Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar SC is maintaining that the State of Emergency is both temporary and necessary to combat violent crime and protect citizens.

Contributing to the debate on extending the State of Emergency late on Wednesday night, the Prime Minister defended the measure, pointing to decades of escalating violence and what she described as strong public backing for tougher action.

She dismissed concerns that the country could remain under emergency powers for years, describing the extension as a limited response to a long-standing crime crisis.