Property in Trinidad and Tobago

Houses for sale in Trinidad and Tobago suffer curfew following gang crime

A nightly curfew has been imposed across Trinidad and Tobago in response to gang crime.

The curfew, running from 9pm to 5am, applies to all major cities and towns across the island, and is bad news for homeowners with houses for sale in Trinidad and Tobago.

One teacher commented: "I can now walk in my yard when I want without having to look over my shoulder, and don't have to worry too much about whether I have closed the backdoor."

Limited intervention

The state of emergency was imposed after a weekend of widespread crime involving gangs and drugs and allows officers to search people and confiscate objects without warrants. 5,000 military troops have also been sent to support the police.

"It's a limited intervention to deal with gangs and get guns off the streets," the country’s foreign minister told Scotsman.com, adding that the police measures could be extended up to 90 days subject to parliament approval.

Tourism unaffected

The minister confirmed last week that Trinidad’s resorts and airports are still functioning normally, despite the increase in drug trafficking and related violence. However, Taiwan has since issued a travel alert for the country, advising travellers to avoid the island if possible.

The country recently celebrated its National Day of independence, celebrating its tourism, oil and manufacturing industries. While the tourism industry currently remains unaffected by the curfew, houses for sale in Trinidad and Tobago may be impacted for some time.