Notes to guide citizens during state of emergency in T&T

Some notes to guide citizens during the limited state of emergency in T&T

• Members of the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force will have powers of arrest as well as the power to search and seize without a search warrant; they will work either independently or with members of the police service; police will be on heightened alert throughout Trinidad and Tobago
• The limited State of Emergency will be for a period of 15 days and will be reviewed daily
• Persons who must be on the streets during the curfew hours must secure a permit from the police station nearest to their home; Companies whose employees must be on the road should apply for permits from the Police Headquarters at Sackville Street; Acting Police Commissioner Williams said all those who need permits should have them by 6 pm today (Monday); He advised persons to also have two forms of identification and police and soliders have been advised to exercise discretion and leniency; As a precaution, persons should have two forms of identification on their person;
• Persons travelling to the airport should obtain a permit; a booth will be set up next to the domestic terminal of the Piarco International Airport to process permits for those travelling out of the airport
• An inter-ministerial team comprising the Attorney General Anand Ramlogan; Minister of Foreign Affairs and Communications Dr. Surujrattan Rambachan; Leader of the Government Business in the House of Representatives and Minister of Housing and the Environment Dr. Roodal Moonilal and Leader of Government Business in the Senate, Minister of Public Utilities Emmanuel George has been set up to oversee the Independence celebrations during the limited State of Emergency
• If you have to access hospitals and other health facilities, use the normal routes and police and soliders will exercise discretion
• Persons arrested during the limited State of Emergency can be held for up to 24 hours and a senior officer has the authority to detain the person for a further seven days
• No bail for those arrested during the period; discussions will be held with the Chief Justice to set up a tribunal to hear grievances
• Allegations of police brutality will not be treated lightly; police and soldiers will approach their duties in a mature and sensible manner and law abiding citizens have nothing to fear during this period
• Persons with information about criminal activity are urged to share the information with the authorities
• The limited State of Emergency is not about the deprivation of human rights but about restoration of all human rights to citizens