TTMA IN THE NEWS
It will take time, says Tancoo
Manufacturers continue to complain that they have not received promised value added tax (VAT) refunds in over a year. On Wednesday, at the Trinidad and Tobago Manufacturers’ Association Leadership Discussion and Networking Event held at the Hyatt Regency (Trinidad) in Port of Spain, Gabrielle Agostini, chief executive officer of CGA Ltd, asked Minister of Finance Davendranath Tancoo for a specific timeline on this. Read more here
NEWS
Nurses’ union opens door for discussions with Govt to end sickout; patients complain of long wait for care
Trinidad and Tobago National Nurses Association (TTNNA) industrial relations officer Letitia Stephens says the current sickout action by nurses could be ended if management at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex (EWMSC) in Mt Hope meets with and speaks respectfully with nurses. Stephens says the narrative painted by the EWMSC management is not fair and the main grievance nurses are facing is ongoing staffing issues. “They need to open dialogue and be honest and transparent and speak to the nurses. I think that is where they are failing. If they would speak to them (nurses), reach out to them genuinely and understand what the situation is, we may have that relief coming as soon as possible,” Stephens told Guardian media yesterday, as the strike action dragged on for a third day. “I think that’s where the issue is. I think there is a level of arrogance and ego at play and no one is studying the nurses. I would like to say emphatically, it’s not the association that called this strike.” Read more here
POLITICS
Farley urges Baptists to keep the fire burning
Tobago House of Assembly Chief Secretary Farley Augustine has urged Baptists not to forget their calling in society. He was speaking yesterday during Spiritual Baptist Liberation Day celebrations at the unfinished structure on Baptist Lands, Signal Hill. The event attracted several THA officials, including Deputy Chief Secretary Dr Faith Brebnor, Secretary of Tourism Zorisha Hackett, Secretary in the Office of the Chief Secretary (OCS) Megan Morrison and Assistant Secretary in OCS Nigel Taitt. Former minority leader Kelvon Morris was also in attendance. Augustine said the elders may remember being unable to worship, having to be silent instead of shouting and having to run from police. Read more here
BUSINESS
San Juan open for business amid rapid growth, says MP
The recent and rapid rise in business development in the San Juan area has pleased MP for the area Saddam Hosein. Hosein, while speaking at the ribbon cutting for the new Raw Fitness Health Club at Icon Plaza in Aranguez South, hailed the new shopping area as a “milestone moment” and “landmark development” in San Juan. “I remember when this plaza was going up, I said, I wonder when it will be opened, and it did in record-breaking speed. “We must congratulate all of the directors and owners of Icon Plaza for making this particular facility one of landmark facilities right here in San Juan. They could have chosen any other part of Trinidad and Tobago but they have chosen San Juan, which means that San Juan is open for business,” said Hosein. Read more here
Touchstone advances with Carapal Ridge-3 results
Canada-based Touchstone Exploration Inc says its Carapal Ridge 3 (CR-3) well in Trinidad has been successfully tied into the Central block natural gas facility and was brought on stream on March 28. The well is currently flowing natural gas and condensate as it continues to recover drilling and completion fluids, Touchstone said in a release issued by its Calgary office yesterday. “Since the Central block acquisition, gross natural gas throughput...has increased from approximately 16 MMcf/d to 19 MMcf/d through optimisation, rising further to approximately 21.5 MMcf/d following the startup of CR-3. During the current clean-up phase, CR-3 has demonstrated intermittent peak rates of up to 5.7 MMcf/d during liquid offloading,” it stated. Read more here
REGIONAL
Education, climate resilience and drainage in focus during World Bank talks
The discussions took place during a meeting at State House with outgoing World Bank Country Director for the Caribbean, Lilia Burunciuc, who is on her final country visit. According to a statement from the President’s office, the engagement focused on advancing key sectors central to Guyana’s development agenda, including ongoing efforts to strengthen the education system, enhance climate resilience, and improve drainage and irrigation systems. Among the major projects highlighted was the successful installation of the Liliendaal “bullet” drainage pump, which was a significant intervention aimed at reducing flooding along the coast. It was stated that the US$6 million pump station forms part of a decade-long partnership between Guyana and the World Bank, geared towards building resilience in both urban and rural communities vulnerable to rising sea levels and extreme weather patterns. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
US gas price tops $4 for first time since 2022
The average price of gas at the pump has topped $4 in the US for the first time in nearly four years as the Iran war continues to push up fuel prices. The national average for a gallon of regular gasoline is now $4.02, more than a dollar higher than when the war began, according to the AAA motoring organisation. The price of diesel is also around $1.70 higher. The effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway, for the past month has meant the production and transportation of energy across the Middle East has slowed or stopped entirely. The cost of crude oil, a vital ingredient in gas and diesel, has surged as a result. Read more here
31st March 2026