Scribd
Upload
50 views

FOUN1101 Caribbean Civilization Think Piece

The document provides a critical analysis of Trinidad and Tobago's declaration of a state of emergency (SoE) to reduce crime. In 3 sentences: The writer argues that the SoE was declared under illegal circumstances and infringes on citizens' rights, as emergencies in other countries are only declared during wars or threats to citizens. Additionally, the SoE has led to increased police brutality and targeting of Afro-Trinidadians. Rather than being a temporary solution, the SoE exposes underlying issues within the police force and suggests crime will rise again once it ends.

Uploaded by

Joshua Manickchand
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
50 views

FOUN1101 Caribbean Civilization Think Piece

The document provides a critical analysis of Trinidad and Tobago's declaration of a state of emergency (SoE) to reduce crime. In 3 sentences: The writer argues that the SoE was declared under illegal circumstances and infringes on citizens' rights, as emergencies in other countries are only declared during wars or threats to citizens. Additionally, the SoE has led to increased police brutality and targeting of Afro-Trinidadians. Rather than being a temporary solution, the SoE exposes underlying issues within the police force and suggests crime will rise again once it ends.

Uploaded by

Joshua Manickchand
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 4

FOUN1101

CARIBBEAN CIVILIZATION

THINK PIECE

STUDENT NAME: CHANTAL JAGARSAR

ID NUMBER: 811001051

FACULTY: MEDICAL SCIENCES

DEGREE PROG: DDS

DATE: FRIDAY 7TH OCTOBER 2011


As the names of murder victims vanish into mere numbers, the government of
Trinidad and Tobago plunges its country into a state of false perception, when the worst
is yet to come. The writer, Tony Deyal, describes the unpleasant state of emergency and
gives his opinion that it is an unnecessary evil being done to the citizens of Trinidad
and Tobago. He mentions some downfalls, such as the police brutality, abuse of power
and of course the circumstances under which the state of emergency was established. I
also share his opinion and will explore these effects and more of the state of
emergency.

An emergency is defined as a serious and unexpected situation requiring immediate


action. This definition therefore suggests that a state of emergency should be appointed in
the case of a real emergency and not as a crime fighting tool. In other countries, a state
of emergency is appointed during war or a harmful period to its citizens, not as a
method of crime reduction. This then, infringes the rights of thousands of citizens on
this island, plagued with crime. Rights are the most basic human entitlement, and to have
legal suspension of human rights, is not to be taken lightly. A state of emergency, then,
should be left as a last resort option. The state of emergency (SoE), as the writer states,
was appointed under technically illegal circumstances. I agree with the writer when he
explored the appointment of the SoE. Firstly, the Prime Minister should primarily discuss
her proposed ideas with her colleagues before making a hasty and public decision. Also,
she should have given the President an opportunity to deliberate her plan before
assuming to the public that he would declare it. Also, the illegal signing of the curfew
order was done by a functionary who acted as the commissioner before actually being
appointed. Now, the real issues are apparent. Why does a board of professionals throw a
blind eye to the illegal appointment and why is the police commissioner and the assistant
commissioner out of the country simultaneously? The true purpose of the assistant
commissioner is to take the responsibility in his absence. The Prime Minister should
have awaited his return to discuss with him her intentions, as he plays an integral role
in her future plans.

The writer described to us a situation of police officers taking drastic and violent
action against a citizen before the curfew. Firstly, the police officers were wrong in their
actions, as the incident took place before the curfew hours. Also, their violent approach
was completely unnecessary and very dangerous, as they endangered the lives of the
citizens around them. Now is this the duty of a police officer? The watchwords of the
Trinidad and Tobago Police Service are, “To protect and serve.” The behaviours
displayed by the police officers during the SoE clearly contradicts this statement.
Violence is supposed to be used only when necessary by the police service, but
according to recent reports of abused citizens, it appears as if the police service’s first
mode of action is violence. How will they gain the trust and cooperation of the citizens
by such behaviour? Many citizens are being wrongly accused, abused and even racially
profiled during the SoE, for some this state is actually a nightmare rather than a
solution. Is it right for the government and police service to target Afro-Trinidadians? Is
this the example they are setting for our future generations, to judge based on ethnicity?
They are instilling racism in the nation by doing so. These actions of the government
and police service will bear adverse effects on the country, as many citizens will feel a
sense of hatred or loss of hope in the government and the police service, making their
jobs to fight crime even harder. Instead, the democratic government of Trinidad and
Tobago should consider the entire population and their views before making a decision
about the curfew. It is their duty to ensure that all citizens feel safe, instead of some
feeling targeted. The mere fact that soldiers have been arraigned due to their brutality
exposes the severity of this situation.

Did the Prime Minister forget about the poor citizens of the country, who may
work several jobs to make ends meet? How will they survive with the curfew? The
productivity of the country has consequently been decreased because of the curfew hours.
Millions have been lost from businesses across the country due to their compliance with
the curfew. Crime does not only occur at night, that is, specifically from eleven at night
to four in the morning. It is not necessarily so that criminals will cease their activity
due to the curfew. A clear indication of this is the murders which occurred during the
curfew hours. This suggests that with or without a curfew, criminals are always at work
and the police service of Trinidad and Tobago needs to be more vigilant and have a
more rapid response. It shows that criminals can adapt to the conditions under which
they are put. That is, if the curfew is extended, they would make provisions to work
around it.

Isn’t it obvious that the crime rate would decrease within the country if a curfew
is appointed, the police service presence is more prominent and their arresting power is
greater? The SoE is an artificial situation, only a temporary solution, in which the
people of the nation can feel safe for once. Should there have to be a SoE imposed on
the country in order for the citizens to feel safe in their own homes? Should there have
to be a SoE imposed on the country for the police service to step up and do their jobs
efficiently to decrease crime, recover illegal weapons, ammunition and drugs? The answer
is no, and this makes me wonder what they were doing before, and what would they do
after, when the relapse of the crime wave hits this country.
ENDNOTES:

 Bethel Camille. “Lucky: Report police brutality cases to PCA”,


www.trinidadexpress.com . 23rd September 2011,
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Lucky__Report_police_brutality_cases_to_PCA-
130484933.html
 Chan Tack Clint. “PM: SoE, Curfew Continue”, Trinidad and Tobago Newsday. 7th
October 2011, Pg 3
 “Curfew not answer to crime”, www.trinidadexpress.com . 28th September 2011,
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/letters?Curfew_not_answer_to_crime_-130755408.html
 “emergency” Def , The Little Oxford English Dictionary, United States of America
2002.
 “Good, bad and ugly of the SoE”, www.trinidadexpress.com . 2nd October 2011,
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Good_bad_and_ugly_of_the_SoE-
130927068.html
 Seetahal Dana. “Managing crime with a curfew?”, www.trinidadexpress.com . 30th
September 2011,
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/commentaries/Managing_crime_with_a_curfew_-
130894898.html

You might also like