Thirteenth Amendment ‘A Crime-Fighting Tool of Last Resort’, Says Musa

Minister of Home Affairs Kareem Musa says the Thirteenth Amendment is not introducing new powers but strengthening existing laws with clearer oversight. He appeared in this morning’s Open Your Eyes alongside Attorney General Anthony Sylvestre.

Musa defended the amendment, which has drawn public concern over potential government overreach over the past few weeks.

“We are fleshing out the state of emergency in the constitution, but in a way we are saying specifically because the state of emergency is only for public safety,” Musa said.

He added, “We need to flesh it out more to say that this is a crime-fighting, life-saving tool that we want to keep in our toolboxas a measure of last resort, not something to be used every day but something to say, ‘Listen, this is getting out of control, the public are not giving statements; we need to hit the pause button.”

He argued that the amendment simply backs the Crime Control and Criminal Justice Act, which has allowed for emergency zones since 1993. Musa insisted the changes will require stricter checks, including approval from a newly proposed security council.

“It’s not just the minister; it’s not just the prime minister; it is not just the police that get to decide anymore under this law,” he said. “It is an entire security council made up of the military, the coast guard, foreign affairs; all of these parties must now listen to the report from the police and say whether it is justifiable that we now call an area a special area for one month, similar to the provision for a state of emergency now with greater oversight.”

Musa added that emergency powers are used to protect lives during gang violence. “There is collateral damage,” he said. “That is why we say we need to have legislation that can counter this.”