TTMA IN THE NEWS
Double Scoop: Half Moon wins TTMA Micro Manufacturer title again
For the second consecutive year, Half Moon Vegan Ice Cream has been named Micro Manufacturer of the Year by the Trinidad and Tobago Manufacturers’ Association. Founded in 2021, the company has quickly established itself as a leader in innovative, plant-based frozen treats. Owner Kimberly Salloum shared her journey with Express Business, saying the business was born out of a personal need. “I’m lactose intolerant, and at the time, I couldn’t find a dairy-free ice cream in Trinidad that still felt like the real deal, especially not in our local flavours. So, I started making my own coconut milk from fresh local coconuts and experimenting with flavours in my kitchen,” Salloum told Express Business. Read more here
NEWS
Caesar's Army head on PM's stadia ban: The show must go on
Uncertainty continues to surround Carnival 2026 as two more popular venues have been banned from hosting fetes, but one popular event producer is remaining positive, declaring that thousands of patrons are counting on TT to deliver the greatest show on earth. On November 18, the Prime Minister announced that the Hasely Crawford Stadium (HCS) and Jean Pierre Complex in Port of Spain will not be allowed to host fetes for the majority of the season. She said there will be a nine-day window for fetes at these venues, from the Thursday before Carnival Monday until the Saturday after, but events must begin no earlier than 12 noon and end promptly at 10 pm. This follows the news on November 12 that the Brian Lara Cricket Academy (BLCA) in Tarouba will no longer hold parties. Read more here
US warships spotted off T&T coast
A US news crew filming down the islands (DDI) near Trinidad recorded two American naval vessels moving through the narrow channel between Trinidad and Venezuela. ABC News correspondent Matt Rivers was on a fishing boat down the islands when the team observed a destroyer and an amphibious assault ship east. The vessels were too distant for identification, according to the report. Independent satellite analysts later offered more detail. SA Defensa, an unofficial account tracking naval activity, posted imagery from the European Space Agency’s Sentinel-2 identifying an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer and a San Antonio-class landing platform dock in the Gulf of Paria. The account said both ships were positioned off the coasts of Trinidad and Venezuela and in proximity to the USS Iwo Jima, which it placed north of the area. Read more here
POLITICS
Moonilal hits 'alarmist' Rowley: Paria not for sale
Energy Minister Dr Roodal Moonilal has fired back at former Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, accusing him of generating propaganda and creating mischief as a strategy to announce his re-entry into the political arena. Moonilal claimed Rowley is positioning himself as a counter to a “very weak” opposition leader, Pennelope Beckles. Moonilal also made it clear there has never been any discussion regarding the sale of Paria Fuel Trading or its assets. “We have always spoken about reopening the refinery, and therefore that matter does not arise,” he said in a series of WhatsApp messages on November 18. “In 2019 the PNM government had put out an RFP (request for proposal) for the sale of Paria and then went sheepishly and embarrassingly and pulled it back.” Moonilal said, reflecting on Paria’s issues in 2019. Read more here
PSA pushes for rehiring of contract workers; HDC defends dismissals
While the Public Services Association is pushing for the reinstatement of 26 employees whose contracts were not renewed, the chairman of the Housing Development Corporation is defending the move, saying the workers were “surplus to requirements.” Calling the HDC a “sick cow”, Chairman Feeroz Khan said it is “riddled with ticks” and must be allowed to heal. The workers were assigned to a subsidiary of the HDC, which is the Housing Development Corporation-Construction Company Limited (HDC-CCL). Guardian Media understands that although the workers’ contracts had expired, many had been “informally” assured that they would be renewed. Some employees, whose contracts ended as far back as July 2025, continued working and receiving full pay, with no written indication that their contracts would not be renewed. Read more here
BUSINESS
Moonilal welcomes tariff removal, Young dismisses Govt’s contribution
Energy Minister Dr Roodal Moonilal yesterday welcomed the United States’ decision to remove the reciprocal tariffs on fertilisers, potentially strengthening T&T’s manufacturers of ammonia, urea and Urea Ammonium Nitrate (UAN). On November 14, 2025, United States President Trump signed an executive order to reverse his April 2 directive that had imposed a 15 per cent tariff on nitrogen and phosphate fertilisers previously listed under Annex II of Executive Order 14257. This would allow T&T to once again benefit from duty-free access for key fertiliser products, including anhydrous ammonia, urea, and UAN. On Friday, Trump signed an executive order that also removes tariffs on tea, fruit juice, cocoa, spices, bananas, oranges, tomatoes and certain fertilisers. Read more here
Why small businesses in T&T need a stronger village to thrive
Small and micro-businesses are the heartbeat of Trinidad and Tobago. They are the corner-shop legacies, the side-hustles turned livelihoods, the service providers who keep our systems moving, and the innovators who see possibility long before others can. Yet behind the courage and creativity of our entrepreneurs lies a truth we don’t talk about enough: small businesses are expected to carry too much, with too little support, for far too long. Read more here
REGIONAL
Guyana pledges manpower support, 200 roofs for hurricane ravaged homes in Jamaica
President Dr Irfaan Ali has announced that Guyana will mobilise manpower, materials, and other critical resources to help provide roofs for 200 Jamaican homes damaged by the passage of Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica. The Guyanese Head of State, alongside other Caribbean Community (CARICOM) leaders, toured sections of western Jamaica on Monday to witness first-hand the destruction left behind by the Category Five hurricane. He was accompanied by regional and local officials, including Jamaica’s Prime Minister and current CARICOM Chair, Dr Andrew Holness. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Epstein files bill to be sent to Trump after approval from Congress
Both chambers of US Congress have agreed to order the US justice department to release its files on late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved the measure in a 427-1 vote. The Senate said it would pass the bill before it officially received it. President Donald Trump must ultimately sign off the measure, which he has said he will do. He recently reversed his position and urged fellow Republicans to vote to disclose the records, following pushback from many of his supporters. Read more here
19th November 2025