Above: Trinidad PM Kamla Persad-Bissessar

By the Caribbean Journal staff

Trinidad and Tobago has declared a limited state of emergency along with a series of curfews after the country suffered 11 murders in one day.

The measure, which took effect at midnight, was announced by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar from her private residence in Phillipines.

“After much deliberation it has been agreed that Government will impose a limited state of emergency in hot spots across the country,” Persad-Bissesar said.

The state of emergency proclamation is accompanied by Emergency Powers Regulations, which set out more details of the state of emergency and the Emergency Curfew Order.

The prime minister said the state of emergency would help the government “achieve a number of things,” which she said would not be prudent to disclose.

“There comes a time in the history of a nation when we have to take very strong action,” she said.