NEWS
Tacarigua teen escapes brazen daylight shooting attempt
A 16-year-old Tacarigua boy is undoubtedly counting his blessings after escaping a shooting attempt on his life on August 5. The teen told investigators he was walking along Sixth Street, Five Rivers, Arouca, around 1 pm when he saw a man he had a fight with earlier that day come out of a van, point what appeared to be a gun at him and open fire. The teen managed to evade his attacker's shots and hid in some nearby bushes until the assailant left. Read more here
Breast milk bank coming, says Health Minister
Health Minister Dr Lackram Bodoe says Government is moving to establish a human milk bank to ensure every baby has access to breast milk regardless of a mother’s medical circumstances. While addressing stakeholders at the Ministry of Health headquarters in Port-of-Spain yesterday, Bodoe said, “We are taking decisive steps with the support of the Federated Republic of Brazil and technical guidance from PAHO/WHO to establish a human milk bank right here in Trinidad and Tobago,” Bodoe said an event commemorating World Breastfeeding Week. “Once operational, Trinidad and Tobago will not only benefit locally, but be positioned to guide other countries in the region seeking to establish their own milk banks.” He added that this will also assist in strengthening efforts to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV. Read more here
POLITICS
Gonzales: How will government fund T&TEC?
Marvin Gonzales, Arouca/Lopinot MP and former public utilities minister, wants to know how the government will fund T&TEC, after its scrapping of the the report by the Regulated Industries Commission (RIC) which sets rates for an affordable yet realistic electricity rate after widespread public consultations. He was addressing a briefing at the Opposition Leader’s office in Port of Spain on August 6. Gonzales asked how T&TEC would be funded including its current $7 billion debt to state-run gas supplier the National Gas Company (NGC). He said the former government had held many consultations, towards ensuring T&TEC’s survival while taking into the needs of local manufacturers for whom electricity was a vital input. Read more here
Former AG warns of fallout from Warner extradition matter
Former attorney general Faris Al-Rawi is expressing concern over a potential fallout in Trinidad and Tobago’s extradition relationship with the United States, as he questions the handling of the ongoing extradition proceedings against former Fifa vice president Jack Warner. Al-Rawi, who served as AG from 2015 to 2022, said he personally signed extradition orders during his tenure and is now seeking clarity on what current Attorney General John Jeremie has ordered a probe into, as well as the additional documentation Warner’s lawyers are reportedly requesting in his legal battle to avoid being sent to face charges in the US. He believes this can set a precedent for other people to challenge their extraditions to the US. Al-Rawi’s comment came hours after it was revealed Jeremie had launched an investigation into the Office of the Attorney General’s handling of the extradition request for Jack Warner. The move came after Warner’s legal team, led by Fyard Hosein, SC, questioned the existence of documentation outlining an alleged arrangement detailing the specific criminal charges Warner would face if extradited. The Attorney General’s legal team later admitted that the document could not be found and may never have existed. Read more here
BUSINESS
Trump’s tariffs a blessing, curse
Donald Trump’s tariffs take effect today, August 7. But that’s the only thing certain about them. No one knows how long they will remain in place. The rates involved, too, are subject to change. First, ten per cent, now 15. Since Mr Trump’s April 2 "Liberation Day," there have been multiple deadlines. Rationales, too, have shifted. Retaliatory "reciprocal" measures have morphed into punitive ones – Mr Trump is using tariffs as leverage in separate spats with India, Canada and Brazil, to name a few. Read more here
Angostura elects new board
Gary Hunt and four other nominees were unanimously elected to the board of Angostura Holdings Ltd at a special meeting yesterday. A sixth nominee, Fraser Thornton, had his candidacy withdrawn ahead of the vote. No reason was given. Hunt, a former sport minister under the Patrick Manning administration, is tipped to become Angostura’s new chairman. The newly elected directors are Patricia Dindyal, Shival Maharaj, Roxane De Freitas, Jennifer Frederick, and Hunt. Thornton, whose nomination was withdrawn, previously was interim chairman and chief executive officer of Angostura. Read more here
REGIONAL
Region Three gets major water supply boost
Boasting the capacity to treat over 7000 litres of water daily and servicing over 14,000 residents, a new water treatment plant was commissioned on Wednesday at Parika, Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara). Speaking to hundreds of residents and stakeholders, President Dr. Irfaan Ali, during a ceremonial address, disclosed that over $8.8 billion has been expended in the region to improve water services. “In water alone, we’ve invested in this region more than $8.8 billion, bringing benefit to more than 89,000 residents. We have constructed water treatment plants in neighboring Wales, Parfaite Harmonie; new plants are being constructed in Wakenaam and Leguan, and there are three major water treatment upgrades in Vergenoegen, Fellowship, and Pouderoyen,” Dr. Ali noted. He added, “We are now doing evaluations of the groundwater potential and the performance of our aquifers because, you know, aquifers must inform us on our capacity and capability to meet the future demand.” Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Trump's sweeping new tariffs take effect against dozens of countries
US President Donald Trump's sweeping new tariffs on more than 90 countries around the world have come into effect. Moments before his deadline passed for countries to negotiate US trade deals, Trump posted on his Truth Social platform that billions of dollars were now flowing into his country as a result of his import taxes. Trump is using tariffs to encourage jobs and manufacturing industries to return to America, among other political goals. Separately on Wednesday, he threatened to raise the tariff on imports from India to 50%, unless that country stopped buying Russian oil. He also threatened a 100% tariff on foreign-made computer chips, to push tech firms to invest more in the US. Read more here
7th August 2025