No money paid to SoE detainees: AG Ramlogan

Attorney General Anand Ramlogan told the Guardian newspaper the state has not paid “one red cent” to any of the thousands detained one year ago in the State of Emergency (SoE) declared by the People's Partnership government. 

And Ramlogan told the paper Government has no regrets about calling the emergency. 

“During the state of emergency, in the aftermath of the negative publicity, the gloom and doom of lawsuits against the state, I am pleased to announce, one year on, not one red cent has been paid out because none of the claims by detainees have been successful in courts,” he declared. 

He added that several of the detainees arrested during the emergency have since been arrested and charged with other crimes. In addition he said a number of the detainees also have been sentenced and convicted and others "have perished in gunfire, whether at the hands of gangs but mostly in the course of some illegal enterprise." 

He added, "With the benefit of hindsight, one can always see room for improvement but by and large the national security agencies preformed quite well. 

“In comparison to other countries where emergencies exist there were minimum reports of police and army brutalities. There were no reports of citizens’ property being confiscated by Army or Police and there was a very responsible, mature and disciplined approach to the performance of their duties at a time when they had greater powers over the citizenry.”

Ramlogan also told the Guardian one of the major successes of the anti-gang legislation has been the deterrent value. He since since the SoE the police have received specialised training and a specialised anti-gang unit has been formed.

Ramlogan referred to the emergency as “a successful learning experience” through which the Government showed its commitment to fight crime by “thinking outside of the box and by using the full force of the law.” 

The AG reiterated that everything was done within constitutional boundaries. “None of the legal doom and gloom predictions about a frontal assault on the Government’s decision to call the emergency has not materialised. 

“The intelligence and experience from the emergency has done our security agencies well and the state has remained steadfast and resolute in its determination to act in the public’s interest and defend the constitutional rights of all citizens.” 

Some SoE data: The state of emergency was declared on August 21 and ended on December 6. The following arrests were made:

• 463 gang-related
• 1,405 people on outstanding warrants
• 12,739 rounds of ammunition, 34 magazines and 154 firearms were seized
• 484 people were arrested for breaching the curfew, 833 for other offences and 1,024 on drug offences

No charges were laid for an alleged plot to assassinate Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and three Cabinet ministers.