Will SOE be Extended Beyond April?

The existing state of emergency comes to an end next Friday, but Cabinet is discussing the likelihood of extending the SOE for a few more weeks.  Despite strong criticism regarding the effectiveness of the recent measure, the Minister of Home Affairs maintains that the SOE has been successful in ferreting out known gang members, as well as their supply of drugs and weapons.

 

Reporter

“Will the SOE be extended?  The commissioner is asking for that.”

 

Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs

“I believe the SOE expires next week, I believe next week Friday or so.  Those are discussions that we are currently having at the Cabinet level and you will know soon enough whether that decision will be made.  But I will not disclose that at this time.”

 

Reporter

“The commissioner has alluded to many limitations of the SOE because he’s saying the investigation into these individuals is continuing and they would want to be able to put them away for a very long time, but lack of evidence, that’s the issue.”

 

Kareem Musa

“I don’t know in what particular situation you’re referring to.”

 

Reporter

“The murders that triggered the SOE.  He’s saying that, you know, we have all these detainees and yoh have to have something fi pin pan dehn and put them away fi long.”

 

Kareem Musa

“Yes, so if it is that you are going to be charging any of the individuals, for instance, the particular SOE, if you look at it, has had great success in that it snuffed out, it flushed out the actors from PIV that took all of their stash to an island.  And so, we were able to flush them out and identify all of these high-powered weapons and taking them off the streets, saving many lives.  And so, those individuals will be charged.  The investigation in relation to the two murders, those are ongoing.  Whether there is an SOE or not, those investigations will continue.”