On Monday, Trinidad and Tobago will mark the 36th anniversary of the attempted coup of July 27, 1990, at a time when national security once again dominates public discussion. The ongoing State of Emergency, the use of Preventive Detention Orders (PDOs) and debate over the balance between public safety and civil liberties make this anniversary particularly relevant.
The attempted coup by the Jamaat-al-Muslimeen remains one of the darkest chapters in this nation’s history. Six days of violence left 24 people dead, scores injured, businesses destroyed and a country traumatised. While T&T today is not facing an armed attempt to overthrow the State, it is confronting entrenched organised crime, gang violence, illegal firearms and an unacceptably high murder rate.
The lessons of 1990 remind us that national security is not simply about responding to crises. It is about preventing them.
One enduring lesson is that intelligence must be matched by decisive and lawful action. The events of 1990 exposed weaknesses in intelligence gathering and coordination among security agencies. Today, intelligence-led policing remains essential to dismantling criminal networks. However, it must operate within a framework of accountability and due process if public confidence is to be maintained.
This is why debate surrounding Preventive Detention Orders deserves careful consideration. Governments have a responsibility to use every lawful tool available to protect citizens from dangerous criminals. At the same time, extraordinary powers must be exercised transparently, proportionately and with appropriate oversight. Security measures are most effective when they retain public trust.
History also teaches that emergency powers are most successful when they form part of a wider strategy, not a substitute for one. While security operations may suppress violence in the short term, lasting reductions in crime require sustained investment in intelligence, witness protection, border security, efficient prosecution and the rehabilitation of offenders.
The circumstances preceding July 27, 1990, also demonstrated that national security cannot be separated from broader social and economic realities. The country was then grappling with recession, unemployment and widespread public frustration. Those conditions did not justify the violence used by Jamaat-al-Muslimeen leader Yasin Abu Bakr, now deceased, but they highlighted how marginalisation and weakened institutions can contribute to instability.
Today's challenges are different but no less complex. Communities affected by poverty, limited educational opportunities and gang recruitment require more than police intervention. Young people need pathways to success, families need support and communities need confidence that the State is present not only through law enforcement but also through education, healthcare, and economic opportunity.
The attempted coup also reaffirmed the importance of resilient democratic institutions. Parliament, the Judiciary, the Defence Force, the Police Service and the wider public service ultimately preserved the constitutional order under extraordinary circumstances. That resilience should never be taken for granted.
As the anniversary of July 27 approaches, it should be viewed not only as a remembrance of a national tragedy but also as an opportunity to recommit to the principles that strengthen both security and democracy.
The greatest lesson of 1990 is that national security cannot rest solely on emergency powers or armed responses. It depends equally on strong institutions, public trust, social inclusion and unwavering respect for the rule of law.
