NEWS
TTPost accuses union of 'bad faith' in wage talks
Management of the state-run TT Postal Corporation (TTPost) has accused the TT Postal Workers' Union (TTPWU) of acting in bad faith during salary negotiations, citing missed meetings and delayed counterproposals as evidence of stalling tactics. General manager of human resources Krystal Joseph and senior human resource officer Saood Mohammed, representing TTPost on TV6’s Morning Edition on January 27, criticised the union for failing to attend a scheduled negotiation meeting on January 16 and for rejecting the corporation’s four per cent salary increase offer via e-mail instead of engaging in dialogue. Read more here
Vision on Mission: State must prepare for possible deportee influx
Vision on Mission (VoM), a non-governmental organisation (NGO) that assists the State with rehabilitating deportees, says Government must act now if hundreds of citizens are to be sent back to this country from the United States. VoM CEO Giselle Chance yesterday said if a list purporting to be from the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which states 1,197 T&T nationals are to be deported, is true, that is cause for concern. “We already have a limited number of resources for persons coming in with the stigma of being deported, some of them having criminal records. As far as VoM is concerned we are almost at capacity. We fluctuate between 55 to 60 people at our Wallerfield facility and there is a waiting list. So, I am very concerned about our ability to absorb increased numbers,” she said. Read more here
POLITICS
Hinds signs off on SoE instructions – 3 ordered detained
National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds has issued detention orders for three men under the emergency powers regulations 2024, which covers the ongoing state of emergency. The minister’s order says Kevon Bocage of Tomato Trace, Diego Martin, has been “credibly identified as a trafficker of narcotics and illegal firearms, and intends to traffic high-powered assault rifles to criminal organisations to commit murder and to fuel an ongoing violent war by the said criminal organisations.” Read more here
Brebnor says WASA not serving Tobago well
Tensions flared at the Water and Sewage Authority’s (WASA) Goldsborough Water Treatment Plant sod-turning ceremony in Tobago yesterday, when Tobago House of Assembly’s (THA) Deputy Chief Secretary Dr Faith Brebnor (previously B.Yisrael) criticised the state entity and Government over the island’s water issues. She also raised concerns over the THA’s exclusion from key ministry events on the island. Cabinet members present—Ayanna Webster-Roy, Pennelope Beckles and Marvin Gonzales—quickly shot back during their remarks, dismissing the focus on invitations and accusing Brebnor of overlooking the Central Government’s efforts to improve Tobago’s water supply. What was supposed to be a routine sod-turning ceremony thus quickly became a fiery political showdown in front of invited guests and residents, with no one holding back on their criticisms. Read more here
BUSINESS
Climate warnings spur innovation for Trinidad and Tobago's green economy
Independent senator Anthony Vieira’s stark warning to legislators and the general public of an environmental “triple-whammy” hung in the air on day one of the Green Infrastructure Conference, hosted by the IAM Movement and the National Gas Company. Speaking at the Arthur Lok Jack School of Business on January 23, Vieira cautioned that climate change, land degradation and biodiversity loss were real and pressing threats. He warned that vulnerable and wealthy communities alike risked becoming uninhabitable within a few decades. Read more here
Franco: Challenges in an election year
As he opened the American Chamber of Commerce’s (AMCHAM T&T) Economic Outlook Forum yesterday, chamber president Stuart Franco shared a “sobering message” he received from a now-former member. He read the message from the business person: “I regret to inform you that I will not be renewing my AMCHAM membership. Please understand that this decision is not a reflection on the organisation; I am extremely grateful for my experiences as a member. Read more here
REGIONAL
Vast pontential exists to widen trade relations with Brazil
President, Dr Irfaan Ali has set forth an ambitious plan to expand Guyana’s role in regional trade, stressing the importance of private-sector collaboration to harness the country’s vast resources and strategic position. Speaking at a recent event, President Ali pointed to the robust trade relationship between Guyana and Brazil, noting that while the country imported over $200 million from Brazil in 2023, there remains untapped potential for growth in exports. “Guyana imported US$204 million from Brazil in 2023 and we exported about US$73 million. In 2023, Guyana was the top export destination for the state of Roraima. We were the top export destination for the state of the Roraima in 2023.” Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
How a US freeze upended global aid in a matter of days
It was early Saturday, when hundreds of staff who operate a sprawling humanitarian operation at the Al-Hol displacement camp in northeast Syria were given a clear message: "Stop work." The despatch was as abrupt as it was distressing for those who knew the daily work of stabilising the site, which holds 40,000 people, mostly women and children, displaced from areas previously controlled by the Islamic State group. Water, sanitation and security were all upended at the huge camp, said a senior humanitarian worker familiar with its operation. Another facility in Syria's north-east, Al Roj, was also hit by the sudden order. IS suspects are held near both sites. Read more here
30th January 2025