NEWS
Army joins US fight against cartels
The United States’ newly launched Joint Task Force Western Hemisphere (JTF-WHEM) “action arm” will synchronise military operations with trusted allies and partners—including Trinidad and Tobago—against drug cartels and other transnational criminal organisations. US sources confirmed yesterday that the T&T Defence Force will be part of the purpose-built task force. But Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar was mum on the initiative, which some US and hemispheric stakeholders believe could assist in furthering regional and hemispheric security. Read more here
Residents facing weeks of dry taps
Residents in several parts of Arima have been without water for more than two weeks, and Opposition Leader Pennelope Beckles has accused the Government of letting people endure shortages. Beckles, the Member of Parliament for Arima, said in a Facebook post yesterday, “For the past couple of weeks, the people of Arima have been left without water in several communities. I find it particularly disturbing that the people of Valencia West have been without water for almost three weeks.” She said residents had shared concerns with her, suggesting that “the lack of water may be the result of political victimisation”. Read more here
POLITICS
PM urges citizens to help reduce crime
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar is urging citizens to play a greater role in reducing crime, saying public safety is a shared responsibility and not solely the job of the country's law enforcement agencies. In a Facebook post, Persad-Bissessar said reducing crime "is not only the responsibility of our police and security forces. It is the responsibility of every one of us." While noting that gang-related murders continue to decline, the Prime Minister said too many people are still losing their lives because of anger, revenge and domestic disputes. She appealed to citizens to exercise restraint during conflicts, saying that choosing to walk away from a confrontation could prevent tragedy. Read more here
BUSINESS
Retaining talent is an imperative for economic competitiveness
Every economy depends on its people. While infrastructure, technology and investment are essential for growth, it is skilled professionals who transform ideas into innovation, businesses into industries and ambition into economic progress. Yet beneath the surface, a quieter threat has been steadily growing. A threat capable of weakening entire industries long before its effects become fully visible. Brain drain occurs when skilled professionals leave their home country in search of better opportunities abroad. Although the departure of a few individuals may seem manageable, the cumulative loss of engineers, doctors, ICT specialists, educators, researchers, and other professionals gradually weakens an industry’s ability to innovate, compete, and grow. Unlike an economic downturn or natural disaster, the effects of brain drain unfold slowly, often going unnoticed until the consequences become difficult to reverse. Read more here
REGIONAL
Gov’t moves to cut hinterland food prices
THE Government is moving to ease the cost of living in hinterland and riverine communities by addressing high transportation costs and increasing local food production, President Dr Irfaan Ali told residents of Santa Rosa, Moruca, during a Cabinet outreach in Region One on Wednesday. He said residents were paying “far above” market rates for basic items such as chicken and beef because of the high cost of transporting goods into remote communities. “One of the major challenges is that of transportation, and unfortunately, transportation has a direct impact on the cost of living. When we examine the cost you’re paying for chicken, beef and other important food items, it is clear that you are paying far above the market price.” Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
In Odesa, no-one is safe from Russia's new Black Sea strikes
"My crane operator, my partner, died five metres from me… The driver remained in the cabin. He also died." Svitlana Halchenko winces as she remembers the Russian ballistic missile which exploded at work in Odesa, killing her colleagues. Svitlana works as a warehouse shift manager at the city's main port. Despite her injuries – she walks with a limp, pieces of shrapnel still embedded in her leg and back – Svitlana is determined to keep working. But her normally bustling workplace is largely silent. Read more here
6th August 2026