NEWS
CoP to illegal quarry operators: Beware the vengeance of Moko
COMMISSIONER OF POLICE Allister Guevarro has warned illegal quarry operators against engaging in the illicit act lest they face the full brunt of the law. “If you do not have an FUL (firearms users' licence) would you walk around with a firearm? No, because you will be charged with possession. So if you don’t have a licence for the purpose of aggregate processing and quarrying, you open yourselves to being charged. “Do not break the law. Or the vengeance of Moko will fall on you.” He was speaking at the police passing-out parade where 126 trainees graduated as police officers at the Police Training Academy in St James on November 17. Read more here
$500K push as Red Cross Children’s Carnival turns 70
The Red Cross Children’s Carnival Committee hopes to celebrate its 70th anniversary in 2026 by raising enough funds to purchase an ambulance. The annual children’s carnival is a major fundraising initiative, and chairman Ronald Halfhide said the committee must first secure an estimated $500,000 to host next year’s parade. He said the projected cost includes several digital upgrades intended to make the event more efficient, allowing contestants to receive immediate results and better navigate the parade route and competition schedule. Planned improvements include the installation of digital screens and a transition from paper to digital programmes. Halfhide said the committee has begun engaging potential sponsors early. “We starting at zero. We starting with no money, and the estimated cost for producing a show like that is up to about $500,000,” he said. He added that even when items or services are donated, the committee must assign a monetary value to them as part of proper budgeting. The committee is also still seeking a title sponsor for the 2026 parade. Read more here
POLITICS
PM dismisses Rowley's concerns: No US request to attack Venezuela from TT
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar says the US has never requested the use of Trinidad and Tobago’s territory to launch any attack against the people of Venezuela, and she insisted the country will not allow its territory to be used for such action. Her response came after former prime minister Dr Keith Rowley raised concerns via a hybrid media briefing and Facebook Live about Trinidad and Tobago’s position on the international stage, warning the country faced economic and security risks because of what he described as reckless governance and ill-informed decisions. Read more here
BUSINESS
Chambers hail US tariff reversal as major win
Business chambers have welcomed the United States’ removal of the 15% tariff on agricultural product. President of the Chaguanas Chamber of Commerce Baldath Maharaj said directors are relieved by the news and view it not just as a policy reversal, but as a major victory for Trinidad and Tobago. “The 15% tariff previously imposed threatened the viability of approximately $3 billion of our exports and put a number of jobs at real risk. The restoration of duty-free access immediately restores the competitiveness of our industries and provides relief and hope. I want to personally commend Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar for her leadership,” said Maharaj via WhatsApp. Read more here
REGIONAL
President Ali among CARICOM leaders in Jamaica for post–hurricane assessment
PRESIDENT Dr Irfaan Ali was among several CARICOM Heads of Government who arrived in Jamaica on Monday for a high-level Goodwill Mission aimed at assessing the country’s recovery needs following Hurricane Melissa. Jamaica’s Prime Minister and CARICOM Chair, Andrew Holness, welcomed the delegation, which includes the Prime Ministers of Barbados, Grenada, and Antigua and Barbuda. Senior officials from CARICOM, the Development Bank of Latin America, the World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and other regional and international agencies are also part of the mission. The visit marks a co-ordinated show of regional support as Jamaica continues to evaluate damage caused by the powerful storm, which disrupted communities and critical infrastructure across the island. The assessment is expected to guide immediate relief interventions and longer-term reconstruction planning. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Shelters plea for Gazans as winter rains raise fears of more disease and death
Aid agencies have reiterated calls for Israel to allow more tents and urgently needed supplies into Gaza after the first heavy winter rainfall, saying more than a quarter of a million families need emergency help with shelters. "We are going to lose lives this winter. Children, families will perish," says Jan Egeland, Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC). "It's actually so frustrating that we've now lost so many crucial weeks since the adoption of the Trump peace plan, which said humanitarian aid would flow and the Palestinians would not needlessly continue to suffer." With a majority of the population displaced by two-years of a devastating war, most Gazans now live in tents - many of them makeshift. They have been clearing up after widespread flooding due to a winter storm that began on Friday. Read more here
18th November 2025