TTMA IN THE NEWS
Manufacturers slam negative generalisations
In response to social media comments on February 1, suggesting possible misconduct within business organisations, the T&T Manufacturers' Association (TTMA) is reaffirming that the country has long-established and proven mechanisms for addressing allegations of wrongdoing in any public or private office or institution. In a post over the weekend, the TTMA was accused of "being riddled with criminals." In a release issued this week, the TTMA strongly encouraged anyone with credible information to utilise the appropriate judicial and investigative processes to ensure matters are resolved in a timely and efficient manner, noting that engaging established channels promotes the transparency and due process that every citizen and entity in T&T deserves and respects. Read more here
NEWS
Moonilal: India oil giant to help T&T with Petrotrin restart
Energy and Energy Industries Minister Dr Roodal Moonilal says representatives from the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) are expected to visit Trinidad and Tobago after the Carnival season to provide technical advice on restarting the Pointe-a-Pierre Refinery. The refinery, formerly operated by Petrotrin, was mothballed in November 2018 as part of a restructuring exercise. Moonilal yesterday said the decision for IOC to visit was agreed to in principle during the India Energy Week in Goa from January 27-30. He led T&T’s delegation to the conference, where discussions focused heavily on the future of refining at Pointe-a-Pierre. Read more here
POLITICS
MARVIN SOUNDS WASA ALARM
Former Public Utilities minister Marvin Gonzales has accused the Government of embarking on a hiring spree at the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) during its first seven months in office, claiming the move has inflated the authority’s annual wage bill by an estimated $60 to $70 million. However, current Minister Barry Padarath has rejected Gonzales’ assertions, contending that the information presented is devoid of proper context and misrepresents the circumstances at WASA. During a People’s National Movement (PNM) media briefing at the Office of the Opposition Leader in Port-of-Spain yesterday, Gonzales disclosed the written response he received from Padarath regarding questions on how many individuals were hired at WASA between April 29 and November 30, 2025. Read more here
BUSINESS
Shell sees Dragon gas flowing to T&T in 3 years
Shell hopes to produce gas from Venezuela’s Dragon field in three years and have it processed in Trinidad and Tobago for export, CEO Wael Sawan told Bloomberg TV in an interview yesterday. Shell and the National Gas Company were in 2024 jointly granted a 30-year licence by Venezuela’s government to operate the gas field, estimated to yield 3.2-4.2 trillion cubic feet of gas. Shell would require a licence from the US Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) to operate in Venezuela because of US sanctions. Read more here
REGIONAL
‘We are positioning ourselves to be the best of tomorrow’
Signalling a decisive shift from maintenance to full-scale transformation, investments in the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) has accelerated dramatically over the past five years, with capital investment rising tenfold, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Dr. Irfaan Ali said on Thursday. Speaking at this year’s GDF Annual Officers’ Conference being held under the theme: ‘Transforming the Force to better confront the nation’s present and future challenges by enhancing its awareness, adaptability and agility capabilities,’ President Ali said the government in recent years has embarked on a deliberate and sustained process of modernising the local military. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
US and Iran hold talks as fears of direct conflict continue
Senior US and Iranian officials are in Oman for talks amid a crisis that has raised fears of a military confrontation between the two countries. The discussions come after a US military build-up in the Middle East in response to Iran's violent repression of nationwide anti-government protests last month, that human rights groups say killed many thousands of people. But the scope of the talks, which are believed to be indirect, remained unclear, with both countries far apart in their positions amid mutual mistrust. The hope was that, if successful, the discussions could lead to a framework for negotiations. Read more here
6th February 2026