Worse than SoE

Opposition Leader Pennelope Beckles has warned that the Government’s newly passed Special Operations Bill, 2026 could give the State sweeping powers over citizens’ movement and activities, describing the legislation as “worse than the state of emer­gency”.

The bill, which was passed in the House of Representatives late on Friday after a 13-hour debate, is intended to give security agencies a permanent legal framework to conduct targeted operations against serious violent crime, gangs, illegal firearms, and organised criminal networks without relying on a state of emergency (SoE).

It allows the President to declare defined locations “closed areas” where serious or escalating criminal activity threatens public safety and ordinary policing measures are considered insufficient.