Tobago Correspondent
Tobago Hotel and Tourism Association (THTA) president Reginald Mac Lean is warning the Tobago MPs about voting in favour of an extension to the ongoing state of emergency (SoE).
The Government will be heading to Parliament tomorrow seeking to continue the SoE, which is due to expire on June 17, for a further three months.
The United National Congress (UNC) Government occupies 26 of the 41 seats in the House of Representatives and already enjoys the simple majority needed to pass the measure.
The Tobago People’s Party has two seats held by Joel Sampson (Tobago West) and David Thomas (Tobago East), while the People’s National Movement has 13 representatives.
In an interview with Guardian Media yesterday, Mac Lean said he was outraged by Government’s intention to continue the emergency powers.
An exasperated Mac Lean called on ministers in charge of national security to do their jobs and stop relying on the emergency powers.
“It is ludicrous for the Government to extend the SoE any further than it has been,” he said.
“It is almost a year and a half that we are in an SoE. It has made absolutely no difference to the criminal element in T&T.”
In the past 18 months, the country has been in three states of emergency under two administrations.
On December 30, 2024, the former PNM government called an SoE which lapsed on April 13, 2025.
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar called an SoE on July 18, 2025, citing national security concerns. The measure remained in place until January 31.
A second SoE was implemented on March 3, with Government now keen to extend it until September.
However, Mac Lean called on the authorities to deal with the criminals, including those involved in white-collar crimes, which he said is also a major problem.
He said the SoE remains detrimental to Tobago’s fragile tourism industry and efforts to diversify the economy.
“The SoE has killed tourism in Tobago, and it was already dead after COVID,” he said.
The tourism official said Thomas and Sampson must heed the cries of stakeholders and send a message on their behalf.
“Can international travellers get travel insurance to a country that has an SoE? I think not,” he asked.
“So, right away, 80 per cent of your international (visitors) who travel with insurance gone. You just lost 80 per cent.”
He said Tobago is forced to survive on the remaining 20 per cent of travellers willing to risk foreign travel without that layer of protection.
Asked if he wants to see the MPs vote against the extension, Mac Lean said, “They better vote against it, otherwise we are gonna deal with the Tobago East and Tobago West here in Tobago.”
‘Don’t hold your breath’
Meanwhile, former Tobago West MP Shamfa Cudjoe-Lewis has advised industry stakeholders in Tobago not to hold their breath.
She said Thomas and Sampson have been unwavering in their support of the UNC administration since assuming office.
“That is not rocket science. We have seen over the past 14 months that at every opportunity they get, without question, without explanation or conversation with the Tobago people — you can bet your bottom dollar, Nuttsy (Sampson) and Thomo (Thomas) are voting with the UNC.”
She claimed the MPs have routinely backed Government policy, even at the expense of what was best for Tobago.
“It does not matter what the bill says. It does not matter; it is not in the best interest of Tobago,” she said.
“Tell these tourism stakeholders don’t hold their breath. Nuttsy not speaking up for them, neither Thomo. They are going to vote with the UNC, they not even abstaining.”
Cudjoe-Lewis also criticised the Farley Augustine-led THA administration, recalling the TPP leader’s criticism of the SoE when it was called by former prime minister Dr Keith Rowley.
However, she said the current SoE has been “more painful,” with “censorship of the people and disregard with accountability and transparency.”
Cudjoe-Lewis called on the Government to have a proper discussion with the people about the success or lack thereof of the SoE.
She said Kamla Persad-Bissessar claimed to have all the answers on crime when in opposition, but has now adopted the emergency powers as the main crime-fighting tool.
Cudjoe-Lewis said she would not be surprised if the country remains in an SoE for the remainder of the Government’s five-year term.
Sampson yesterday declined to tell Guardian Media whether he would be supporting the SoE, but did say he has seen some improvements in the fight against crime.
Neither Augustine nor Thomas responded to calls or messages up to press time.
