 Black Power Revolution. Despite efforts to bring justice to the once colonized people, the island's social and economic systems are still plagued by Europeans' colonial past. Such devastation will continue until the root causes are dealt with.
Narrative C
Despite claims from both radical anti-colonialists and centrists, ineffective approaches to decolonization have worsened conditions in many former colonies. Unlike colonial times when basic infrastructure and governance were at least established, such as police forces, today's Western powers don't colonize but rather simply destabilize nations without building institutions. While controversial to say, many island nations are worse off than under colonial or pre-colonial conditions.
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