On Wednesday, Member of Parliament for Couva South, Barry Padarath, hosted a public consultation on the proposed Home Invasion (Self-Defence and Defence of Property) Bill, 2025.
Several constituents shared their concerns and suggestions with the government, including Local Government Councillor for Savonetta/Pt. Lisas, Ramchand Rajbal Maraj, who spoke about the anxiety and fear many residents faced.
“The trauma, God forbid, those who have not experienced home invasion wouldn’t have to go through. We couldn’t sleep night after night. If a dog bark, you’re up. If a car stops by your neighbour, you are worried, you are scared.”
MP Padarath welcomed the strong turnout at the Public Consultation, but acknowledged the troubling reality behind it. He expressed concern over how the national situation has been allowed to escalate.
“For almost ten years, crime was allowed to run away in our country, where we moved from high spikes in murders periodically, progressing into the area of kidnapping for ransom, then going into the area of extortion of business and non-business people alike, to today where we have home invasions and a consortium of all.”
Mr. Padarath explained that before the April 28th General Election, the then-Opposition Leader, now Prime Minister, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, had begun exploring ways to empower the population.
This was echoed by Minister of Legal Affairs, Saddam Hosein. He noted that just three months after returning to government, the UNC administration has already drafted new legislation aimed at shifting the narrative, empowering citizens over criminals.
“So a man enters your home, you take your gun, legal firearm, you take your cutlass or whatever weapon you have available to you, and you kill him. You know you have to go and sit down in the police station and explain why you killed the man in your house, you know. Is that fair? We are changing the law to now suggest let the criminal explain why he is in your home.'”
MP Padarath noted that the government has requested additional police patrols in high-risk areas from the Commissioner of Police and is also considering reintroducing the Community Comfort Patrol initiative, previously active between 2010 and 2015.