The States of Public Emergency, (SOEs) which took effect on November 14 in seven police divisions islandwide are now up for extension until February 2022. But not without fiery exchanges in the Lower House as Opposition Members bent on challenging the effectiveness of the measure to insist it is crucial the Government employs long term crime-fighting tools.
Clarendon South Western MP, Lothan Cousins refused to retract his controversial statement after attempting to implore Senators to block the extension in the Upper House. Up to news time, there was no resolution on the motion.
National Security Minister Dr. Horace Chang moved the motion to have the States of Emergency currently imposed in Kingston and St. Andrew, Westmoreland, Hanover, and St. James, extended to February 12, 2022, sparking a heated exchange between Government members and the Opposition.
His remarks to justify the States of Emergency extension appeared weak in the minds of the Opposition members who have long contended SOEs are not the solution to crime. Lothan Cousins argues that an extension of the measure is a waste of time. More controversial statements saw even more heated exchanges, but Cousins refused to apologise.
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