Legislation seeking to extend the Anti-Gang Act failed to be passed in the House of Representatives on Friday, as  the entire Opposition refused to support the legislation brought by government.

All 20 of the government MPs in attendance voted in favor of the bill, however 19 members on the Opposition bench abstained the vote.

The bill requires a special three-fifth majority.

This means the motion for the third reading of the  Bill could not be approved.

The last bill which was passed in 2018 included a sunset clause stating: “This Act shall continue in force for a period of 30 months from the 29th day of November 2020.”

National Security Minister Stuart Young immediately condemned the Opposition’s reluctance to take a bipartisan approach on the matter, saying “this will have serious negative effects on the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service’s fight against gangs and criminality”.

Ahead of the bills reading, Police Commissioner Gary Griffith on Tuesday pleaded with Parliamentarians to put their politics aside and have the legislation passed.