DOMA: No to State of Emergency

THE Downtown Owners and Merchants Association (DOMA) yesterday declared that the imposition of a State of Emergency (limited or otherwise) in Trinidad and Tobago would not solve the nation’s crime problems, and the police already have the power to bring the situation under control. In a statement, DOMA declared: “For the same reasons that oil and gas money will not guarantee the development of our country, we believe that a State of Emergency provides no assurances or answers to the continuing crime epidemic. We fail to see why it is necessary to give more power to the police, when they are not currently exercising the considerable powers which they already have.

“The additional powers provided for in a State of Emergency, and the suspension of basic liberties, were intended to help lawful authority cope with treason, armed insurrection, or unrest that threatens the public welfare and safety of the State. We see no such conditions here.” DOMA said it was unlikely that the framers of TT’s constitution designed a State of Emergency to deal with “a handful of youngsters with guns or with common burglars and thieves.” “Instead, we believe that what we need is a ‘State of Dedication and Devotion to Detail’ from our police force,” DOMA added.

The group stated that unsolved crimes are the primary failure that is causing crime to spiral out of control, and the police could solve this problem “with hard work and dedication, consistent, day-to-day dedication, following clues, investigating, patrolling, and with a devotion that satisfies the (Police Service’s) oath to ‘protect and serve.’” “We strongly believe that the police are capable, the situation is serious and the cause is noble. We call on the brave men and women of the TT Police Service to finally answer the call of their fellow citizens and re-take our nation from the small group of thieves and murderers that threaten to destroy our lives,” DOMA declared. DOMA also deplored “our failure as a people to generate mature dialogue and sensible debate that would lead us to wholesome solutions.” DOMA was one of several groups in TT that has criticised the inability of the Government and Opposition to cooperate on the issue of crime.