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  • 3 weeks ago
The second SOE extension will come to an end in January. The Attorney General has justified the extension as necessary to continue the dismantling of criminal networks. He also noted that August has seen the lowest murder rate in years, but the government bench is maintaining that the SOE is not its crime plan. Rynessa Cutting reports.
Transcript
00:00Christmas and the New Year will find Trinidad and Tobago under a state of emergency,
00:05with the government extending the SOE by three months for the second time,
00:11after initially calling the SOE due to intelligence of a plan targeting high-level state officials.
00:18The TTPS and the Minister of Homeland Security have advised
00:23that several critical operations are in train now
00:30and that these enhanced powers under the SOE are necessary
00:36for the completion and consolidation of their efforts towards dismantling the gangs,
00:46the criminal networks, and keeping the country safe at this time.
00:53I would like to reiterate a couple of important points.
01:00The extension is for a three-month period and not six months,
01:07as we have seen erroneously reported by one newspaper, I believe.
01:13Three months would carry us into January of 2026.
01:19Aside from its primary intended objective,
01:22the AG notes the SOE has had a positive impact on the murder rate and other serious crimes.
01:29Beneficial effects on the homicide trends.
01:34Murders have decreased significantly during the SOE.
01:37As of October 2025, I am told the national total stands at 285 cases,
01:53representing a close to 45% reduction on the year-to-date 2024 figures.
02:04August of 2025 registered 22 murders.
02:10The lowest monthly total recorded in a decade.
02:18But the government is maintaining that the SOE is not its crime-fighting plan.
02:24This SOE is not the government's crime plan.
02:36It came about to deal with a real imminent threat
02:43and is being extended to continue to deal with a real imminent threat
02:52at the request of the security services.
02:57The government understands the need to create and to implement long-term strategies
03:04for suppressing gang-related and other crime in the country
03:10and is putting in place legislative and administrative structures to do so.
03:16Renasa Cutting, TV6 News.
03:19Renasa Cutting, TV6, TV6, TV6, TV6, TV6, TV6, TV6, TV6, TV6, TV6, TV6, TV6, TV6, TV6, TV6, TV6, TV6, TV6, TV6, TV6, TV6, TV6, TV6, TV6, TV6, TV6, TV6, TV6, TV6, TV6, TV6, TV6, TV6, TV6, TV6, TV6, TV6, TV6, TV6, TV6, TV6, TV6, TV6, TV6, TV6, TV6, TV6, TV6, TV6, TV6, TV6, TV6, TV6, TV6, TV6, TV6, TV6, TV6, TV6, TV6, TV6, TV6, TV6, TV6, TV6, TV6, TV6, TV6, TV6, TV6, TV6, TV6,
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