Barbados-based motorsport organization Bushy Park Motorsports Inc. (BPMSI) has announced a targeted restructuring of its senior leadership team, a strategic move designed to boost preparations for the highly anticipated GT Challenge de las Americas, set to take place at the venue on August 29 and 30. In the executive reshuffle, two-time national champion Neil “Shocky” Corbin has stepped into the role of chairman, while prominent karting community leader Jamal Estwick has been appointed vice-chairman. Corbin, who claimed top honors at the St. Philip circuit in 1998 and 2000 as a competitive Group 3B racer, brings a unique blend of on-track prowess and off-track administrative experience to the new post. After departing from active motorsport leadership several years ago to prioritize his family and professional business commitments, Corbin has maintained close ties to the local racing community, following every development in the sport closely. Now returning to lead the organization, he expressed enthusiasm for reconnecting with longtime colleagues and steering the club into its next chapter. “We have laid out solid, actionable plans to capitalize on the momentum generated by the arrival of the GT Challenge,” Corbin said in a statement following his appointment. “Watch this space for exciting updates as we move forward.” For his part, new vice-chairman Estwick is no stranger to grassroots motorsport development in Barbados. He is one of the founding members of Track Champs Motorsport Barbados (TCMB), a community-focused collective that brings together racing enthusiasts of all skill levels. Over recent years, the group has provided consistent opportunities for new and experienced drivers alike to refine their abilities through regular competitive events hosted at the Bushy Park Karting Experience. In a nod to continuity amid the reshuffle, long-serving Competition Secretary Kurt Seabra will retain his position, while immediate past chairman Sean Maloney will remain on the organization’s board of directors to provide institutional knowledge and transition support. BPMSI officials confirmed that three additional board positions are still open, and the organization will work to fill these roles over the coming weeks as final preparations for the August international event accelerate. The leadership shakeup comes as Barbados gears up to host one of the most high-profile regional motorsport events of the year, drawing competitors and fans from across the Americas to the Bushy Park facility.
作者： admin
-
Cyclist struck by vehicle on Factory Road
A traffic collision involving a cyclist and a motor vehicle has been confirmed on Factory Road, leaving the bicyclist with unspecified injuries. Local emergency response teams were dispatched to the scene shortly after the incident was reported, providing immediate medical attention to the affected cyclist before transporting them to a nearby medical facility for further evaluation and treatment. As of the initial reporting, authorities have not released additional details regarding the circumstances that led to the crash, including the identity of the individuals involved, the severity of the cyclist’s injuries, or whether any traffic citations or criminal charges will be filed. The collision prompted temporary traffic flow disruptions along Factory Road while first responders cleared the scene and conducted an initial on-site investigation, with local law enforcement urging motorists and non-motorized travelers to exercise additional caution when traveling through the area as the investigation into the crash continues. Community members have been reminded to remain alert for vulnerable road users, particularly during peak travel times when visibility can be reduced and traffic volumes are higher.
-
CARICOM Must Accelerate Digital Transformation to Safeguard Competitiveness, Resilience and Sovereignty
Against a backdrop of shifting global digital dynamics and rising economic uncertainty, Grenada Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell has issued a clarion call for accelerated, deeper regional collaboration to drive forward digital transformation across the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). As the Lead Head of Government responsible for Science and Technology within CARICOM’s Quasi Cabinet, Mitchell made his case at the opening session of a gathering of the bloc’s ICT ministers, an event convened around the core theme ‘Accelerating Digital Development to 2030’.
In his opening remarks, Mitchell emphasized that modern digital technologies have transitioned from optional innovations to foundational pillars of lasting economic resilience, robust national security, and inclusive sustainable development across the region. He pointed to the tangible progress CARICOM has already unlocked through collective action, including the advancement of the CARICOM Single ICT Space, formal adoption of the 2025–2030 Strategic Framework for Digital Resilience, and enhanced cross-regional coordination on critical cybersecurity initiatives.
“If CARICOM is to retain its global competitiveness and remain relevant in the 21st century, we must act collectively and strategically to guarantee our region is not sidelined on the margins of the fast-growing global digital economy,” Mitchell told assembled delegates. The prime minister stressed that small island states are particularly vulnerable to the ripple effects of global uncertainty, economic volatility, and shifting geopolitical tensions, making coordinated action non-negotiable as the world updates rules for key digital domains including artificial intelligence, digital trade, and data and internet governance. No individual CARICOM member state can successfully navigate the complex digital transition in isolation, Mitchell argued, noting that coordinated regional action is the only path to collective strength.
“It is time we move decisively from policy discussions to measurable implementation and tangible outcomes to build a unified CARICOM digital economy,” he added.
A key focus of Mitchell’s remarks centered on the transformative potential of artificial intelligence, a technology increasingly recognized as a defining force reshaping the global economic landscape. He noted that AI can streamline public service delivery, boost cross-sector productivity, and catalyze the creation of entirely new industries across the Caribbean. For CARICOM’s small developing economies, AI opens an unprecedented opportunity to leapfrog traditional, slower development pathways. Still, Mitchell cautioned that widespread adoption of the technology must be rooted in core principles of inclusion, public trust, and ethical governance to ensure benefits are shared broadly.
Mitchell also highlighted two under-prioritized priorities for the bloc: expanding investments in foundational digital infrastructure, strengthening cybersecurity systems, advancing digital skills training, and updating regulatory frameworks that can keep pace with rapid technological change, as well as equipping the region’s large youth population with the tools they need to participate and thrive in the growing digital economy. With 60% of CARICOM’s 16 million citizens under the age of 30, investing in youth digital inclusion is critical to unlocking the bloc’s long-term digital potential.
During the three-day meeting, ministers reviewed and formally approved new frameworks covering cross-regional digital cooperation, AI governance, cybersecurity standards, and digital skills development.
Established in 1973 via the signing of the Treaty of Chaguaramas, CARICOM revised its founding agreement in 2001 to enable the creation of a single market and single economy. Today, the bloc counts 15 full member states and six associate members, serving a combined population of roughly 16 million people. Its work is organized around four core pillars: economic integration, coordinated foreign policy, human and social development, and security cooperation. Widely regarded as one of the most successful integration projects in the developing world, CARICOM’s overarching mission is to build an integrated, inclusive, and resilient community driven by knowledge, innovation, excellence, and productivity, where every citizen has equal opportunity to pursue their potential amid guaranteed human rights and social justice, and shares in the bloc’s collective prosperity. The CARICOM Secretariat, the bloc’s central administrative body, is headquartered in Georgetown, Guyana.
-
Wijnerman erkent inconsistenties in begrotings- en schuldcijfers
Suriname’s Minister of Finance and Planning Adelien Wijnerman has publicly acknowledged conflicting numerical discrepancies across three key government fiscal documents: the 2026 national budget, annual financial plan, and national debt schedule. The admission came during Friday’s parliamentary budget debate, after multiple members of the National Assembly raised questions about mismatched spending and revenue figures across the policy papers.
Wijnerman explained that the inconsistencies stemmed from the documents being drafted at separate time points, rather than intentional misreporting. She has committed to updating all conflicting figures and submitting revised versions of the documents to the National Assembly before the second round of budget deliberations gets underway. Government ministers will continue responding to parliamentary questions on Monday, with seven cabinet members having already spoken to lawmakers as of Friday’s session.
The minister laid out the core 2026 fiscal projections to the assembly, confirming that total state revenues are forecast at roughly 65 billion Surinamese dollars (SRD), while total annual expenditures are projected at approximately SRD 77 billion. This produces a projected budget deficit of SRD 12.8 billion, equal to 5.1% of the country’s gross domestic product.
Wijnerman also noted that Suriname’s current debt-to-GDP ratio remains above the legal cap of 60% set by national law. Under recent legislative changes, the country has until the end of 2029 to bring the national debt back down to the 60% threshold. The government plans to meet this target through a combination of scheduled debt repayments, constrained fiscal deficits, sustained economic growth, and prioritizing financing from multilateral and bilateral institutional sources.
For the second half of 2026, the minister projected total debt service obligations will reach roughly SRD 9.8 billion. Around SRD 6 billion of that total will go toward foreign interest payments and principal repayments, while SRD 4 billion will cover domestic debt obligations. Wijnerman added that approximately 19% of the government’s total projected 2026 revenue will be allocated to debt interest and repayment costs.
She clarified that all funds reflected in the current debt plan are tied to previously finalized loan agreements, not new borrowing. The funds are earmarked for program-related spending in the 2026 fiscal year. The updated national debt plan will be submitted to parliament alongside the revised budget documents ahead of the next debate round.
-
Domino team targets success on world stage in DR
One of Barbados’ most ambitious competitive domino squads, De Bajan Travelers, is gearing up to deliver a standout performance at the upcoming FEMUNDO World Domino Championships, scheduled to run from October 28 to November 2 in the Dominican Republic. This annual elite tournament draws hundreds of top domino players from across the globe, with approximately 500 athletes competing across three distinct divisions: individual, four-person team, and pairs play.\n\nFor De Bajan Travelers, competing in high-profile international domino events has become a yearly tradition, rooted in a mission far broader than just chasing trophies. Team president Alicia Harewood outlined the group’s core goals ahead of the 2024 tournament: to grow awareness of 200-style dominoes, encourage new participants to learn the variant, test the team’s skill against the world’s best players, and secure a place on the podium to claim the event’s prize money.\n\nThis year, Barbados will field one of the largest national contingents in the team’s history, a marked shift from 2023 when the squad hosted the tournament and competed with a much smaller roster. Currently boasting 55 registered members, De Bajan Travelers expects all but roughly six members to make the trip to the Dominican Republic, and has added extra participants to bring the total delegation size to an estimated 60 athletes.\n\nTeam vice president Eric recalled the squad’s strong showing at the 2023 tournament, when the small but mighty delegation outperformed expectations to claim multiple top placements. “We took home the individual title, finished second in the four-person team competition, and had three to four individual players rank in the top 12 overall,” Lewis explained. This year, the team is aiming to build on that 2023 success and climb even higher in the rankings.\n\nSending a 60-person delegation to the international tournament requires substantial financial backing, so the team has already launched a series of community fundraising initiatives to cover travel and entry costs. Upcoming events include a three-hand domino tournament kicking off June 29, which will open with four preliminary rounds before moving to an elimination bracket to determine winners, followed by a fundraising cruise scheduled for September 25. Harewood noted that the squad is also actively seeking additional financial support from local sponsors and community partners to help the large contingent reach the starting line in October.
-
COVAB en Streekziekenhuis Marowijne starten samenwerking voor zorgopleidingen
A groundbreaking public health partnership was signed on Friday in Suriname, designed to expand access to local healthcare training and address longstanding staffing gaps in rural regional care. The agreement was formalized by Angèle A. Wallerlei-Kumbangsila, director of EFS College COVAB, and Henk Aviankoi, director of Streekziekenhuis Marowijne (Regional Hospital Marowijne), with Suriname’s Minister of Public Health, Welfare and Labor André Misiekaba in attendance.
For years, Suriname’s healthcare education and clinical capacity have been heavily concentrated in the capital city of Paramaribo, creating a critical shortage of qualified medical personnel in outlying districts like Marowijne. This new collaboration forms a core part of the national government’s policy to decentralize healthcare training, with the explicit goal of improving the resiliency and quality of regional care across the country.
Under the terms of the partnership, students from Marowijne and neighboring districts will now be able to complete their full healthcare training close to home, eliminating the need to relocate to Paramaribo for their education. EFS College COVAB will lead the academic instruction component of the program, while the Marowijne Regional Hospital will serve as an on-site practical training and clinical learning hub for participating students.
Project organizers emphasize that training local students in their home regions significantly increases the likelihood that graduates will remain and work in the area after completing their program. This pattern is consistently supported by global healthcare workforce data, which repeatedly shows that learners trained in their native rural or regional communities are far more likely to build long-term careers in those same underserved areas.
The initiative is expected to deliver a wide range of tangible benefits beyond expanded access. It will boost enrollment of local Marowijne students by removing the financial barriers of long-distance travel and off-site housing costs that have historically prevented many qualified candidates from pursuing healthcare careers. Higher graduation rates are also projected, as students no longer face the added stress of relocation and unexpected living expenses. Over time, the partnership aims to grow the pool of qualified local care workers and create a more balanced distribution of healthcare professionals across the entire nation.
A key infrastructure component of the project is the development of fully equipped distance learning classrooms, which leverage modern educational technology to deliver high-quality instruction without mandatory travel to the capital. By combining local clinical training with connected remote learning tools, partnering institutions aim to make healthcare education more accessible while building long-term, sustainable strength for regional healthcare systems.
Suriname’s Ministry of Public Health has framed the partnership as a critical milestone in building a future-ready national healthcare system, one that integrates academic training, clinical practice, and regional development into a cohesive, community-centered model.
-
Farley promises a smooth transition
The long-awaited opening of Tobago’s upgraded ANR Robinson International Airport terminal has a confirmed opening date, according to top regional official Farley Augustine, Chief Secretary of the Tobago House of Assembly (THA). Augustine shared preliminary details about the milestone project during a press briefing held Wednesday at Scarborough Library, where he addressed growing concerns from local airport concessionaires over proposed high relocation and rental costs.
While Augustine confirmed that a concrete launch timeline has been finalized, he noted that the official public announcement will be made this coming Monday, keeping the exact date under wraps for the short term. A core priority for the THA throughout the transition process has been addressing complaints from small and micro local vendors, many of whom have spoken out against steep proposed space rental fees in the new facility. Some vendors even reported having their applications for commercial space rejected outright, while others pulled out of the process entirely due to cost barriers.
Augustine moved to ease these concerns this week, emphasizing that punitive exorbitant pricing is neither supported by the THA nor aligned with the Airports Authority of Trinidad and Tobago’s (AATT) goals for the new terminal. “I will not support nor do I think it is the intention of the Airports Authority to be punitive in any way or to be extremely harsh in terms of their fees…and so I think with some patience and some time people would be moved into the airport effortlessly,” he told reporters.
To make the transition seamless and accessible for local small businesses, the THA has pledged direct support and dedicated funding for booth and kiosk construction for micro-entrepreneurs. Augustine acknowledged that covering custom build-out costs to meet the new terminal’s design and quality standards would pose a major financial burden for small operators working with limited budgets. That is why the regional assembly is stepping in to cover this work, ensuring local vendors can meet requirements without taking on unsustainable debt.
Earlier on Wednesday, Augustine led a coordinated stakeholder meeting directly at the new terminal site alongside AATT representatives and affected concessionaires. The session included a guided walkthrough of all assigned commercial spaces, designed to answer questions, clarify logistics, and confirm readiness ahead of the official relocation. This on-site engagement is part of a broader series of preparation activities leading up to the terminal’s opening.
In a formal statement released by the Office of the Chief Secretary, officials confirmed the AATT has guaranteed that all existing small and micro-business operators currently working out of the old terminal — including local sweet vendors and other micro-enterprises — will receive the opportunity to relocate to the new facility. Augustine emphasized that this inclusive approach is intentional: the entire transition process is structured to center local enterprise, support small business growth, and ultimately deliver a better, more authentic experience for visitors arriving in Tobago.
-
Burnout worries CoP
Top law enforcement leaders in Trinidad and Tobago are calling for urgent systemic changes to address a growing crisis of chronic understaffing, widespread officer burnout and unaddressed mental health strains across the national police service. Speaking at a press conference held Thursday at the Police Administration Building in Port of Spain, Police Commissioner Allister Guevarro detailed how persistent manpower gaps have stretched the service’s personnel to their breaking point, a crisis that has worsened dramatically since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic six years ago.
Guevarro explained that over the past half-decade, officers have worked almost continuously, repeatedly called on to exceed their regular duty obligations to provide security for a packed calendar of major national events and public gatherings year-round. Even during extended periods of national state of emergency, officers have been required to maintain full public presence during peak holiday and celebration periods including Christmas, Trinidad and Tobago’s world-famous Carnival, and Independence Day observances, placing unrelenting pressure on the existing limited workforce.
This sustained strain is the core motivation behind Guevarro’s long-running campaign to expand the TTPS’s authorised officer headcount. He emphasized that the crisis demands both immediate interventions and long-term structural solutions, rather than the ongoing government delays that have kept the service understaffed.
Addressing widespread reports that officers have been denied vacation leave due to operational demands tied to the current state of emergency, Guevarro clarified that the TTPS has not implemented a blanket ban on leave. Instead, all leave requests are reviewed and approved on a case-by-case basis, a policy designed to balance the force’s operational readiness with officers’ critical need for rest and recovery. “One of the decisions I made, I spoke to the Deputy Commissioner of Police Administration…We have not been restricting vacation leave to officers, even though the state of emergency exists,” Guevarro said. “We are trying to manage the leave of the officers in a manner that will still allow them the opportunity to get that much-needed refresh and reflection.”
The Commissioner’s comments came on the heels of two back-to-back traumatic deaths of serving officers that have rocked the law enforcement community, underscoring the urgency of addressing unmet mental health needs. Last week, one officer was fatally shot in Sangre Grande, and a second officer died in prison custody just days later; Guevarro noted that both tragedies have weighed heavily on TTPS leadership, with investigations still ongoing to clarify the circumstances of the second death. Most recently, a suspected suicide on June 16 left Corporal Yohanis Joseph of the Sangre Grande Police Station dead, and a member of the Inter-Agency Task Force wounded, bringing the crisis into the public spotlight.
These incidents, Guevarro said, reinforce how critical it is to prioritize mental health support for law enforcement. He added that mental health struggles are not unique to policing, cutting across all sectors of Trinidad and Tobago society, urging anyone showing signs of distress to reach out for professional help without delay. The Commissioner also raised concerns about the additional toll that constant public criticism, particularly unregulated attacks on social media, has had on rank-and-file officer morale.
Ishmael Pitt, president of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service Social and Welfare Association and an Assistant Superintendent of Police, echoed Guevarro’s warnings in comments to local outlet *Express* on Wednesday. Pitt renewed the association’s longstanding call for greater investment in officer mental health and stronger protections for work-life balance, noting that the suspected suicide of Corporal Joseph has highlighted the severity of long-unaddressed issues the association has flagged for years.
“We are deeply concerned as to the mental health of our officers. We have been seeing a lot of strange developments recently, and this incident yesterday [Tuesday] emphasises the consistent call we have been making regarding the work-life balance of police officers,” Pitt said. He noted that policing is inherently an emotionally and physically demanding occupation, but officers also carry private personal responsibilities, family obligations and personal struggles that must be accommodated. Pitt closed by urging any officer overwhelmed by personal or professional challenges to reach out for available support services.
-
Annisette ‘shaken’
On a yearly Labour Day march held through the streets of Fyzabad, a prominent Trinidadian justice advocate who has drawn public attention to a fatal police-involved shooting was taken into custody by riot-clad officers mid-proceeding, sparking sharp condemnation from labor leaders and opposition political figures.
Alyssa Phillip, who has organized more than a dozen public demonstrations and vigils calling for accountability and transparency over the January 2025 shooting that left Joshua Samaroo dead and her friend Kaia Sealy injured, was detained around noon on Monday. The encounter unfolded just hours after Police Commissioner Allister Guevarro was photographed publicly greeting Phillip at the Avocat Junction starting point of the march.
Officials from the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) did not immediately release details surrounding the basis for Phillip’s arrest. Eyewitness accounts confirm that at least two dozen officers surrounded both Phillip and her mother, Camille Caresquero, before escorting the pair to a police vehicle. As Phillip was placed into the vehicle, onlookers shouted cries of protest, labeling the arrest “shameful” and a display of institutional overreach.
This arrest marks the second time Phillip has been taken into custody in connection with her advocacy work. Last month, Phillip and Caresquero were arrested during a demonstration outside the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in Port of Spain, where activists gathered to oppose the decision to charge Sealy with manslaughter and firearms offenses linked to Samaroo’s death. Sealy, who had received medical treatment overseas for her gunshot wounds, returned to Trinidad to face the charges. Both women pleaded not guilty to charges of disorderly conduct and violating Section 11(A) of the Emergency Powers Regulations during a Port of Spain Magistrates’ Court hearing earlier this month, and were granted reduced bail.
As of Monday evening, no new charges had been filed against Phillip following the Fyzabad arrest. Local media outlet the Express reports that Phillip told officers she felt unwell after being taken to Fyzabad Police Station, and was subsequently transferred to the Siparia District Health Facility for medical evaluation.
Michael Annisette, general secretary of the National Trade Union Centre (NATUC) and president of the Seamen and Waterfront Workers Trade Union, delivered a blistering rebuke of the arrest to the gathered crowd at Charlie King Junction. Annisette, who was present during the detainment, said “The only crime that she has committed is not a crime, is that she stood up in defence of something she believed in. And if you cannot stand up for what you believe in in this society, then crapaud smoke your pipe.”
He further noted the striking irony of the arrest: “What was ironic to me was that in 2026 someone who stood up for her right, is deemed to be a target of the police. There was no reason; she was doing nothing wrong, she was celebrating, like all workers, Labour Day.” Annisette added that when he approached officers to ask for an explanation of the arrest, he was turned away and told the matter was not his business.
“Today is a sad day for me, as a father, and citizen of T&T to realise that in 2026, we have a police force, who believes that we are still living in the colonial past and therefore they can disrespect a young lady,” Annisette said. “I say to those police officers, ‘time longer than twine’.”
Annisette also claimed that his own daughter was physically pushed aside by TTPS officers to clear the way for Phillip’s arrest, saying “almost 35 police, about two or three of them pushed her aside, then surrounded the young lady who was marching with me. That young lady fearlessly protested the shooting of the young man.”
He called on Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and government officials, who were in attendance at the Labour Day march, to intervene immediately to secure Phillip’s release. “When we voted, we voted for change. The change must be substantial, material, worker-centred and people-centred. We cannot, honourable Prime Minister, live in a society where the police can do whatever they feel,” he said.
David Abdulah, political leader of the Movement for Social Justice (MSJ), echoed Annisette’s calls for clarity, questioning the legal foundation for Phillip’s arrest. “We need to know why she was arrested,” Abdulah stated. “If this were a peaceful march, then there must be a clear explanation for her detention.”
Abdulah emphasized that Phillip and her group remained fully peaceful throughout the march, framing the arrest as a deliberate act of institutional retaliation. “This is a straight case of attempting to intimidate and harass Phillip because she is fearless. The police are scared of her for standing up for justice and speaking out for what she perceives to be wrong in this country,” he said.
Despite the incident, official Labour Day observances continued through the rest of the day as scheduled.
-
Penny: Govt mum on $3.4b HDC ‘fiasco’
A major political firestorm has erupted in Trinidad and Tobago over a canceled $3.4 billion public housing procurement process, with opposition leader Pennelope Beckles demanding Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar immediately dismiss three senior housing ministers and the entire board of the state-run Housing Development Corporation (HDC).
The controversy centers on HDC’s June 17 announcement that it was terminating award proceedings for the massive housing construction contracts, a move that came months after the Office of Procurement Regulation (OPR) ordered a suspension of the process to launch a formal review. The contracts had been provisionally allocated to a group of vendors that included recently incorporated firms with no proven track record delivering large-scale public housing projects, a detail that first raised red flags among opposition critics in mid-April.
In a scathing rebuke of the ruling People’s Partnership (UNC) administration, Beckles condemned the opaque manner in which HDC framed the cancellation, which was listed only under the vague tender identifier RFP No. 050126 – DBF – Portfolio 1. She argued that the vague labeling was intentional, designed to prevent ordinary taxpayers from grasping the full scope and significance of the decision to scrap the award process.
For Beckles, the cancellation itself amounts to an unspoken admission that the original contract awards were improper, awarded under deeply suspicious, corrupt circumstances that reflect poorly on the entire UNC government. With thousands of Trinidadian households struggling with housing insecurity and many on the brink of economic hardship, Beckles said the opposition is committed to holding what she calls a “self-serving, corrupt administration” accountable, and rooting out graft before it becomes entrenched in national governance.
Beckles also slammed the government for failing to address the fiasco during more than 50 hours of parliamentary debate over the previous week, noting that not one government official acknowledged the scandal or addressed widespread public frustration over ongoing failures in the national housing sector. She claimed that the three targeted ministers—David Lee, Phillip Alexander, and Anil Roberts—have delivered no meaningful progress for the housing sector, arguing that Roberts and Alexander have instead focused on launching divisive, vitriolic attacks on the public while turning a blind eye to mismanagement at the HDC, allowing what is now one of the largest public procurement scandals in recent national history to unfold unchecked.
“The UNC can run, but they will have no place to hide. The war Barry Padarath seeks is just starting, and it is against a corrupt Government caught red-handed in the act in less than one year in office,” Beckles said, reaffirming her demand for the immediate dismissal of the ministers and HDC board.
The timeline of the scandal traces back to April, when the OPR ordered HDC to suspend the contract award pending a full review of procurement procedures. HDC has stated that its final decision to cancel the process was made in accordance with Section 33 of the 2015 Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Property Act, following completion of bid evaluations and the end of the mandatory statutory standstill period. As of press time, OPR chair Beverly Khan has not responded to repeated requests for comment on the review, and Housing Minister David Lee told local outlet the Express he would issue a formal statement soon, but had not released any comment as of Wednesday evening.
Speaking in defense of the government, Minister in the Ministry of Housing Phillip Alexander pushed back against corruption claims, insisting that the government’s core target of delivering thousands of new affordable homes to Trinidadian families remains firmly on track, despite the cancellation of the original procurement process. Alexander stressed that the first phase of the planned 3,700-unit national housing program has only been paused, not scrapped entirely, and the government remains fully committed to expanding access to homeownership across the country.
Alexander argued that progress on the housing initiative cannot be delayed indefinitely, noting that pre-vetted developers lined up for the project already have private financing in place to deliver units at no direct cost to the state, and that financing cannot be held in limbo indefinitely. He rejected opposition claims that the program was designed to reward political allies and financial backers of the UNC, contrasting the current process with what he claimed was widespread crony contracting during the previous 10-year PNM administration.
“This is not a friends and financier plan as the PNM did for the entirety of their ten years. All other developers who qualify and have the capacity to deliver within set timeframes and budgets are welcome to tender,” Alexander said.
He reaffirmed that all of the Prime Minister’s housing delivery promises remain in place, and the government’s goal of placing as many families as possible into homeownership during this parliamentary term has not changed. Going forward, Alexander pledged that all future procurement processes for the housing program would meet and exceed the transparency requirements set by national oversight bodies, with the overarching goals of lowering housing costs, improving construction quality, and making homeownership accessible even to low-income households earning minimum wage.
Additional details on the restructured procurement process, including new calls for proposals and tender invitations, will be released to the public in the coming weeks, Alexander confirmed.
The controversy first erupted in mid-April, when former prime minister Stuart Young first raised alarms about the composition of the selected vendors, urging the public to closely monitor how taxpayer dollars are being allocated for the project. Young pointed out that multiple firms selected for the contracts had little to no experience delivering large-scale public housing projects for the HDC, with only a small handful of the awardees holding the necessary industry experience and financial capacity to complete the massive construction work. The proposed allocations ranged from a $1 billion award to Mootilal Ramhit and Sons Contracting Ltd down to a $201 million contract for Adam’s Construction Ltd, across 11 selected vendors.