Rowley wants State to end emergency immediately

Keith Rowley demanded on Tuesday that the government end the State of Emergency immediately.

That was the Opposition Leader's official reaction to Monday's decision to end the curfew while keeping the emergency measures in place.

Rowley accused the Government of holding on to the emergency to exert control over the Opposition and the labour movement.

He said the emergency "makes no contribution to proper policing, it is damaging to the morale of the country and the Government is abusing its authority by maintaining regulation which is causing the Government to control the legitimate activities of the political arm as we are and the labour movement."

Rowley added, "This continuation of the State of Emergency is a naked, political, advantage-seeking action on the part of the Government and must end immediately."

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar ended the curfew with immediate effect on Monday. However she said the State of Emergency will stay. She also promised that the relevant state official with continue to monitor and review it. The current end date for the emergency is December 5.

Rowley also took issue with the Prime Minister's criticism of the opposition. "I wish to categorically reject that self-serving statement from the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago," he said in reference to Persad-Bissessar's comment that the opposition was uncooperative.

He reiterated a statement he had made before the emergency measures were introduced in which he offered "to hold the necessary discussions with the Government to facilitate any appropriate changes in the laws to facilitate more effective policing and swift justice in an effort to confront the current siege".

Rowley insisted that the purpose of the measure was to go after gang members, most of whom were later released for lack of evidence.

He said National Security Minister John Sandy justified the curfew as a means of preventing criminals from moving around and wondered who the law enforcement agencies are after now that the curfew is no longer in place.

Rowley concluded that the State of Emergency provides "no meaningful contribution to policing in Trinidad and Tobago" while infringing on the freedom to hold public gatherings or use a loudspeaker to discuss matters of state.

Rowley charged that the real purpose of the emergency is to silence the Opposition and labour movement.