'You can be in your yard'

PORT-OF-SPAIN (CMC):

Trinidad National Security Minister Brigadier John Sandy says people who are inside their "compound" are not breaking the five-hour curfew imposed as part of the state of emergency (SOE) that has been in effect in Trinidad and Tobago since August 21.

Sandy was forced to make the statement in the Senate after Opposition Chief Whip Pennelope Beckles-Robinson made reference to an earlier statement by the director of public affairs in the Trinidad and Police Service, Sharon Lee Assang, that citizens could be arrested even if they are in the yards of their homes after the curfew begins at 11 p.m. (local time).

"The communications officer said that outdoors means outdoors, and you cannot be on your porch or gallery or wetting your plants or be found anywhere at all in your yard, and you must be inside your house after 11 p.m.," Robinson-Beckles said.

Announcement error

"I am advised today that the communications officer indicated that this information has been sent to the Legal Department of the Police Service for clarification and further interpretation so that the public may be given further information on this matter. I certainly would have thought that such clarification would have been sought before the officer made those comments," the opposition chief whip added.

But Sandy said while he heard what the police official said, "I was advised that it was said in error", and that the matter had been "clarified that if you are in your compound, you are not in any way breaching any law as far as the SOE laws are concerned".