Peaceful Assembly

The freedom of peaceful assembly is recognised in Trinidad and Tobago’s constitution and also upheld in practice. Laws regulating public gatherings, including prior notice requirements and reasonable time and place restrictions, are considered to be consistent with international standards. Protests rarely turn violent or face police repression. On prominent demonstration in 2014 sought to oppose a proposed constitutional reform that would limit the Prime Minister’s stay in office to ten years, create the right to recall members of Parliament, and introduce run-off elections. Workers’ protests currently account for the majority of public demonstrations in the country. Various small, local workers’ protests in demand of higher wages and better working conditions were staged in early 2015.