NEWS
US ‘deeply committed’ to T&T gas future
The US Department of State has confirmed that Secretary of State Marco Rubio will discuss a commitment to developing Trinidad and Tobago’s gas production for Caribbean energy security during discussions with Caricom leaders in Kingston, Jamaica today. However, Rubio will tell Caribbean leaders that the US will not support any further regional dependency on Venezuela. The confirmation came during a US State Department briefing in Washington DC, yesterday, ahead of Rubio’s trip to the region, which will also include visits to Guyana and Suriname. The position laid out by US Special Envoy for Latin America, Mauricio Claver-Caron, has raised more questions on whether the Dragon gas agreement between Venezuela and T&T, supported by a US licence and limited sanction waivers, will materialise...read more
Appeal Court rules buggery illegal in T&T
THE act of buggery between consenting same sex couples have once again been deemed illegal in Trinidad and Tobago by the Appeal Court. It matters not if the act is carried out in the privacy of their own homes, it is still considered to be a criminal offence, which now attracts a term of imprisonment of up to five years. The maximum sentence previously stood at 25 years but was modified by the court. The findings were made on Tuesday evening by two members of a three-judge panel as they overturned a 2018 High Court ruling in which a judge found that sections 13 and 16 of the Sexual Offences Act which criminalises the acts, were unconstitutional...read more
Israel Khan demands Chief Justice resign or be impeached
OUTSPOKEN head of the Criminal Bar Association Israel Khan, SC, has called on Chief Justice Ivor Archie to resign immediately or face impeachment over his handling of the controversy involving former chief magistrate Marcia Ayers-Caesar who was made to resign as a High Court judge. Khan staged a one-man protest outside the Hall of Justice in Port of Spain on March 25, accusing Archie of bringing both the office of the Chief Justice and the office of the President into disrepute...read more
POLITICS
Imbert gets to act as PM again
Prime Minister Stuart Young will travel to Jamaica today where he will hold bilateral discussions with United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio. The talks are expected to focus on U.S. foreign policy and its effect on Trinidad and Tobago and the wider region. Other CARICOM leaders are also expected to travel to Jamaica for bilateral discussions with the US...read more
Stuart stands by Leonce
Prime Minister Stuart Young has come to the defence of Housing Minister Adrian Leonce, who has come under scrutiny from the Opposition over his now-defunct business relationship with a man allegedly linked to criminal networks in the United States, Europe and the Caribbean. Young addressed the issue yesterday while attending the Elections and Boundaries Commission’s (EBC) preliminary examination of nomination papers at the Belmont Secondary School in Port-of-Spain. After participating in the exercise, Young was pressed on Leonce’s alleged ties to a man he had attempted to set up a business with in the UK, before terminating the business when he was made aware that the man was facing a police probe. Young said he was satisfied with the minister’s explanation of the matter...read more
UNC wants probe into Deyalsingh’s distribution of ministry water bottles
The UNC has called for an investigation into the alleged misuse of public funds for political campaigning in Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh’s St Joseph constituency. In a statement, the party condemned the distribution of ministry-branded water bottles and campaign-style cards featuring Deyalsingh in PNM attire to residents of a townhouse complex in St Joseph. “It has come to our attention that these water bottles were part of a Ministry of Health initiative, with Members of Parliament being offered an allocation of 100 each. While Opposition MPs rejected this blatant attempt at electioneering under the guise of public health, Minister Deyalsingh appears to have used his allocation to campaign within his constituency, a clear abuse of state resources,” the UNC said...read more
BUSINESS
PM: Bankers receptive to talks on forex, fees
As Trinidad and Tobago faces ongoing foreign exchange shortages, Prime Minister Stuart Young revealed that bankers have been receptive to discussions on foreign exchange accessibility and solutions to increasing bank fees. His comments came following a meeting with commercial bank leaders and Central Bank Governor Dr Alvin Hilaire at the Office of the Prime Minister on yesterday. Speaking to reporters after visiting friends and relatives at the Debe Islamic Association Masjid, where he broke fast with the Jamaat on Tuesday evening, Young expressed satisfaction with ongoing talks. "This afternoon, I had a meeting with the Central Bank as well as the Bankers Association and the heads and chairmen of various banks. I expressed my sentiments and thoughts on what we need to do to help the average citizen—particularly concerning accessibility to foreign exchange, which is not a huge amount for many average citizens...read more
Boosting Africa-Caribbean connectivity
The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) is willing to finance Nigerian energy company Oando’s lease of the Guaracara refinery in Trinidad and Tobago, according to its acting chief operating officer at the bank’s Caribbean office, Okechukwu Ihejirika. Ihejirika made the comment to Express Business yesterday at Afreximbank’s Caricom office in Barbados. On February 27, during a post-Cabinet press conference, Energy Minister Stuart Young, then acting as Prime Minister in Dr Keith Rowley’s absence, announced that Oando had been selected to lease the Guaracara refinery which was part of Petrotrin...read more
Elevate your Business: Capacity building strategies for T&T SMEs
Capacity building is essential for SMEs in T&T to thrive in today’s competitive business environment. By continuously investing in their capabilities and resources, SMEs can position themselves for long-term success and growth. Georgina Terry-Cowan, a leadership and career expert and entrepreneurial coach, outlines key strategies for success. Many judge a company’s success by its tangible results, such as years in business, employee headcount, profits, brand recognition, awards, and geographical reach. These are all impressive achievements, but true success goes deeper...read more
REGIONAL
US President strips humanitarian parole protection for Haitians, Cubans
United States President Donald J. Trump has revoked the humanitarian parole programme, known as the CHNV programme, for people from Haiti, Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela. “This decision will categorically end the protection and legal status of 530,000 people who arrived in the United States under parole status,” said Murad Awawdeh, president and chief executive officer of the New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC). He said the CHNV programme allowed qualified nationals from these countries to live and work in the US through sponsorship by a US citizen or permanent resident for two years. Awawdeh said the programme will end on April 24, 2025, when those in the programme will lose status and work authorization...read more
Grenada: Authorities intercept cannabis shipment at St George’s port
The Drug Squad and Grenada Customs & Excise Division in Grenada successfully intercepted a substantial shipment of cannabis at the St George’s Port on March 21. Investigators discovered 26 packages of cannabis concealed within a barrel during a thorough search of the port located on Port Highway, Tanteen. The seized contraband weighed approximately 6.83 pounds, with an estimated street value of EC$61,470. James Clarkson, a 56-year-old auto body repairman from Café St George, was arrested and charged with trafficking a controlled substance...read more
INTERNATIONAL
Trump slaps tariff on countries importing gas/oil from Venezuela
SINCE US President Trump announced a 25 per cent import tariff on countries buying oil and gas from Venezuela on March 24, the big question in Trinidad and Tobago is, what does this mean for this country’s exports? While one chamber said the tariffs could have a deleterious effect on TT’s export manufacturing industry, one expert has said the tariffs, like those against countries such as Mexico and Canada, would likely do the US economy more harm than it would to TT's economy. Trump, through a post on his Truth Social platform, announced a “secondary tariff” on Venezuela saying it was in response to Venezuela “purposely and deceitfully” sending tens of thousands of criminals to the United States...read more
At least 24 dead as wildfires ravage southern South Korea
Wind-driven wildfires that were among South Korea’s worst ever have ravaged the country’s southern regions, killing 24 people, destroying more than 200 structures and forcing 27,000 residents to evacuate, officials said Wednesday. The death toll included a pilot who died after a helicopter crashed during efforts to contain a blaze in the southeastern town of Uiseong, one of the hardest-hit areas. The aircraft had no other crew members. Police said that most of the dead are those in their 60s and 70s. Wildfires in South Korea destroyed nearly half of more than 30 structures at an ancient temple. The wind-driven blazes ravaging the country’s southern regions have killed 18 people, destroyed more than 200 structures and forced 27,000 people to evacuate, officials said Wednesday...read more
26th March 2025