NEWS
Homeland Security Minister says property in state of disrepair with mould-ridden walls and mosquito-infested pool
Government has allocated $6 million to refurbish the Commissioner of Police’s official residence, which Homeland Security Minister Roger Alexander says is mould-infested and currently uninhabitable. The minister said the swimming pool on the compound is also in need of attention as he described it as “mosquito-infested” and green. Alexander disclosed the condition of the property while responding to Arouca/Lopinot MP Marvin Gonzales during the Standing Finance Committee’s examination of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service’s $3.049 billion allocation yesterday. Read more here
Eight men held
Eight men between the ages of 19 and 39 have been arrested in connection with the robbery of a 56-year-old woman who was beaten and robbed of $22,000 outside Adam’s Bagels in Maraval on Tuesday. This was confirmed by Assistant Superintendent Owie Russell during a news conference at the Police Administration Building in Port of Spain yesterday. Russell said the arrests followed investigations by officers of the Port of Spain and Western divisions, with assistance from the North Eastern Division. Read more here
POLITICS
Alexander: E-passport procurement underway, cost unknown
Homeland Security Minister Roger Alexander says the procurement process for Trinidad and Tobago’s transition to an electronic passport system has begun, but he was unable to provide key details about the project, including its cost, implementation timeline and the number of companies involved in the tendering process. The update came during yesterday’s Standing Finance Committee examination of the Ministry of Homeland Security’s allocations in the 2027 national budget, where Opposition MPs questioned whether the proposed upgrade would be completed within the timeline previously outlined by the minister. During the exchange, Port-of-Spain North/St Ann’s West MP Stuart Young questioned the absence of funding for the upgrade of the existing machine-readable passport system to an e-passport system. Read more here
BUSINESS
Economists call for recovery that touches people’s lives
Budget 2027 measures could help cushion the impact of T&T’s “struggling” economy, economist Dr Marlene Attzs has said. As different stakeholders continue to debate whether the country is in a recession or not, she told the Business Guardian that the country needs to distinguish between a recession and the broader issue of sustained economic/structural weakness. “A recession generally refers to a period of declining economic activity. Two consecutive quarters of falling real Gross Domestic Product (GDP)…But whether we focus on the technical definition or the wider economic picture, there is clear evidence that T&T’s economy has been struggling,” said Attzs, who is also an Independent Senator. She referred to some of the budget measures that could soften the impact of the economic downturn. Read more here
Hosein: No end to deficit until 2040
Economist Dr Roger Hosein does not see the country’s fiscal deficit reversing until 2040. He argues that Trinidad and Tobago’s economic challenges are too deep to be resolved by an increase in natural gas production alone. He was speaking yesterday at the Rotary Club of Port of Spain West’s “Low Hanging Options to increase Foreign Exchange inflows in T&T” discussion at Cascadia Hotel, St Ann’s. His warning comes as the Government projects a fiscal deficit of $3.639 billion, or 2.1% of gross domestic product, for the 2027 fiscal year. Read more here
REGIONAL
US promises ‘sustained defence expertise, multidomain training’ for Guyanese soldiers
GUYANA and the United States of America (US) on Wednesday signed a joint declaration for an enhanced defence partnership at the Pentagon in Washington, DC, building on a longstanding partnership between the two nations. Commander-in-Chief of Guyana’s Armed Forces, President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, noted in a statement that the US continues to be a key partner in safeguarding Guyana’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. “Today, I signed a Joint Declaration for an Enhanced Defence Partnership with United States Secretary of War Pete Hegseth at the Pentagon in Washington, DC,” the President’s statement read, adding: “This landmark declaration builds on our multi-decade partnership with the United States and represents an important step in strengthening the defence of Guyana’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. It reflects the strategic importance both countries attach to the security and stability of Guyana and the wider Western Hemisphere.” Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Some New Yorkers back ban on horse-drawn carriages, but drivers fear for incomes
After petting a carriage horse in New York's Central Park at the age of five, Alexus Lawson was hooked. She has driven a carriage in Manhattan's most famous park, pulled by her horse, for six years. But since Lawson heard about the city's vote this week to outlaw the carriages over animal and public-safety concerns, she has been worried. "What am I supposed to do with my horse?" asked the 28-year-old, who has been driving in the park for six years. "You're going to tell me I can't work with her anymore? How am I supposed to ensure her health?" Read more here
22nd October 2026