Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley on Saturday (May 15) declared a state of emergency in an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19 .

In addressing the nation, Rowley announced that the state of emergency would begin immediately and is expected to last throughout the month of May.

The SOE is accompanied by a nightly 9:00p.m. curfew, with Rowley encouraging Trinis to avoid all non- essential movement.

“From midnight tonight (Saturday), Trinidad and Tobago will be under a State of Emergency,” Rowley said.

“If you don’t have to be out for exempted reasons, stay home under the force of law,” he added

According to the PM , he had consulted with both the Attorney General and the Ministry of Health before making the decision.

“I’m sorry that it has come to coffins and faces of dead people for us to realise that we are in and always have been in a very difficult place,” Rowley told the country.

“We will do what we have to do to further minimise the opportunities for infection and we are expecting that with a population that is now even more responsive, that this is the time to take it serious and take it personal,” he added.

On Saturday, Trinidad and Tobago recorded 11 deaths and 520 new COVID-19 cases.

The last time a State of Emergency was declared in the twin Island Republic was in August 2011 to address the then spiralling crime situation.