00:00National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hines gave an explanation to the House
00:04of Representatives about one key aspect of the present state of emergency in
00:09Trinidad and Tobago. We have about a hundred and thirty seven people in
00:12custody now because of the five hundred and something I told you about they
00:17would have been charged some of them they go you know and different things
00:21because as the law that the member quoted from today says you're not going
00:26to pick up somebody on emergency powers if it's for some trifling offense
00:29obscene language or something else the law says that so even though you arrest
00:35you charge they go about in normal business and you maintain your focus on
00:40the gang operators. The government has sought to make it clear that the state
00:44of emergency which took effect on December 30th 2024 does not restrict
00:49public gatherings and does not include a curfew. On January 13th 2025 Minister
00:56Hines told the lower house about one letter he had received. A parent made
01:01contact with me and suggested that we consider and this is probably not the
01:06best place to say it but I think it's worthy of mention that we should
01:10consider a parent you know supporting this effort that we should consider a
01:17curfew for children persons under the age of 17 you would have heard senior
01:23superintendent in charge of Tobago and the ACP say children are being drawn
01:27into this. Within from 2022 to now 52 youngsters below the age of 17 lost
01:34their lives in this country. 52. Minister Hines the outgoing MP for
01:40Laventille West said he did not think the parents suggestion is an unworthy
01:45call. And this parent is saying this is a good opportunity in light of all the
01:50achievements you all have had so far in two weeks into the state of emergency
01:54bring it on for the youngsters keep them indoors. That parent thinks the measure
01:59will serve to reduce the risk of exposure to homicide. We saw in Tobago
02:04recently two youngsters one filming the other one carry another one 15 years old
02:09to his death. The measure should assist in reducing the level of destruction of
02:14our country's juveniles from their attention and focusing on their education.
02:20Opposition leader Kamala Basarba Sesa later responded to Minister Hines. They
02:25all spent time here and elsewhere supporting their policy position no
02:32curfew no curfew hey this thing is great no curfew we're not restricting people
02:36no curfew and then the member for Laventille West comes to tell us to consider
02:42putting in the regulations matters relating to curfews. What is the position
02:49of his government on that? The opposition leader then posed the further questions
02:53to the government. What is his own position? Has it been discussed or is I
02:57just felt it all here today as a parent called him great we love parents we're
03:02all many of us are parents. What is the thinking of the cabinet? Has it been
03:07discussed with the cabinet? Does any other member of government is any
03:11government member aware that the Minister for National Security is now
03:16proposing a curfew after you all stringently adamantly said no curfew.
03:21Minister Hines said he was just sharing with the lower house the concerned
03:26citizens suggestion of a curfew for those under the age of 17 as the
03:31government's and opposition's elected MPs held their debate on a three-month
03:36extension of the state of emergency. Jule Brown TV6 News.
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