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Opposition Leader Pennelope Beckles has condemned the Government’s declaration of a second State of Emergency (SOE) in under a year, accusing Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar of failing to address crime and resorting instead to what she described as authoritarian measures.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Beckles said the move “confirms beyond any reasonable doubt that the UNC government has completely failed in its ability to address crime in any meaningful way” and is seeking to “govern the nation under a permanent State of Emergency.”

She accused the administration of eroding the rights of law-abiding citizens and said the country had become “a regional and global laughingstock” under its stewardship.