SOE Draws Sharp Criticism from Minority Leader: “Dagger to the Heart of Tobago Tourism”

Scarborough, Tobago – July 18, 2025 – A State of Emergency (SOE) is now in effect for Trinidad and Tobago, but the move is drawing sharp criticism from the sister isle. Tobago’s Minority Leader, Kelvon Morris, today called the declaration a “dagger to the heart of Tobago’s already fragile tourism industry.”

The emergency was called in response to what police describe as a coordinated and highly dangerous criminal network planning attacks on officials. President Christine Kangaloo made the official proclamation, citing a threat to public safety. However, Morris argues that since the threat is based primarily in Trinidad, Tobago is being made collateral damage.

He’s demanding to know how the government will support Tobago’s economy through this disruption and is questioning the silence of the island’s Chief Secretary on the matter, calling it “deafening and staggering hypocrisy.” Morris’s comments highlight deep concerns about the impact of the nationwide SOE on Tobago’s tourism sector and its specific economic vulnerabilities.