NEWS
Cop caught in SoE net
A serving police officer has been placed under preventive detention, after being identified for supplying operational intelligence to organised crime groups, creating a risk of imminent attacks between rival gangs using high-powered firearms in public spaces. Pramanan Rajpath was among 11 people ordered detained by Minister of Homeland Security Roger Alexander on March 16 and 17 under the Emergency Powers Regulations, 2026. The measures target individuals, including leaders and members of organised crime groups under the Anti-Gang Act, assessed to pose an immediate threat to public safety. Responding to the detention of the officer yesterday, Deputy Commissioner of Police Suzette Martin, who is serving as Gold Commander for the State of Emergency (SoE), described the allegations as especially serious, saying any suggestion that an officer used their position to compromise sensitive operational information and facilitate criminal activity strikes at the core of the T&T Police Service’s (TTPS) mandate. Read more here
P/Town sisters missing
A relative of missing teenage sisters is calling on the Government to impose restrictions on the use of social media by minors. This, she said, as access to social media platforms exposes unsupervised children to danger. The sisters—Celina Balliram, 15, and Alena Baksh, 12, of St Croix, Princes Town—went missing on Friday and were reported missing to the police. The girls, who have been staying with their grandmother for the past two months, were last seen around 8.45 a.m., when they left home to purchase doubles at a shed in Princes Town. Read more here
POLITICS
Govt says no plan to introduce curfew at this time
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and Defence Minister Wayne Sturge say a curfew is not needed at this time, despite continued killings during the ongoing State of Emergency (SoE). And as murders persist, Attorney General John Jeremie says the Government is monitoring the situation “very closely.” Their comments came hours after a triple murder in Penal and followed questions from Guardian Media on whether stricter measures could be introduced to restrict the operations of the criminals. Despite the SoE, murders continue. Police say 79 killings have been recorded so far this year, compared with 91 over the same period in 2025. Some 18 of the 79 murders occurred in March. Read more here
Consultancy payments: Duke, Jack, Dass deals revealed
The National Gas Company (NGC) hired Watson Duke as a consultant in human resources and industrial relations at a cost of $40,000 per month for one year, commencing December 1, 2025. The Express obtained a bundle of documents which also showed that, under the former People’s National Movement (PNM), consultancy contracts were awarded by subsidiaries within the NGC group. Former secretary of finance and the economy in the Tobago House of Assembly (THA), Joel Jack, was contracted by Trinidad Petroleum Holdings Ltd (TPHL) as a Consultant Specialist Adviser at $70,000 per month for one year, from November 2024, totalling $840,000. Read more here
BUSINESS
Japanese ambassador: T&T has "good materials for success," but regulations and branding holding country back
Japanese Ambassador to T&T Akima Umezawa says while T&T and Japan have long enjoyed beneficial trade relations, recent geopolitical tensions can open more opportunities for local exports. In a wide-ranging exclusive interview, the ambassador detailed how recent volatility in the Middle East—specifically the impact of missile attacks on major energy hubs like Qatar—has fundamentally shifted the competitiveness of Trinidadian exports. With Qatar representing roughly 20 per cent of the world’s natural gas supply, the ambassador explained that T&T’s LNG and ammonia have transitioned from standard commodities to essential game changers. “Qatar is a 20 per cent coverage of the world, the natural gas. And before, actually Japan imported the ammonia from T&T. So now, your usual or general products of LNG or ammonia have a competitive power enough to succeed in the Japanese market....And this situation might be continued in the next few months, because the Middle East situation is still going on,” said Umezawa, who has been in this country for just over a year. Read more here
Clico’s profit rises by 380%
The Colonial Life Insurance Co Ltd (Clico) has recorded a profit of $717 million for the year ended December 31, 2025, representing a 380% increase from the $149 million reported in 2024, according to its abridged financial statements. Clico’s improved performance was largely driven by a sharp rise in other income, which jumped to $495.4 million from just $42.3 million the previous year. The company’s insurance revenue fell to $219.9 million in 2025, down from $252.9 million in 2024, while insurance service expenses rose to $215.5 million from $193.8 million. Read more here
REGIONAL
E-Wallets, digital payments to go live in six months
LONG lines at Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) could soon be eliminated, as Guyana prepares to introduce a digital payment system, easing reliance on cash transactions and the need to carry large sums of money. This was announced by President Dr. Irfaan Ali during his address at the opening ceremony for Demerara Bank’s new Beterverwagting, East Coast Demerara branch on Monday. The Head of State emphasised how Guyana is quickly adapting to enhance its financial ecosystem. “In the next six months, I’ve advised the Governor of the Central Bank that we must be in a position that a national payment platform must be fully operational, and we must have access to digital wallets at a national level and international scale,” the President said. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Oil traders bet millions minutes before Trump's Iran talks post
Traders bet hundreds of millions of dollars on oil contracts just minutes before US President Donald Trump announced on Monday that the US would postpone strikes against Iranian energy infrastructure. Market data reviewed by the BBC shows the volume of trade spiked around fifteen minutes before a social media post by the president announcing the move. The price of oil fell sharply after the announcement, dropping 14% in a matter of minutes. Traders who bet on the unexpected move would have made money. Some market analysts say the unusual activity opens up the possibility that the bets may have been placed with prior knowledge of the decision. Read more here
24th March 2026