MALONEY, Trinidad and Tobago — Residents of the Maloney Gardens Housing Development are facing an overnight curfew after the Government declared the community a closed area under newly enacted Zone of Speacial Operation (ZOSO) legislation.

Order 848, gazetted on November 10, requires people in the designated area to remain on their premises between 9 pm and 5 am, unless they have permission to leave.

The measure is the first use of the Special Operations Act, 2026, which gives the President the authority to declare communities closed areas when public safety is considered under threat from violent crime, gang activity, illegal weapons or intimidation.

The declarations comes after a shooting at the housing development on November 9.

Order 847 said President Christine Kangaloo was satisfied in accordance with section 11(1) of the Act, that public safety and peace in the area within Policing District 2 was threatened.

Both orders were issued under provisions allowing the House of Representatives to revoke them through a negative resolution.

There was a heavy police and army presence in the area as roads into and out of the community were blocked.

A video showed police using a loudspeaker to announce the restrictions to residents.

Member of Parliament for Trincity/Maloney, Camille Robison-Regis expressed concern about the development as she lamented residents were left scrambling for information about what the restrictions mean for their daily lives.

“Without a clear communication to residents, Maloney is now under lockdown, leaving law-abiding citizens frightened, confused and unsure whether they need permits simply to get home,” Robinson-Regis said.

“I have received calls from residents in a state of panic. Even the police reportedly do not have clear information on the process, yet residents are being told the community is locked down from 9 pm to 5 am.”

The MP questioned why the entire community was being placed under restrictions and compared the response with a recent murder in a central Trinidad, which was not followed by a similar lockdown.