The National Security Council (NSC) met at the Diplomatic Centre on Monday, March 2nd, 2026, and received security briefings from the Commissioner of Police, Allister Guevarro, the Chief of Defence Staff, Don Polo, and the Head of the Strategic Services Agency (SSA), Alicia Henry.
The NSC noted that, following the end of the previous state of emergency on January 31st, 2026, there has been an increase in violent criminal activity across the country, most of which has been carried out by members of organized criminal gangs.
The NSC further noted that several of these acts of criminality have resulted in multiple deaths due to mass shootings and that the continuance of reprisal shootings amongst criminal gangs, if left unchecked, would endanger public safety.
The NSC was informed that intelligence recently gathered indicates credible threats to attack Police Officers, Prison Officers and other members of the security and legal services.
I had previously warned the criminal gangs and detainees released from prison that decent law-abiding citizens are fed up with their criminality, and if they cannot behave themselves, I would have no hesitation in having another SoE declared.
I also indicated that violent gang members would be returned straight to prison, and this time, their friends and family who aid their criminality would accompany them. I reiterate my words that if criminals want to terrorize law-abiding citizens and their families, I will do everything legally possible to terrorize criminals and those who aid and abet them.
In light of the foregoing and in all the circumstances, the NSC resolved to immediately advise Her Excellency the President to declare that a State of Public Emergency exists in Trinidad and Tobago with effect from the 3rd of March 2026. On the 2nd of March 2026, Her Excellency declared so.
This measure is consistent with your Government’s zero-tolerance approach to crime and criminal gangs, as demonstrated by numerous successful, strategic operations conducted by the TTPS and the Armed Forces over the last 10 months, legislation introduced in Parliament to empower and protect law-abiding citizens, and ongoing reforms to the criminal justice system.
Your government will continue to utilize all available resources to ensure that the gains we have achieved in significantly reducing the murder rates and the incidents of violent crime against citizens are not reversed and overturned by those who are determined to inflict death, hardship and torment upon our people.