TTMA IN THE NEWS
TTMA head: Proposed US tax on Chinese ships will push up prices
Dale Parson, president of the Trinidad and Tobago Manufacturers’ Association (TTMA), says if US President Donald Trump does impose berthing fees on Chinese-owned and Chinese-built ships, “the import fees to all cargo berthed at US ports will attract 10 to 15 per cent cost of goods berthed entering the US or transhipped from the US to other destinations, including Trinidad.” He made the comment to Sunday Newsday via WhatsApp in response to a question about the effect the proposed increase in taxes on Chinese-made ships is likely to have on the cost of food and other imports. But Parson referred Newsday to a Reuters article which reported sources as saying that the Trump administration had deferred its position owing to pushback from US manufacturers and importers. Read more here
NEWS
SoE detainee gets $350k bail on attempted murder, gun charges
One of the men detained under emergency powers regulations was charged for attempted murder and granted bail by a High Court master on April 14. Shane Benito, also known as Gorgy of Connector Road, Union Plymouth Road, Tobago and also of St Michael Village, Las Cuevas, was one of 50 individuals detained under ministerial preventative detention orders. He appeared before Master Indira Chinebas who granted him $350,000 bail on a May 2, 2024, attempted murder charge and possession of firearms and ammunition. Read more here
Acting CoP, ethics council boss issue warning as 3 arrested for inciting violence
Acting Commissioner of Police Junior Benjamin has confirmed that charges are expected to be laid against one person for inciting political violence online, while investigations into others have been launched as the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) asserts it is taking a zero-tolerance approach to threats made in the run-up to the April 28th General Election. Benjamin yesterday issued a stern warning to social media users, condemning the use of online platforms to promote or incite violence, whether directly or indirectly, against supporters of opposing political parties. “At least one person for sure was arrested and the matter is with the DPP to give advice as to what will be the next step with that,” Benjamin to Guardian Media. Read more here
POLITICS
PM, US govt officials hold energy talks
Prime Minister Stuart Young has held discussions with US government officials on several energy matters. A statement from the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) on April 14, said those discussions took place at Whitehall earlier in the day. oung met with US Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Dr Jenifer Neidhart de Ortiz and the Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission Charlie Franta. The OPM said, "This morning’s discussions focused on energy related matters including energy security for Trinidad and Tobago and the wider region." Read more here
COP candidate claims political intimidation after being evicted from office
With just two weeks until the 2025 General Election, the Congress of People (COP) has claimed political intimidation as its St Ann’s East candidate Gerrard Small was recently kicked out of his campaign office. Small also received a pre-action protocol letter from Public Utilities Minister Colm Imbert. Both incidents occurred within one week. Small claimed he recently rented office space on Saddle Road in Santa Cruz, walking distance from the campaign office of the People’s National Movement’s St Ann’s East candidate Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly, both of which are owned by former well-known local promoter William Munro. Read more here
BUSINESS
CariCRIS reaffirms ‘high creditworthiness’ for UTC
Caribbean Information and Credit Rating Services Ltd (CariCRIS) has reaffirmed the credit rating of CariAA on the regional and ttAA on the national rating scale to TT Unit Trust Corporation (UTC). CariCRIS said these ratings indicate a high level of creditworthiness, adjudged in relation to other obligors in TT and the wider Caribbean. It also maintained a stable outlook on the ratings. "The stable outlook is based on the high likelihood that over the next 12 to 15 months, UTC will experience a turnaround in profitability underpinned by increased management charge income from growth in Funds Under Management (FUM). Read more here
TTBizLink adds five new services
The Ministry of Trade and Industry continues to expand and enhance the TTBizLink platform as five new services from two key agencies,the Ministry of Trade and Industry’s Trade Licence Unit and Tourism Trinidad Ltd, have been integrated into the service. This brings the total number of services to 53, spanning 25 Government agencies across nine ministries, said Minister of Trade and Industry Paula Gopee-Scoon, who made the remarks yesterday at the launch of new TTBizLink services, at the ministry's offices at Nicholas Tower, Port-of-Spain. Read more here
Colm vows to increase stipend
Public Utilities Minister Colm Imbert wants to increase the stipend trainees get from Government programmes from $100 to $150 a day. Imbert was speaking yesterday at the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) headquarters in St Joseph, during the graduation ceremony of 89 graduates of the Plumbing Skills Training Programme (PIPE) which was started in July last year by the Ministry of Youth Development in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Utilities. He said he was told that the programme began with 100 trainees but that number declined to 89 as trainees dropped out, with one of the reasons being that they could no longer afford to participate. Read more here
REGIONAL
Gov’t working with private sector to maintain competitiveness in US market
Vice-President Bharrat Jagdeo, on Monday, engaged members of Guyana’s private sector, especially those involved in exporting commodities to the United States. The meeting, held at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC), focused on the recently announced reciprocal tariff by the US Government. Jagdeo provided background on the tariff policy, explaining how it is calculated and outlining the specific items that are exempt from the new measures. He also noted that the Government of Guyana welcomes President Trump’s expressed interest in engaging directly with countries on this issue. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Trump freezes $2bn in Harvard funding after university rejects demands
The Trump administration has said it is freezing more than $2bn (£1.5bn) in federal funds for Harvard University, hours after the elite college rejected a list of demands from the White House. The White House sent a list of demands to Harvard last week which it said were designed to fight antisemitism on campus. They included changes to hiring, admissions and teaching. Since Donald Trump was re-elected, his government has tried to reshape elite universities by threatening to withhold federal funds, mostly spent on research. Read more here
15th April 2025