Stuart Young [via FB Post]
As a lawyer, and a proud citizen of Trinidad and Tobago, I am alarmed by the positions being articulated by the Minister of Homeland Security.
When you consider these positions along with his use of a Preventive Detention Order under the State of Emergency Regulations to detain a social media blogger, as opposed to using the available criminal law which allows the protections of bail and the tenets of being “innocent until proven guilty”, what we are seeing is a live and developing threat to democracy.
These are very dangerous developments. Is it this government’s policy to use dictatorial actions to silence persons who have different opinions to theirs?
We cannot simply ignore these clear and present threats to our constitutional rights and liberties.
I agree that social media posts should not breach our laws, examples are the law of defamation and criminal laws like harassment, and users, including ironically, government ministers, must be responsible and abide by the laws. However, a line is being crossed by the government and these are dangerous developments.
Be alert Trinidad and Tobago.
In continued service,
Stuart R. Young, SC, MP
November 24, 2025
