Opposition Chief Whip Marvin Gonzales is calling on the Government to immediately end the State of Emergency (SoE), present a credible crime-fighting strategy or step aside, describing the measure as a “national sham” and a “political hoax” on the people of Trinidad and Tobago.
Contributing to debate on the Government’s motion to extend the SoE for a further three months yesterday evening, Gonzales said the Opposition can no longer support the continuation of emergency powers, arguing that citizens deserve a clear and effective plan to tackle the root causes of crime.
“The Opposition is saying bring it to an end and get down to work—present a workable, coherent crime plan to address crime at its root causes, because this State of Emergency is nothing but a national sham and a political hoax on the people of Trinidad and Tobago,” he said.
“We call for it to be ended immediately. Present this country with a workable crime plan—and if you cannot do so, get out of office.”
Gonzales also launched a sharp attack on Attorney General John Jeremie, accusing him of delivering a “vile,” divisive and politically selective contribution during the debate.
Responding to Jeremie’s remarks about targeting “big fish” white-collar criminals and references to a particular segment of society, Gonzales said the Attorney General had crossed a dangerous line.
“The Attorney General came to this Parliament in a manner I will describe as vile, diabolical and vicious,” Gonzales said.
He accused Jeremie of casting unfair suspicion on an entire section of the population and implying links to criminal activity.
“When the Attorney General can come here threatening a segment of the population and suggesting matters should be referred to the Commissioner of Police, as though an entire community is engaged in criminal conduct, I say to him he is a diabolical hypocrite,” Gonzales said.
While acknowledging that crime remains a serious national issue, Gonzales argued the Government cannot selectively pursue some alleged offenders while remaining silent on major corruption scandals.
He noted that despite Jeremie’s emphasis on white-collar crime, there was no mention of the Estate Management and Business Development Company (EMBD) matter.
“I noted he made no reference whatsoever to the EMBD white-collar crime scandal—none,” Gonzales said.
He also questioned efforts to recover funds linked to the Piarco International Airport corruption case and raised concerns about investigations into the LifeSport programme and the Strategic Services Agency (SSA).
Turning back to the SoE, Gonzales rejected any suggestion that the Opposition was unsupportive of law enforcement, noting that the People’s National Movement supported the initial declaration in July 2025 due to intelligence reports alleging threats to state officials and critical infrastructure.
However, he argued that despite repeated requests, the Government has failed to provide evidence on what became of the investigations used to justify the emergency powers.
“We asked for information. We asked for data. Nothing was presented in this House,” he said.
Gonzales maintained that the original SoE was intended to address specific national security threats—not to serve as a broad crime-fighting tool—and said Parliament has yet to receive answers on arrests, investigations and the use of the Anti-Gang Act, even as Government seeks approval for another extension.
