PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – The Trinidad and Tobago government is to bring several pieces of legislation to Parliament, ranging from increasing the legal age for alcohol use to home invasion.
Addressing the Monday Night Forum of the ruling United National Congress (UNC), Persad Bissessar said that legislation will also be brought to Parliament, raising the legal age for gambling and marijuana use to 25 years and over.
She said the “The Home Invasion (Self-Defence and Defence of Property) Bill 2025” has already been drafted and will be presented to the Cabinet on Thursday.
“National consultations will then begin with targeted completion in July. We’ll make any necessary change that comes in. It will be brought to Parliament when it reopens in September,” she added.
The proposed legislation provides that a person has no duty to retreat when operating in self-defence or defence of their property and that they may use defensive force, including deadly force, to protect themselves or their property.
In addition, the offence of home invasion would include the unlawful entry by a home invader into a dwelling house with the intent to use force, or threaten the imminent use of force, on occupants.
The proposed legislation also caters for instances in which a home invader intentionally causes injury to occupants of a dwelling house, including grievous bodily harm, grievous sexual assault, rape, and death.
For self-defence, the proposed legislation states that the use of deadly force may be justified where an occupant reasonably believes force is necessary to prevent death, grievous bodily harm, grievous sexual assault, or rape.
The UNC had campaigned on the stand your ground legislation during the April 28 general elections, and Persad Bissessar said that following the enactment of that legislation, her government will table amendments to the Firearms Act to make it easier to access legal firearms.
“Then you can legally ‘empty the clip,” she told supporters.
She stated that regarding pepper spray, the government will collaborate with the Police Commissioner to simplify and streamline the application process. The aim is to expedite the process and, where possible, authorize senior officers at district police stations to sign off on pepper spray applications.
He planned an increase in age to 25 for marijuana use and gambling, and 21 years for alcohol use. During the campaign, she’d repeatedly cited the adverse effects of marijuana usage on youths and the havoc gambling addiction and alcoholism cause.
She defended the decision to increase the age to 25 for marijuana use and gambling, and 21 years for alcohol use, noting that during the election campaign, she had repeatedly cited the negative effects of marijuana usage on youths and the havoc gambling addiction and alcoholism cause.
Persad Bissessar also said the government intends to review legislation for the granting of bar and party licences, where citizens will be enabled to hire their attorneys to represent their interests at licensing hearings.
“We’ll enable citizens to hire their attorneys to represent their interests at licencing hearings. Currently, the police represent the public at hearings. Most of the time, they don’t accurately reflect the truthful opinions of citizens who have objections.
“There will also be legislation for a mandatory cut-off time for all public events requiring a dancehall licence that are not held within an enclosed building, plus legislation regarding the use of music trucks and the cut-off times for music trucks. But there will be exemptions for festivals.”
The prime minister said there will also be legislation for a mandatory cut-off time for all public events requiring a dancehall licence that are not held within an enclosed building, as well as legislation regarding the use of music trucks and the cut-off times for music trucks.
Fireworks legislation will be brought to Parliament and passed in the new term, she said. There will be specific days and periods when persons will be allowed to use fireworks, she said.
The government is also intending to review and amend the tax laws regarding pensions, saying it believes that once a person reaches the age of 60 and has been contributing to the pension system for decades, they should no longer be taxed on their retirement benefits.
“This ongoing tax lessens the value of a pension, which is meant to support retirees in their later years, and can feel like double taxation—paying taxes both during working years and in retirement. These taxes strain the finances of seniors, especially those living on fixed or limited incomes, and can be a significant source of frustration.”
The government is proposing to introduce a Judiciary Chancellor who will oversee the daily logistics and running of the courts, with the Chief Justice still being in charge of the Judiciary.
“The Chief Justice is being bogged down in operational duties and daily management activities, and is hindered from his core function of delivering judgments and monitoring judicial appointees. We can fix the operations at the Judiciary, but the Chief Justice requires fit-for-purpose human resources,” she said.
She is promising to have citizens feel the progress being made since her government came to office in April, saying, “We’ll make it happen.
“Progress will take some time, it will require considerable effort, and will involve making some tough decisions to level the playing field, but this is what’s needed; you don’t want the next five years to be terrible as the past 10,” she added.
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