NEWS
Paria diving tragedy survivor, 2 divers’ families get $1M ex-gratia payout
The lone survivor of the 2022 Paria diving tragedy, Christopher Boodram, has expressed gratitude not only for the ex-gratia payment made by the Government yesterday, but also for the support extended to his family and the families of the other divers throughout the ordeal. Speaking with Guardian Media, Boodram said he was informed yesterday morning to collect the cheque. When asked how he intended to use the money, the commercial diver laughed and declined to comment. “This is like a breath of fresh air. I am happy that it happened. It is most needed, as some people who followed this would know I was not able to practise my craft since. I am grateful for the nation and the support they gave from the moment it happened, through the uproar, to bring it to this point,” he said. Boodram acknowledged that publicising the payment posed a security risk but understood that, as a major public incident, the payments needed to be made known. Read more here
Alexander: Migrants to pay $700 to register
Minister of Homeland Security Roger Alexander has announced that the registration of illegal migrants in Trinidad and Tobago will begin on January 30. At a post-Cabinet media briefing on January 22, Alexander said a $700 fee would be attached to the registration, with children exempted. The registration card would be valid for one year, expiring on December 31, 2026. According to a 2023 report by The Assessment Capacities Project, there are over 44,000 Venezuelans in TT. Read more here
POLITICS
Penny and Rowley push back against PM and Sturge over ZOSO defence
Opposition Leader Pennelope Beckles has criticised Defence Minister Wayne Sturge over comments suggesting that limiting constitutional rights is “a small price to pay” if the Government’s proposed Zones of Special Operations (ZOSO) legislation helps remove illegal firearms from communities. Sturge made the remark during Wednesday’s Senate debate on law reform. In a statement to Guardian Media, Beckles said while the Opposition condemns violent crime and supports firm action against gangs and illegal weapons, crime-fighting must be done lawfully. “The idea that constitutional rights are a ‘small price to pay’ for security is deeply dangerous,” Beckles said, stressing that rights are not optional privileges but the foundation of democracy and the rule of law. Read more here
Browne appeals to government: Roll back traffic fines
Opposition Senator Dr Amery Browne has called on government to roll back the value of traffic fines to what they were when they entered office, as he said the current increase is a brutal punishment to the people of TT, who he said are feeling betrayed and deceived by the broken promises of the UNC government. He made the statement during his contribution to the debate on The Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic (Amendment) Bill, 2026 in the Senate at the Red House, Port of Spain on January 20. He was responding to Transport and Civil Aviation Minister Eli Zakour’s piloting of the bill. The bill lists 18 traffic violations for which fixed penalty notices can be given and the periods in which the owner/driver of the car can fix them, either three days for minor violations or seven days for severe violations. It lists the conditions under which a police officer can issue a notice, how a driver/owner can comply and where their vehicle can be inspected to ensure compliance. Read more here
BUSINESS
Enforcement on hold
The Trinidad and Tobago Fair Trading Commission (FTC) is continuing to operate without a board, with no confirmation on when one would be appointed, according to executive director Bevan Narinesingh. Narinesingh made the comment during an interview with the media yesterday at Nicholas Tower in Port of Spain, where he was asked whether there were any updates on the installation of a board. “Not to my knowledge. I am, of course, the executive director. That will be a decision by the Government. But the commission has continued its work for the last eight months without a board,” Narinesingh said. Read more here
REGIONAL
Guyana, Japan sign $7.2B agreement to enhance EBD water infrastructure
According to the Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, Hugh Todd, the project aligns with Guyana’s people-centered development model and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG six on clean water and sanitation. He noted too that the initiative underscores Japan’s commitment to supporting smaller, vulnerable countries like Guyana, emphasising democracy, good governance, and human development. The J¥5.2 billion loan which converts to $7.2 billion will see the building out of sophisticated water infrastructure to serve the expanding development along the East Bank corridor. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Could Trump's new Board of Peace sideline the struggling UN?
"Together we are in a position to… end decades of suffering, stop generations of hatred and bloodshed, and forge a beautiful, everlasting and glorious peace for that region and for the whole region of the world." Such was the soaring promise of US President Donald Trump as he inaugurated his new Board of Peace on the stage of stages that is the Davos Economic Forum this week. The world of all too much suffering and strife badly wants to believe him. But for many observers and officials in capitals the world over, it is yet more proof of Trump's drive to dismantle the post-war international architecture and replace it with new institutions - dominated by him. "We will not let anyone play us," Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk warned tersely on social media. Read more here
23rd January 2026