THE House of Representatives will sit on January 13 to debate an extension to the state of emergency (SoE).
This was outlined in the order paper for the sitting that was released on January 6.
At a news conference at the Office of the Prime Minister, Central Administrative Services in Tobago on January 3, the Prime Minister said government will follow the law as it pertains to the declaration of the SoE.
"We have 15 days in which to go to the Parliament because we still remain a country under law."
He added that if the Parliament is not convinced about the merits of the SoE, it will end.
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President Christine Kangaloo issued the proclamation to declare the SoE on December 30.
Section 9 (2) of the Constitution allows the SoE to remain in effect for 15 days without parliamentary approval.
Section 9 (1) of the Constitution states that within three days of making the proclamation to declare the SoE, the President must send a statement to the Speaker, outlining the specific grounds on which the decision to declare the SoE was based.
A date will be fixed for this statement to be debated by the House, no later than 15 days after the SoE was declared.
This means the House should sit no later than January 14 to debate this matter.
The January 13 sitting, means this requirement has been met.
The order paper shows a motion in Dr Rowley's name which asks the House to approve an extension to the SoE for a further three months
By simple majority vote, in accordance with Section 10 of the Constitution, the House can extend the SoE by a period of three months.
Any extension beyond three months, requires a three-fifths majority vote in the House and Senate.
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The President's statement which details the specific reasons for the declaration of the SoE will be laid in the House on January 13.
On January 3, Rowley said he hoped the SoE will lead to a suppression of the levels of violent crime, especially involving the use of firearms.
Rowley supported statements made by acting Attorney General Stuart Young and National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds at a news conference on December 30, that the SoE was called to deal with intelligence from the police about reprisal killings by gangs on a large scale, using illegal high-powered firearms.
He dismissed any suggestions that he was not involved in the decision to declare the SoE or that government was slow to respond to violent crime.
"The government has acted and acted decisively."
