00:00Businessman Dominic Hadid and his wife Genevieve are free and set to be released after the
00:06Minister of Homeland Security revoked the preventive detention orders that kept them
00:10behind bars during the state of emergency.
00:13In a statement issued today, Thursday, Minister Roger Alexander said the decision followed
00:18a careful review of the legal, medical and security considerations surrounding the case.
00:23The Hadids were arrested on June 24 as part of an investigation into an alleged plot to
00:30assassinate Prime Minister Kamala Pisan Vissasa and senior members of government.
00:34Three days later, preventive detention orders were issued under the emergency powers' regulations.
00:40Alexander said while the criminal investigation has since expanded across multiple jurisdictions
00:45and remains active, he is constitutionally required to balance the detainees' right to
00:51liberty with the need to protect public safety.
00:54The Minister said, quote, I have determined that the balance at the present time, having
00:59regard to all of the relevant circumstances, is in favour of the release of the detainees,
01:05end quote.
01:06Alexander said a key factor was the Privy Council decision not to fast-track the state's appeal.
01:11He noted that had the detention orders remained in force, the Hadids would likely have remained
01:17in prison until the end of the state of emergency, saying, quote, I recognize that continuing detention
01:24in those circumstances would be disproportionate, end quote.
01:28The Minister also revealed that the Constitutional Review Tribunal had recommended on June 19 that
01:34the continued detention of the Hadids was not necessary or expedient in the public interest.
01:40He further confirmed that he received a specialist medical report detailing Dominic Hadid's medical
01:46condition and treatment requirements.
01:48While the state requested that Hadid undergo an examination by an independent specialist
01:53appointed by the government, the minister said Hadid declined.
01:57Despite the revocation of the detention orders, Alexander stressed that the criminal investigation
02:02remains ongoing.
02:04He said the Trinidad and Tobago police service has assured him that the Hadids will remain under
02:09monitoring and surveillance to ensure the investigation is not compromised and that those identified
02:15as potential targets remain protected.
02:18The minister also expressed the expectation that the Hadids will cooperate fully with local
02:23and international law enforcement agencies as investigations continue.
02:27Arvishita Wari, Rubnarain, TV6 News.
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