Trinidad and Tobago declared a state of emergency..."Response to gang crime"

The government of the Caribbean island nation of Trinidad and Tobago has declared a state of emergency on the 30th local time to respond to gang crime.

Trinidad and Tobago's government said it was operating measures to eradicate gang activity, saying "criminal gangs are increasingly using illegal firearms to threaten their safety."

As a result, police and military will have the power to arrest suspects without a warrant and detain them for 48 hours.

However, the government added that school classes, economic activities, and New Year's celebrations will also proceed as scheduled, saying the curfew will not be enforced.

There have been 623 homicides in Trinidad and Tobago this year alone, 263 of which are gang-related.