NEWS
Miss World Trinidad and Tobago: Pageant industry can boost local tourism
Miss World TT Anna-Lise Nanton thanked her supporters and well-wishers for their support during the pageant process on June 1. She made it to the top 40 in the Miss World 2025 held at HITEX Exhibition Centre, India, on May 31, but did not progress to the top 20. Miss Thailand Suchata Chuangsri was eventually crowned Miss World 2025. Nanton won in the fast-track, head-to-head challenge and also placed in the sport and talent categories. In a WhatsApp message, Nanton told her team and supporters: “Before this group chat closes, I just want to say a heartfelt thank you to each and every one of you for your incredible support throughout this journey. Read more here
Six-year-old among five killed on nation’s roads over weekend
Tragedy struck over the weekend along the Sir Solomon Hochoy Highway, as five people lost their lives in two separate road traffic crashes, including a six-year-old child and her parents, prompting authorities to issue a stern warning about an uptick in reckless driving. “This nice family just gone,” Malanie King-Ramroop told Guardian Media yesterday, as she glanced over her fence to the apartment rented by Steve, Kizzie and Janea Elder. The lower floor of the two-storey property was empty, after all three people died hours before when their vehicle flipped near Claxton Bay close to midnight on Saturday. Villagers of Lakpathia Trace, Las Lomas #1, said they thought it strange the family did not return home on Saturday evening. However, they learnt the horrifying reason why when they woke up the next day to social media videos of the family’s mangled white Hyundai Creta. Read more here
POLITICS
Defence Minister denies involvement in crash
A viral photo uploaded to social media on June 1 of Minister of Defence Wayne Sturge seated in the back of a black SUV, observing a silver Toyota crashed into a culvert, sparked public speculation he might have been involved in the accident. In response, a statement was issued the same day refuting those claims. It clarified that at the time of the incident, Sturge and his security detail were stopped at the traffic light near the intersection of Four Roads and the Diego Martin Highway when two vehicles collided. The statement said the minister’s vehicle was not using sirens or flashing lights at the time. Read more here
Tancoo: Govt committed to building SME sector
Finance Minister Davendranath Tancoo says the Government is committed to the development of the small and medium enterprise (SME) sector, despite what he described as a difficult legacy left by the previous People’s National Movement (PNM) administration. Responding to recent calls from business groups for better support for SMEs, Tancoo said, “The PNM had its way of dealing with SMEs and the economy over the past decade, and some organisations facilitated them. I am grateful that some groups have found their voices now that the PNM is out of office to make demands that should have been made over the past decade.” He said the current United National Congress (UNC) administration has made its position clear on supporting growth across sectors that were “effectively sabotaged” under the previous government. Read more here
BUSINESS
Philip Morris T&T: 2.5m cigarettes unlit since e-product launch
PHILIP Morris Trinidad and Tobago has claimed that since the launch of its VEEV Now e-cigarette in 2023, more than 2.5 million cigarettes have gone unlit in this country, according to internal company estimates. Philip Morris said this is in alignment with its vision of a smoke-free future in Trinidad & Tobago. It said VEEV is a science-based product that eliminates smoke, the primary cause of smoking-related harm, and thereby reduces exposure to the toxic substances found in cigarette smoke. Read more here
REGIONAL
$50B for Region Three farm-to-market roads –as gov’t maps out strategic food production plans for farming districts
RESPONDING to the immediate needs of farmers in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), the government of Guyana has set aside some $50 billion to begin the rehabilitation of farm-to-market roads. This was announced on Sunday by President, Dr Irfaan Ali, during a community engagement with fisherfolk, rice farmers, and cash-crop producers. The President stated that the government is actively crafting strategic food-production plans tailored to the specific needs of farming districts across the country. Specifically for Region Three, an audit is underway to examine the conditions of farm-to- market roads. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Red Cross says at least 21 killed and dozens shot in Gaza aid incident
A "mass casualty influx" of people, many with gunshot or shrapnel wounds, was received at a Red Cross field hospital in southern Gaza, the organisation said, following disputed reports about an incident near an aid distribution centre in Rafah. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said 21 people were "declared dead upon arrival" while women and children were among 179 cases. The organisation's statement came after the Hamas-run civil defence agency in Gaza said at least 31 people were killed and many more wounded in the incident, which it blamed on "Israeli gunfire" targeting civilians. Read more here
2nd June 2025