NEWS
280 auxiliary officers to be absorbed into fire service
The Cabinet has approved the absorption of 280 auxiliary fire officers into the Trinidad and Tobago Fire Service in a bid to address longstanding staff shortages. This was confirmed on May 22 by Minister of Homeland Security Roger Alexander during a post-cabinet media briefing. Alexander said the fire service has been operating below capacity for years. “For the last number of years, the TT Fire Services, after communication with the Chief Fire Officer, has been understaffed,” he said. “As a result of that, today ... this cabinet took a decision to have 280 auxiliary fire officers absorbed into the fire services. Read more here
Met Office: ‘Normal’ wet season expected
T&T is finally getting some relief from the blazing heat. Last Monday, the T&T Meteorological Service (TTMS) declared the start of the annual wet season after recording rainfall indirectly associated with the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone. It was predicted that there would be ‘near-normal’ rainfall for the duration, with conditions expected to be ‘wet as usual’ and rainfall favouring Eastern areas of Trinidad. Wet season totals across western areas of both Trinidad and Tobago can be as low as 1,000 millimetres, with eastern areas potentially accumulating greater than 1,800 millimetres. However, the flood potential risk is expected to be higher than normal across well-known flood-prone areas but ‘normal’ for emerging flood-prone areas. Read more here
POLITICS
Ministry of Trade deepens dialogue with business, tourism stakeholders
The Ministry of Trade, Investment and Tourism convened a series of high-level stakeholder engagements during the period May 19-22. A release from the ministry on Thursday May 22 said, that on that day, Trade, Investment and Tourism Minister Satykama Maharaj, Dr Colin Neil Gosine, Parliamentary Secretary in the ministry and Randall Karim, Acting Permanent Secretary met with representatives of the Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce (TTCIC). The TTCIC’s delegation included its president Sonji Pierre-Chase; senior vice president Karen Yip Chuck; vice president Dr Christian Stone and chief executive officer, Vashti Guyadeen. Read more here
‘Don’t test me!’ PM threatens to take back Debe campus from UWI
The University of the West Indies’ (UWI) Debe campus will house what the Government says it will house and the university’s administration will have no say in that. That was the stern “shot” from Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar to the UWI administration. “Do not test me! If I have to do it and if we have to do it, I’ll take that campus back and put it under Government control to make sure we complete it!” Persad-Bissessar said at yesterday’s post-Cabinet media conference at the Cabildo Building, Port-of-Spain. The PM was commenting on a developing face-off between her Government and UWI management regarding the Debe campus, which her UNC-led People’s Partnership government built during its 2010-15 term at reported costs of $500 million-plus. Read more here
BUSINESS
Scotiabank named region’s best bank for 2025
Scotiabank was named the Caribbean’s best bank for 2025, by Global Finance, a monthly print magazine, that selects the best financial institutions around the world. In a media release on May 22, senior vice president and managing director of Scotiabank TT Gayle Pazos thanked the bank’s employees and reiterated its commitment to clients. “This award reflects the hard work and dedication of our team and all that we are achieving together as we create value for our clients. Read more here
UTC income falls, but distributions climb
The Unit Trust Corporation (UTC) has seen a significant drop in income in its 2024 financial year, but its leadership has assured unitholders that the mutual fund institution is still on strong footing. At the UTC's annual meeting at the National Academy for the Performing Arts in Port-of-Spain yesterday, the institution's chair Jo-Anne Julien confirmed the UTC saw income drop 67 per cent year on year from 2023 to 2024. The UTC recorded income of $19 million in its 2024 financial year compared to $57 million for the year ended December 31, 2023. "Looking at our financial performance, it is also important to address the fall in net income for fiscal 2024 compared to 2023. This result does not reflect operational weakness but rather the impact of broader market conditions and strategic policy decisions," said Julien. Read more here
REGIONAL
Education stakeholders challenged to future-proof teaching amid social, institutional changes
In celebration of the UWI Faculty of Humanities and Education’s (FHE) 75th anniversary, this year’s Education Forum honoured 12 schools for their enduring support. The event theme, Future-Proofing Teaching, reflects the School of Educations’s (SoE) commitment to preparing teachers for the unpredictable, complex realities of a VUCA world. VUCA stands for Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, Ambiguous. The Education Forum, held Tuesday at the Terra Nova All Suite Hotel in New Kingston, brought together the main education stakeholders such as the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information representatives, the University Council of Jamaica (UCJ), principals/vice-principals, the FHE dean, the SoE director, Professor Carmel Roofe, and FHE Department heads. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
UN says 90 lorry loads of aid now in Gaza after three-day delay at crossing
More than 90 lorry loads of humanitarian aid have been collected by UN teams inside the Gaza Strip, three days after Israel eased an 11-week-long blockade. The aid, which included flour, baby food and medical equipment, was picked up from the Kerem Shalom crossing on Wednesday night and taken to warehouses for distribution. Several bakeries began producing bread with the flour on Thursday. The UN said the delays were due to a lack of security along the single access route approved by Israel's military. Israeli authorities said they allowed an additional 100 lorry loads through Kerem Shalom on Wednesday. However, the UN said it was "nowhere near enough to meet the vast needs in Gaza". Read more here
23rd May 2025