NEWS
Vandals hit Carapichaima West Secondary School
Vandals struck at the Carapichaima West Secondary School on the night of September 24, overturning bins, breaking into classrooms and overturning the security booth. The estate constable employed with National Maintenance Training and Security Company Ltd (MTS) told police he heard noises coming from the northern side of the compound around 11 pm, and left the booth unsecured to investigate. Returning after he didn't notice anything, the officer found 16 pages torn from the desk diary, which was now covered in pen markings. He also found other papers scattered on the floor. Read more here
Spike in attacks against girls, women worries Penny
Opposition Leader Pennelope Beckles says she is noticing a worrying spike in violence against women and girls. And she is challenging the Government on the crime-fighting solution it promised during the General Election campaign and raising concerns over the efficacy of the State of Emergency. Her concern comes following the murder of 12-year-old Mariah Seenath. A Form Three student at San Fernando East Secondary School, Seenath was found dead by a resident around 12.50 pm on Saturday, about five feet in the bushes off a track near the recreation ground in her neighbourhood at Friendship Village, Ste Madeleine. An autopsy revealed she was beaten to death. Speaking with Guardian Media while attending a side event during the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York yesterday, the Opposition Leader said the child’s death resonated with her, as she too grew up not far from where Seenath lived. Read more here
POLITICS
Tancoo: S&P hails Trinidad and Tobago's resilience, urges reforms
Finance Minister Davendranath Tancoo welcomed Standard and Poor's (S&P) recent remarks on Trinidad and Tobago's economy his a statement on September 25 titled, S&P affirms TT’s investment grade rating but revises outlook, highlighting the need for reforms. "Today, the rating agency Standard & Poor’s (S&P) affirmed TT’s investment grade rating at BBB-, while revising the outlook from stable to negative. "S&P’s affirmation of TT’s investment grade status reflects the country’s long established democratic institutions, economic stability, favourable external profile and buffers." He said this profile included a strong external creditor position, supported by assets in the Heritage and Stabilisation Fund (HSF)”. Read more here
T&T moves closer to energy partnership in Middle East
Energy Minister Dr Roodal Moonilal has hailed this country’s recent meeting with Saudi Arabian energy giant Saudi Aramco as a major step toward easing the foreign exchange crisis and creating jobs. On Wednesday, Foreign and Caricom Affairs Minister Sean Sobers told Guardian Media that a productive meeting on energy-related matters was held with Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia, here on the sidelines at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA)) in New York. Speaking with Guardian Media outside of the UN Headquarters, Sobers said, “Saudi Aramco is one of the biggest, if not the biggest, oil company in the world. And so, we also have mature companies in Trinidad and Tobago. So, we’re just really seeing how best we can partner and grow together with Saudi Arabia and that would have been the centre of our discussions and to set up a footprint in the Middle East, that was also discussed as well too. And some of those discussions will also continue with other Middle Eastern countries like the United Arab Emirates and Qatar as well too.” Read more here
BUSINESS
New EximBank board tasked to reform forex allocation
THE newly appointed board of directors at the Export Import Bank of Trinidad and Tobago Ltd (EximBank) will be tasked with recommending a new formula for the provision of foreign exchange (forex) to the Prime Minister. The Express understands that the board, led by Edwin Chariah, is expected to hit the ground running, particularly following a report that revealed significant inequities in the distribution of forex. The Express exclusively reported on September 14 that a pharmaceutical company and a poultry company topped the list of forex users receiving funds from EximBank over the past five years. Between 2020 and June 30, 2025, these companies were allocated funds under the special forex window of EximBank’s Forex Allocation System (FAS), which was established in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic to support essential imports. Read more here
REGIONAL
UN Secretary-General acknowledges Guyana’s robust, principled contributions in Security Council
UNITED Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has commended Guyana on its robust and principled contribution in the Security Council. Guyana is currently serving a two-year term (2024–2025) as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. The nation was elected to the Council in June 2023 by the UN General Assembly, and its term began on January 1, 2024. The country’s service will come to an end in December of this year. Secretary-General Guterres extended the commendations directly to President, Dr. Irfaan Ali during an engagement on the sidelines of the 80th Session of the UN General Assembly in New York. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Palestinians in West Bank stranded as Israel shuts only international crossing
Israel has closed the only crossing between the Israeli-occupied West Bank and neighbouring Jordan, stopping more than two million Palestinians from accessing the outside world. The Israeli airports authority, which oversees the Allenby Bridge crossing, said it would be closed indefinitely from Wednesday morning "at the direction of the political leadership". It did not provide a reason. The closure has stranded many Palestinians in the West Bank, who are unable to go on planned trips abroad. Those who are abroad have been unable to travel home. It comes days after two Israeli military personnel were shot dead near the crossing by a Jordanian gunman, who was killed at the scene. Read more here
26th September 2025