The women's arm of the United National Congress (UNC) has slammed Opposition Leader Pennelope Beckles for "alarmist attacks" in the face of the calling of a state of emergency (SoE) by the government last Friday.

In a press release on July 21, the UNC women's arm said it categorically condemned and rejected Beckles' "misleading and alarmist attacks" on the constitutionally executed State of Emergency.

The release said that instead of supporting lawful measures initiated only after a formal police recommendation, National Security Council scrutiny and legal vetting, Beckles "disingenuously" offered fear, recycled rhetoric and no coherent alternative plan for tackling runaway crime which the government inherited from the previous PNM administration which was in charge of the country and its national security apparatus for almost ten years.