NEWS
Affected workers: Ten-days programme cut could fuel crime
Workers affected by the termination of Tobago’s ten-on, ten-off employment programme are warning that the move could contribute to rising crime on the island. Chief Secretary Farley Augustine confirmed the programme’s cancellation on Wednesday, revealing that more than 1,000 employees had been released. Speaking at a plenary sitting in June, Augustine said the programme had been extended until August to minimise disruption for families. He said displaced workers would be able to apply for permanent positions within the Division of Public Infrastructure, where approximately 700 vacancies are expected to become available soon. Read more here
School grants by next week
The disbursement of the Ministry of Education’s School Supplies and Book Grant will take place next week Wednesday, just five days before the opening of the new school term on September 7. The ministry says it has completed the initial review of all 45,953 applications received for the grant, and it is now undertaking the necessary final verification checks to confirm eligibility and ensure the available assistance is directed to the most vulnerable applicants. Read more here
POLITICS
No Plan To Expel Manning
People’s National Movement (PNM) leader Pennelope Beckles has signalled that there are no plans to expel San Fernando East MP Brian Manning, despite his public allegations of corruption and criminality within the party and criticism that she has been unable or unwilling to deal with the matter. Asked yesterday whether Manning should be asked to resign amid the continuing San Fernando East imbroglio, Beckles responded: “How did you reach there?” She questioned why the issue had advanced to the point where Manning’s resignation was even being contemplated, stressing the party has established procedures for dealing with internal disputes. “Let me just say that, ideally, the culture of the PNM has been that we do not wash our dirty linen in public, right? Times have changed. You have social media, there’s a whole revolution in terms of how communication exists as it relates to certain issues. But I don’t know how we have reached there about whether he should resign or he shouldn’t resign. I maintain the party has a process,” Beckles said, adding the PNM was “not a fly-by-night party” and would not “operate like any ad hoc or dolly-house party.” Read more here
Padarath confirms hike in WASA fees
Public Utilities Minister Barry Padarath has confirmed that fees associated with services provided by the Water and Sewerage Authority’s (WASA) Infrastructure and Compliance Department have increased. However, Padarath said there was no “secrecy” surrounding the move, stressing that the revised charges are a “one-time payment” following a review of what he described as “archaic” rates. Read more here
REGIONAL
New passport appointment system takes effect October 1
Guyana has taken yet another major step in building out its online government ecosystem, with passport applications now moving fully online. In a video shared on Thursday, Stephen Telford, Senior Superintendent of Police and Deputy Chief Immigration Officer, announced that beginning October 1, 2026, all passport applications will only be accepted through the online application and appointment system. The shift comes several months after the June rollout of the Online Appointment System and marks another step in the modernisation of Guyana’s public services, which is part of a broader effort by government to phase out long wait times and congested airport check-in lines. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
'Not far enough' - US parents and teens on Meta's new limits for young users
For Elizabeth Cardner, a mother of two girls in Houston, Texas, Meta's new limits on how teenagers can use its platforms are a welcome sign that more people are aware of social media's potential dangers. But, she tells the BBC, they probably won't help much in the long-term. "It will save a few arguments at home, but it doesn't go far enough," she says. This week, Meta announced new restrictions on its platforms - which include Instagram, Facebook and Whatsapp - as part of an $18bn (£13.25bn) settlement with US states in a lawsuit on social media's effects on children. Read more here
28th August 2026