NEWS
Bandits steal 200lbs of fish, 7 ducks from poultry depot
Bandits broke into a Caroni poultry depot and stole more than $5,000 worth of meat including 200 pounds of fish. The 54-year-old owner of the depot near Washington Roundabout told police he secured the building’s doors with locks and chains and left at around 1.30 pm on August 3. He returned around 8 am on August 4, and saw his depot had been broken into. He checked his stock and realised 200 pounds of Carite fish valued $4,000 was missing along with seven ducks valued $1,500. Read more here
POLITICS
Bharath: US tariffs are a 'wake up call'
Former trade and industry minister Vasant Bharath says the recent decision by the US to impose 15 per cent tariffs on Trinidad and Tobago products entering its market, must serve as a wake up call for this country. In a statement on August 5, Bharath said, “This latest move by the US reflects a continuing trend of protectionism that is reshaping global trade dynamics,” He added, "As a small, open economy that relies heavily on international trade, we cannot afford to be passive observers.” Bharath, who was also a former minister in the ministry of finance, identified several potential areas of concern for TT. One was export competitiveness. Read more here
Former PM Rowley wins land dispute case at Privy Council
Former prime minister Dr Keith Rowley has emerged victorious in a protracted legal dispute with a couple over their long-standing interests in purchasing portions of a large estate in Mason Hall, Tobago. Delivering a judgment yesterday, five Law Lords of the United Kingdom-based Privy Council upheld Rowley’s appeal against Christo and Jocelyn Gift. Lord Andrew Burrows, who delivered the board’s judgment, ruled that two out of three local Court of Appeal judges were wrong to have overturned a High Court judge who had upheld Rowley’s interest in completing the sale of a larger portion of the estate. “Although the majority correctly set out the law on the need for restraint before an appellate court can intervene in respect of findings of fact, the majority did not correctly apply that law,” Lord Burrows said. Read more here
BUSINESS
ExxonMobil tipped for T&T deepwater blocks
US energy giant ExxonMobil’s negotiation for the award of seven ultra-deepwater exploration blocks off the country’s east coast of Trinidad and Tobago is a done deal, according to an international news report. International new agency Reuters said ExxonMobil finalised terms with the T&T government and the agreement is expected to be formally signed next week. It would mark ExxonMobil’s return to Trinidadian waters after an absence of two decades. The report stated, “The newly designated area, renamed Ultra Deep 1 (UD1), encompasses water depths ranging from 2,000 to 3,000 meters and is situated northwest of ExxonMobil’s prolific Stabroek block in Guyana, where the company and its consortium partners have discovered over 11 billion barrels of recoverable oil and gas resources.” Read more here
JMMB flags TT dollar risk amid reserve drop
Although a near-term devaluation of the Trinidad and Tobago dollar appears unlikely due to the negative political signal it would send, the risk is expected to increase over time as the country’s foreign exchange reserves decline, the JMMB Group warned in its latest annual report. JMMB noted that Trinidad and Tobago’s foreign reserves have declined by 54.1%, or US$5.57 billion, between March 2015 and March of this year. “The exchange rate was relatively stable throughout FY 2024, with no change in foreign reserves, contrary to recent trends. At the end of March, the Trinidad and Tobago dollar (TTD) traded at an exchange rate of TT$6.77 to US$1. Despite strong demand from end-users, the Central Bank remains steadfast in preserving the value of the domestic currency, which is one of its key mandates,” it stated. Read more here
REGIONAL
Crab meat processing plant, development of spice industry
To further spur development in several sectors, including agriculture and tourism, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government has outlined a plan that would result in expanded job creation and improved living standards for Region One (Barima-Waini) residents. President Dr. Irfaan Ali, during a public meeting in Mabaruma on Tuesday, highlighted how the region is being positioned as a hub for social, infrastructural and economic development. Talking about a future of building more opportunities, the President pledged that there will be investments to expand river transportation services and air services. This move would see residents, especially farmers, being able to move their goods efficiently. Adding value to local produce and extending shelf-life is also being targeted by the government, as the President announced that there are preparations to create a cold storage facility and a wharf. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Government plans to bring more Gazan children to UK for treatment
Plans to evacuate more seriously ill or injured children from Gaza and bring them to the UK for medical treatment are being carried out "at pace", the government says. The BBC understands the aim is to bring the plan into operation within weeks. It is unclear how many children might be involved, but the Sunday Times reports the government is to allow up to 300 young people to enter the UK to receive free medical care. Some Gazan children have already been brought privately to the UK for medical treatment through an initiative by Project Pure Hope, but the government has so far not evacuated any through its own scheme during the conflict. Read more here
6th August 2025