The states of emergency now in force in seven police divisions across Jamaica will end tomorrow night after the government failed to get the senate's approval for an extension.
The government had been seeking to have the measures continue until February 12 next year.
However, it was unable to get the one opposition vote it needed to secure the two thirds majority required to have the motions passed.
Senate President Tom Tavares Finson announcing the results of the vote which threw a massive wrench into the government's crime fighting plan.
However, before that moment there were nine hours of arguments and counterarguments on the motions to extend the states of emergency in the seven police divisions by three months.
One by one opposition senators pointed to concerns about the constitutionality of the use of states of emergency on a long term basis; the detention of persons for prolonged periods; the use of the measure while certain aspects are being challenged in the court; and lack of consultation.
Leader of Opposition Business in the Senate Peter Bunting said his side could not support an extension without compelling evidence of the need for the measure.
When it became clear the motions were headed for defeat, an exasperated Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of National Security, Matthew Samuda, said he was at a loss at the arguments from the opposition and suggested that the opposition would pay a political price
In the end, the three opposition senators who remained in the chamber at the time of the vote, Peter Bunting, Damion Crawford and Floyd Morris, all said no to an extension.
Leader of Government Business in the Senate, Kamina Johnson Smith said it was a sad day for Jamaica and apologised to the security forces for the outcome of the vote.
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