The House of Representatives last night approved a 41-day extension of the state of emergency (SOE) declared on June 14 in the Kingston Central and Western police divisions.

But, in the end, about 10 Opposition MPs voted with the Government to ensure a total vote of 44 in favour, enough to make the two-thirds of the 63-member House of Representatives.

It can't go on forever no more,” Opposition Leader Dr Peter Phillips argued before the vote, noting that the SOEs had become a symbol for the Government, “giving an impression that crime is going down”.

Dr Phillips informed the House that Opposition MPs had decided that they will treat the matter as one of conscience.

Jackson insisted that a resolution to extend a state of emergency was too important for the Opposition to be informed of by e-mail the night before the debate, without time to discuss the issues among its members in the House.