Trinidad and Tobago has placed one housing estate, the Maloney Buildings in Maloney Gardens, under a nightly curfew, with police and soldiers on the ground. Police Commissioner Allister Guevarro said on Wednesday 11 November that he acted on gang intelligence.
It puts a new law, the Special Operations Act, 2026, to work, and Maloney is the first community declared a closed area under it. The act lets the government close off small areas rather than the whole country.
Key Facts
—What. Trinidad and Tobago declared the Maloney Buildings estate, in Maloney Gardens, a closed area with a curfew.
—Law. The Special Operations Act, 2026; President Christine Kangaloo, the head of state, signed both orders on Tuesday 10 November.
—Why. Police Commissioner Allister Guevarro cites gang intelligence and a video of a gunman firing near residents.
—Scope. Only one estate in Policing District 2, a police division; police and Defence Force soldiers are deployed there.
—Status. In force since Tuesday night, with no end date announced (as of 12 November 2026).
Police say the closure targets gang violence in a single estate. The commissioner says he wishes he had not needed to use the law.
What Happened in Maloney
President Christine Kangaloo declared the Maloney Buildings Housing Development a “closed area”, a zone where movement is restricted, on Tuesday 10 November under Section 11(1) of the Special Operations Act, 2026. The declaration was published as Legal Notice 847 of 2026, an official government order, and a separate order, Legal Notice 848, set the nightly curfew.
Police and members of the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force, the country’s army, moved in that night. The notices say the President was satisfied, on reasonable grounds, that public safety and peace in the area were under threat.
Why the Police Chief Says He Acted
Guevarro told a media briefing at the Police Administration Building in Port of Spain that he received a video on Monday 9 November. It showed a gunman firing indiscriminately in front of residents, and he ordered the district commander, Senior Superintendent Avalon Frank, to act.
He described the footage as showing women “running for cover” and little children “fleeing in panic”. He added that intelligence linked the incident to old gang conflicts that have produced cycles of revenge killings in the past.
Guevarro declined to say whether police expect retaliatory attacks, saying such information cannot be made public. “I make absolutely no apology for taking any and all reasonable and lawful measures necessary to save lives,” he said.
How the Curfew Works
People inside the closed area must stay in their premises between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. unless the order or a permit allows otherwise. Guevarro said people are free to move by day, and that anyone entering or leaving during curfew hours is subject to police checks.
Guevarro said two micro-police units, small liaison posts, stand at opposite ends of the estate and issue permits. Residents were told by a loudspeaker on a patrol vehicle, because police chose not to announce the operation in advance.
He said residents told him of “gratitude” and “relief” when he visited after the curfew began. He also said not every officer on the operation wore a body camera, and that the police service has “a hundred and something” operational cameras.
What Is Not Known
Guevarro would not say how long Maloney will stay a closed area, saying police action under the act depends on people’s behaviour. The intelligence behind the decision has not been made public.
The commissioner said he is prepared to use the law again if similar threats emerge elsewhere, calling it a tool he wishes he did not have to use. He also said operational details will stay confidential.
What It Means for Travelers and US Readers
The orders name only the Maloney Buildings estate, so they set no curfew elsewhere in Trinidad and Tobago. Visitors going to the estate itself should expect police checks during curfew hours.
For readers following Trinidad and Tobago news and how power is spread in the country, the key point is the tool used. Unlike a nationwide state of emergency, the act allows the targeted closure of a single community.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Maloney curfew in Trinidad?
It is a nightly curfew from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. on the Maloney Buildings estate in Maloney Gardens. It was ordered on Tuesday 10 November under the Special Operations Act, 2026.
Does the curfew affect all of Trinidad and Tobago?
No. The orders cover only the Maloney Buildings Housing Development within Policing District 2, not the wider district or the country.
Can residents and visitors enter during curfew hours?
Yes, with checks. Police say people can get a permit at a micro-police unit, and officers use discretion for visitors going to homes.
Sources: Trinidad and Tobago Legal Notices 847 and 848 of 2026 (Government Printery, which publishes the official gazette); statements by Police Commissioner Allister Guevarro at a media briefing, 11 November 2026 (Trinidad and Tobago Police Service).
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