Antigua and Barbuda’s Prime Minister Gaston Browne has confirmed that his administration has kicked off the second wave of free building material distribution as part of a national social assistance initiative designed to support low-income and vulnerable households across the country. The announcement was made during an appearance on the local *Browne and Browne* radio talk show, where the leader detailed the logistics of the ongoing rollout of the support program. “I’m also pleased to announce that we have the second set of our building material here, and we are now distributing those,” Browne told listeners during the on-air address. While distribution operations are already active across most communities, rollout has not yet begun in the two districts of Point and Villa. Browne confirmed that delivery of materials to these two areas will officially commence next week, giving local officials time to complete pre-distribution registration and logistics preparations. To streamline access for eligible residents, Browne urged community members who meet the vulnerability criteria and have not yet applied for support to reach out directly to government representatives to register for assistance. He noted that Housing Minister Rawdon Turner will lead on-the-ground coordination, processing applications and overseeing the final delivery of materials to individual residential properties. “Several of you will approach me and I will send your names to Mr. Turner, Minister Turner, [who will] assist me in delivering the material to your respective homes,” Browne explained. This targeted building material program is just one component of a broader suite of social safety net initiatives that the current administration has rolled out to address persistent socioeconomic hardship across the nation. Browne emphasized that the construction material initiative works in tandem with other existing social programs, including a widely used food voucher scheme for low-income families and a recently launched program that provides free prescription eyeglasses to eligible residents. According to the prime minister, the overarching goal of all connected programs is to directly address unmet needs of residents grappling with financial hardship, and to guarantee that no vulnerable individual or family falls through the gaps of the country’s social support system. “We’re a caring administration and we have these little pockets of poverty and need. We’re trying to fill them,” Browne said. He reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to inclusive support, adding, “He added: “We don’t want anyone to be left behind.” As of the latest announcement, government officials have not released public data on the total number of households expected to receive support through this second round of building material distribution.
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Antigua and Barbuda Delegation Concludes Regional Climate Finance Workshop in Barbados
A four-person official delegation from the Government of Antigua and Barbuda has wrapped up its participation in a high-profile two-day regional climate policy workshop, held from May 28 to 29, 2026 at the Hilton Barbados Resort in Bridgetown. Titled “Prosperity on Our Terms: A Caribbean Agenda for Climate Finance Access and Addressing Loss and Damage,” the event was organized by the Climate Vulnerable Forum and the Vulnerable Twenty Group (CVF-V20), operating under the current presidency of Barbadian Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley. The gathering drew policy representatives from nine Caribbean V20 member states, alongside stakeholders from across the wider CARICOM bloc, with a shared core goal of advancing the region’s ability to secure accessible, adequate climate and disaster risk financing. The Antigua and Barbuda delegation brought together cross-government expertise: Gita Nicholas and Arry Simon from the nation’s Department of Environment, and Carlon Knight and Sheneé Cornelius from the Ministry of Finance, Corporate Governance and Public-Private Partnerships. Over the two days of intensive discussion, delegation members took part in deep-dive technical sessions focused on the major climate finance frameworks currently being advanced by CVF-V20. The opening session delivered a complete breakdown of the evolving post-2025 global climate finance landscape and the CVF-V20 Climate Prosperity Agenda, framing the deep-seated structural financing barriers that disproportionately impact Small Island Developing States (SIDS) like Antigua and Barbuda. Following the opening overview, attendees walked through the details of two flagship CVF-V20 initiatives. The first is the Vulnerability to Viability (V2V) Compact, a four-pillar structural financing program built to tackle the long-term economic vulnerabilities of nations on the frontlines of climate impacts. The second is the CVF-V20 Lifeline Fund, presented by Jwala Rambarran, former Central Bank Governor of Trinidad and Tobago. This fund is designed to deliver fast, trigger-activated liquidity support to member states in the immediate aftermath of a major climate disaster. The workshop also featured a dedicated session on Climate and Disaster Risk Finance and Insurance (CDRFI), led by Isaac Anthony, Chief Executive Officer of the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility (CCRIF SPC). Attendees explored current coverage trends, the challenge of basis risk, and tailored insurance solutions designed to serve micro and small enterprises across the region. Additional technical sessions covered critical topics including dedicated finance for addressing climate-related Loss and Damage, with introductions to the Global Shield against Climate Risks and the formal UN-backed Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage. Delegates also examined strategies to mobilize private sector investment through blended finance structures and expanded access to global carbon markets. Beyond technical discussions, the workshop advanced plans for a new Regional Adaptation Training Hub for the Caribbean, a core component of the $5.3 million USD GEF-UNIDO-V20 Adaptation Support Program. The hub will work to expand Caribbean nations’ access to low-cost climate adaptation technologies and specialized support services. On the afternoon of May 29, the Antigua and Barbuda delegation joined a site visit across Barbados’ coastal and fisheries projects under the ambitious Roofs to Reefs Programme. Stops on the tour included the Barbados Fisheries Division in Bridgetown, the Paynes Bay and Folkstone marine reserves in St. James, and the historic fishing village of Six Men’s in Saint Peter. The on-the-ground visit gave delegates direct insight into community-led fisheries management practices, coastal biodiversity conservation strategies, and marine ecosystem protection efforts—all priorities that align directly with Antigua and Barbuda’s own goals for advancing its coastal and blue economy. On completion of the workshop, the delegation returned with a sharper, more comprehensive understanding of the financing tools and multilateral frameworks available to support Antigua and Barbuda as it continues building out its national climate resilience infrastructure. As one of the nine Caribbean nations represented at the event, Antigua and Barbuda’s participation underscores the region’s unified commitment to advancing a collective voice in the global climate finance negotiation process.
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West Indies Academy Squad Embarks on Development Tour of Sri Lanka
ST JOHN’S, Antigua – A new chapter in Caribbean cricket development kicked off this week as a 16-player West Indies Academy squad departed for a three-week reciprocal developmental tour of Sri Lanka, set to run from June 3 to 27, 2026. The trip will see the next generation of West Indian cricket talent face off against Sri Lanka Emerging Players in a five-match, multi-format series crafted to strengthen the region’s pipeline of elite senior players.
This tour is a return fixture following the Sri Lanka Emerging Team’s 2025 visit to Antigua, where the two sides played a tightly contested split series: the two four-day matches ended with one win apiece, while the West Indies Academy claimed a 2-1 victory in the three-match 50-over leg. The 2026 tour will mirror that 2025 structure, with two four-day red-ball matches followed by three 50-over white-ball contests, offering young prospects an unmatched opportunity to gain high-quality overseas match experience and adapt to Sri Lanka’s challenging subcontinental pitch and weather conditions against a similarly motivated peer opposition.
The squad has been assembled to balance proven potential and fresh opportunity, blending 13 long-time Academy participants with three newly called-up emerging talents. Three current squad members – fast bowlers Johann Layne, Jediah Blades and spinner Zishan Motara – already boast senior international caps for the West Indies, bringing valuable top-level experience to the young group. Two regular Academy players were unable to join the tour: Ackeem Auguste earned a call-up to the full West Indies senior squad, while Carlon Bowen-Tuckett withdrew for personal reasons. Their spots have been awarded to up-and-coming talents Kevlon Anderson, Shaqkere Parris and Johann Jeremiah, who will now get their first taste of international developmental competition.
To bolster the tour’s coaching staff, Guyana Harpy Eagles head coach Ryan Hercules has joined the Academy management team as an assistant coach, adding additional first-class experience to support the development of the young players throughout the trip.
Speaking ahead of the squad’s departure, West Indies Academy head coach Ramesh Subasinghe outlined the core mission of the tour, noting that high-stakes exposure to unfamiliar conditions is one of the most valuable tools for grooming future senior stars. “Our Academy objective is simple: to develop players into the next level of their careers, and tours like this play a key part in that journey,” Subasinghe said. “Sri Lanka has historically been one of the toughest places for West Indian teams to compete. This tour represents the perfect platform to immerse our brightest emerging talent in conditions that will truly test and shape them.”
Subasinghe highlighted the proven impact of these exchange series, pointing to the 2025 home tie against Sri Lanka Emerging that already produced four players who have since graduated to the full West Indies senior men’s squad, with many other participants earning contracts in regional franchise competitions and the Caribbean Premier League (CPL).
Dwain Gill, High-Performance Manager at Cricket West Indies (CWI), emphasized that the tour forms a core part of CWI’s long-term strategy to rebuild and strengthen West Indies cricket by investing in youth. “This tour is an extremely important component of our long-term development pathway programme as we continue to invest in the future of West Indies cricket,” Gill said. “Opportunities like these allow our emerging players to experience competitive international environments, adapt to unfamiliar conditions and further develop the technical, tactical and mental skills required at the highest level of the game.”
The squad will begin their tour in Hambantota, where both four-day matches will be hosted at the Mahindra Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium, with the first fixture running from June 8 to 11 and the second from June 15 to 18. The team will then travel to Colombo for the white-ball leg of the tour, with the first two 50-over matches set to take place at the Sinhalese Cricket Club on June 22 and 24, and the final series match scheduled for June 26 at the Nondescripts Cricket Club. All fixtures will be played under official International Cricket Council (ICC) playing regulations.
Full West Indies Academy Squad: Rivaldo Clarke (Captain), Kevlon Anderson, Ryan Bandoo, Jediah Blades, Giovonte Depeiza, Mavendra Dindyal, Nathan Edward, Damel Evelyn, Amari Goodridge, Johann Jeremiah, Shaqkere Parris, Mbeki Joseph, Johann Layne, Zishan Motara, Kelvin Pitman, Raneico Smith.
Full Tour Management Unit: Don Ramesh Subasinghe (Head Coach), Rohan Nurse (Assistant Coach), Ryan Hercules (Assistant Coach), Shanique Peters (Physiotherapist), Hance Richards (Strength & Conditioning Coach), Clint St. Hill (Manager)
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LISTEN: Unsworn MPs May Not Be Entitled to Salary
A fresh political controversy is unfolding in Antigua and Barbuda, centered on the status of Opposition Leader Jamale Pringle, who remains unsworn in following the April general election. Prime Minister Gaston Browne has broken his silence on the debate over whether Pringle is eligible to receive his parliamentary salary, drawing a clear line between longstanding legal rules and his government’s pragmatic approach to the standoff.
Speaking during his weekly *Browne and Browne* radio broadcast on Saturday, Browne addressed the growing discussion sparked by Pringle’s absence from the first post-election parliamentary sitting and subsequent barring from last week’s special joint parliamentary session. Under Section 48(1) of Antigua and Barbuda’s Constitution, no elected member of parliament may participate in any parliamentary proceedings before they take and formally subscribe to the required oath of allegiance. Pringle, who won his seat in the April general election, has not completed this mandatory step, and the government has stated he must wait until the next scheduled ordinary sitting of parliament to be sworn in.
During the radio segment, the host referenced a landmark Privy Council ruling from a past case in Trinidad and Tobago, a fellow Caribbean jurisdiction, that establishes a clear legal precedent on this issue. According to that ruling, barring extraordinary extenuating circumstances, elected representatives who have not completed the oath of allegiance are not legally entitled to collect parliamentary remuneration for the period before they are sworn in.
Browne confirmed that this precedent aligns with established parliamentary rules, and confirmed that technically, no salary can accrue to Pringle until he fulfills the constitutional requirement of taking the oath. “It has been held that if a member fails to take the oath, that period during which the oath is not taken, that that member of parliament should not be paid,” Browne explained during the broadcast.
But despite affirming this clear legal position, the prime minister stressed that his administration has no intention of taking a hardline petty stance on the issue. “In fact, as far as I’m concerned, you should be paid. But technically speaking, he should not be paid [under the rules],” Browne said. Reaffirming his government’s position, he added, “But again, we’re not being petty. And if they pay him a month’s salary, we will not object to it.”
Browne’s remarks come after he previously defended the decision to block Pringle from participating in last week’s joint parliamentary sitting, a move that stemmed directly from Pringle’s failure to complete the oath requirement. The prime minister’s comments this weekend clarify the government’s stance on both participation and salary, separating the strict constitutional and legal requirements for parliamentary access from the government’s willingness to avoid a petty dispute over salary payment.
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Ezekiel Francois Elected President of National Youth Parliament Association
The National Youth Parliament Association of Antigua and Barbuda (NYPAAB) has wrapped up a robust, participatory electoral process to select its new Executive Committee, marking a fresh transition of leadership for the island nation’s leading youth governance advocacy body.
After a transparent voting process, Ezekiel Francois secured the position of President, bringing a forward-looking agenda focused on amplifying youth voices and strengthening parliamentary-style practice for young people across the country. He will lead alongside three newly seated executive members: Jordyn Roberts, who takes on the role of Recruitment and Mobilization Officer, tasked with expanding youth outreach and growing the organization’s membership; Lorianna Richards, who will serve as Projects and Events Officer, overseeing programming that connects young people to civic processes; and Janiyah Winston, who steps into the role of Financial Secretary to manage the association’s resources and fiscal operations.
In the announcement of the new leadership lineup, the association issued a public statement of gratitude to the outgoing executive team, whose years of commitment laid the groundwork for the organization’s current momentum. Special commendation was reserved for outgoing Immediate Past President Jessica Zouetr, whose strategic leadership and long-term vision significantly expanded NYPAAB’s reach and influence, setting the stage for sustained growth in the years ahead. The association also highlighted the key contributions of two other departing leaders: former Financial Secretary Amelia Williams and former External Affairs Officer Celine Edwards, both of whom advanced NYPAAB’s core mission of youth civic engagement over their terms.
With this leadership transition complete for initial positions, the organization noted that three additional executive roles—Vice President, General Secretary, and External Affairs Officer—will be filled via separate elections scheduled for a later date. Once those results are finalized, the full leadership team will take office to steer the association through its upcoming term, continuing its work to empower young people and foster meaningful civic participation in Antigua and Barbuda.
Across the transition, association representatives emphasized that every past and current member has played a critical role in building a dynamic, impactful youth parliament, and the organization remains committed to expanding its work as it enters this new chapter.
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Colombia kiest tussen rechts en links in tweede ronde
Colombia’s path to a new president has entered a tense new phase, with preliminary results from Sunday’s first-round vote confirming that a June 21 runoff will pit right-wing political newcomer Abelardo De La Espriella against long-serving left-wing senator Iván Cepeda, according to official data from the country’s national registration office.
With over 97% of ballots counted, the gap between the two top finishers narrowed to just a few percentage points, setting the stage for a hard-fought campaign over the coming weeks. The first-round contest centered on deeply divisive core issues: public security, economic policy, and competing populist agendas that have sharply split the Colombian electorate.
De La Espriella, a 47-year-old lawyer who has never held public office, secured 43.7% of the first-round vote. A figure from the political movement Defenders of the Fatherland, he has drawn frequent comparisons to El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele for his combative rhetoric and hardline policy agenda. Positioning himself as an anti-establishment outsider untainted by traditional political careerism, De La Espriella has pledged aggressive crackdowns on illegal armed groups, a plan to construct 10 new maximum-security mega-prisons, and poverty reduction investments in education, healthcare, and housing for Colombia’s most disadvantaged communities. He has also emphasized that his campaign is fully self-funded, rejecting donations from established political parties and large corporate interests. On the campaign trail, he has warned that a Cepeda victory would lock in the controversial economic policies of current left-wing president Gustavo Petro, including a ban on new oil exploration projects that has drawn fierce pushback from establishment politicians and foreign investors alike.
His challenger in the runoff, Cepeda, is a 63-year-old veteran activist and senator from the Historic Pact coalition who captured just under 41% of the first-round vote. The son of a murdered communist leader, Cepeda carries on a long legacy of leftist advocacy in Colombia. Echoing elements of Petro’s current governing agenda, Cepeda supports pursuing peace with illegal armed groups through negotiated dialogue — an approach that has made limited progress under Petro’s current term. His policy platform centers on deep structural reforms to reduce systemic inequality and poverty, including higher tax rates for top earners, the transfer of 1 million hectares of land to victims of Colombia’s 60-year internal armed conflict, and expanded public access to healthcare.
The first round saw low voter turnout, with only a little more than half of Colombia’s 41 million eligible voters casting ballots. This low participation leaves both candidates with a critical opportunity to reorient their campaigns, consolidate support from losing factions, and mobilize disengaged voters ahead of the June 21 runoff. One major casualty of the first round was prominent right-wing candidate Paloma Valencia, who had been backed by former president Álvaro Uribe and was long seen as the leading right-wing contender. She ultimately won less than 7% of the vote, ending her campaign and clearing the way for De La Espriella’s unexpected breakthrough to the runoff.
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Nevis Urged to Remain Prepared Despite Forecast for Less Active 2026 Hurricane Season
As the 2026 Atlantic Hurricane Season officially kicks off on June 1, the government of Nevis is reminding local residents that even a forecasted below-average season does not eliminate the threat of devastating storm damage. In an official address marking the start of the six-month season, which runs through November 30, Honourable Spencer Brand, Minister responsible for Disaster Management in the Nevis Island Administration (NIA), emphasized that just one major hurricane is enough to cause irreversible harm to the small Caribbean island, calling for continued vigilance across all sectors of society.
The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)’s 2026 outlook has painted a relatively mild picture for this year’s storm activity: forecasters estimate a 55% probability of a below-normal season, a 35% chance of a near-normal season, and only a 10% risk of an above-normal season. The projection calls for 8 to 14 total named storms (systems with sustained winds of 39 mph or higher). Of these, 3 to 6 are expected to strengthen into hurricanes with winds of at least 74 mph, and 1 to 3 are predicted to intensify into major Category 3, 4, or 5 hurricanes, which carry winds of 111 mph or higher.
Despite the favorable forecast, Brand stressed that complacency poses one of the greatest risks to Nevis communities. “Notwithstanding the 2026 prediction of a less active hurricane season, we must be prepared for the worst and hope for the best, as it only takes one storm to cause irreparable damage to our island home,” he said. The minister urged all residents to review evacuation routes, update their contact information with local emergency authorities, and treat the annual storm season with the seriousness it demands.
Brand emphasized that effective storm preparation and disaster response depend on a collective, whole-of-society effort to protect lives, secure private and public property, and preserve community stability. He outlined tailored guidance for different groups across the island: for business owners and small entrepreneurs, he advised diversifying supply chains, maintaining emergency stockpiles, and developing contingency plans for disrupted cash flow; for local farmers, he recommended securing irrigation infrastructure, making arrangements to protect livestock, and implementing measures to prevent soil erosion; for individual families, he encouraged crafting a household emergency plan, assembling a well-stocked go-bag, identifying a safe in-home space, and confirming the location of the nearest community emergency shelter.
A full list of officially designated emergency shelters across Nevis’s parishes has been released to the public. In St. Thomas’ Parish, shelters include the Jessup’s Community Centre, Cotton Ground Community Centre, and Barnes Ghaut Community Centre. St. James’ Parish is served by the Franklyn Browne Community Centre, while St. George’ Parish hosts shelters at the Ebenezer Church of God and Charles L. Walters Community Centre. The Pond Hill Community Centre acts as the shelter for St. John’s Parish, and the Girls Guides Headquarters serves St. Paul’s Parish.
Looking ahead to the 2026 season, Brand laid out two core commitments from the NIA’s disaster management team. First, the department will prioritize turning forecast data into actionable public information: it will leverage cutting-edge meteorological data to issue timely alerts, and translate formal warnings into clear, easy-to-follow steps for residents. Second, the administration will center a community-first response framework, which includes strengthening local disaster committees, expanding training for emergency volunteers, and streamlining emergency operations to reach vulnerable populations without delay when a storm threatens.
“Let us face this season with vigilance, compassion, and resolve. By working together, Nevis will emerge stronger, safer, and more resilient,” Brand said. He closed his address by extending formal gratitude to Brian Dyer, Director of the Nevis Disaster Management Department, alongside his full staff, volunteer responders, local and regional partners, and international organizations that have sustained ongoing commitments to keeping Nevis and its residents safe through storm season.
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Senior UWP members publish open letter denouncing calls for their expulsion from the party
Deep internal rifts have erupted within Dominica’s main opposition political bloc, the United Workers Party (UWP), as seven of its most veteran and high-profile members have publicly condemned a coordinated campaign of slander and intimidation targeting their faction. Dated May 31, 2026, the damning open letter carries the signatures of prominent long-time party members and former leaders: Edison James, Lennox Linton, Hector John, Danny Lugay, Francisca Joseph, Ezekiel Bazil, and Rosana Emmanuel.
In the scathing document, the signatories detail ongoing harassment from anonymous social media profiles and political proxies loyal to the UWP’s current party leadership. They have been repeatedly branded with defamatory labels including “troublemakers”, “underminers”, and “washed-up politicians”, according to the letter. Most alarmingly, the group says a recent public demand has been made to forcibly expel them from the party they helped build. They characterize this inflammatory rhetoric as “dangerous and reckless”, warning it directly erodes the foundational democratic principles that the UWP was established upon.
The senior party figures have forcefully pushed back against all accusations of internal sabotage. They reject claims that they are working against the UWP’s interests, backing competing political parties, or blocking the party’s candidate selection process. They further note that many of the signatories voluntarily stepped down from top executive party positions, a move made to eliminate any perception of factional disunity and to allow the current leadership full autonomy to build a leadership team aligned with its own vision.
The letter reaffirms the group’s unwavering commitment to the UWP’s core mission. “We remain fully committed to the success of the United Workers Party because we firmly believe it is the only credible and organized political force capable of providing the people of Dominica with an alternative government,” the statement reads.
The signatories issued a stark warning to party members: the greatest threat facing the UWP is not internal disagreement, but a leadership culture that frames all dissent as disloyalty. Successful political movements, they argue, grow through intentional coalition-building and embrace of diverse viewpoints, rather than aggressive exclusion of opposing voices. To prompt reflection among the party’s broader membership and supporter base, the group posed three critical questions: Is the UWP working to expand its public appeal, or is it shrinking inward through self-inflicted internal conflict? Is it growing its base of support, or driving loyal voters away? Is it strengthening its position ahead of upcoming political contests, or weakening its foundation from within?
Closing the open letter, the group issued a formal appeal for internal reconciliation and a collective return to the UWP’s founding values: open debate, inclusive consultation, and mutual respect across differing viewpoints. “The challenges facing Dominica are too serious, the stakes are too high and the hopes of too many citizens depend on the existence of a strong, united and credible alternative government,” the signatories wrote. They called on all UWP members to reject a political culture of “hatred, intimidation, division and politics built on exclusion and fear”, insisting that the only sustainable path forward for the party is to “add and multiply, not divide and subtract.” A full copy of the open letter is available for public download.
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TTPS steps in to rescue thousands
A sudden industrial action by maxi-taxi operators in Trinidad and Tobago left thousands of travelers stranded in the capital Port of Spain on Wednesday, prompting a rapid, public-spirited intervention from the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) to ferry stranded people, particularly vulnerable groups, safely to their homes.
By 2:30 p.m. that afternoon, TTPS police buses had already begun pulling out of the City Gate transit hub in central Port of Spain, prioritizing women, school children, elderly residents, and people with disabilities for trips to key destinations along the densely populated East-West Corridor, including the major town of Arima. Senior TTPS leadership personally oversaw the launch of the emergency relief operation, with Commissioner of Police Allister Guevarro and Assistant Commissioner of Police (Specialised Support) Brian Soodeen on-site to coordinate logistics and speak with affected commuters.
In an on-site interview, Guevarro explained that the emergency transportation effort was planned from early that morning, after the TTPS leadership anticipated that the protest would leave thousands stuck in the capital. After a morning risk assessment that concluded leaving large crowds of stranded people in Port of Spain overnight would create unnecessary public safety risks, the service mobilized every available police bus to address the gap. “I spoke with ACP Brian Soodeen early yesterday morning, and we mobilized all readily available police buses to help get people home. Right now we have five buses on the road, but I wish we had 50 to meet the full demand,” Guevarro told reporters.
He emphasized that the 2:30 p.m. launch was intentional, timed to coincide with the end of the school day to get vulnerable children and older residents out of the capital as quickly as possible. The operation planned multiple round trips between Port of Spain and Arima throughout the afternoon and evening, with Guevarro confirming the TTPS would continue providing support for as long as the protest disrupted transit services. He also pushed back against any suggestions that the operation exceeded the TTPS’s mandate, framing the intervention as a core part of the service’s mission to serve the public.
“People often think of the police only as law enforcers, but today we are proving that we are here to help the public in any way we can when a crisis arises,” Guevarro said. “This service is completely free to commuters, and we made this decision because it was the right thing to do for public safety. The end justifies the means here. We also made sure to retain enough personnel and resources to respond to any other emergencies across the country while this operation runs.”
Soodeen, who oversaw the implementation of Guevarro’s initiative, added that all drivers and personnel assigned to the operation had received full safety briefings before departing, to ensure every passenger reached their destination without incident. “The Commissioner anticipated the risk of stranded commuters early this morning, so we had time to put this operation in place before the situation escalated,” Soodeen said. “We will continue to provide this support as long as it is needed.”
The emergency response was widely praised by stranded commuters, who described the TTPS’s intervention as a timely, thoughtful solution to an unexpected crisis. Sandra Maharaj, a 68-year-old resident of Sangre Grande who was stuck in Port of Spain when the protest began, said she had been terrified she would be unable to get home, as many local residents do not have private cars or access to alternative private transport. “I have to commend the police for what they did today. When I heard about the protest, I was so worried about how I would get home. A lot of us don’t have cars, and we don’t have relatives who can just drop everything to come pick us up,” Maharaj said. “The officers saw the problem and acted immediately. That meant the world to people like me.”
Russel Thomas, 74, of Arima, said the priority given to vulnerable groups showed the TTPS had carefully planned the response to avoid harm. “People came into Port of Spain for work, medical appointments, business, and suddenly they had no way home. With the daily crime reports we see, I was worried we would see muggings or pickpocketing in the crowd here at City Gate. The police stepped in at exactly the right time,” Thomas said. “Giving priority to children and the elderly wasn’t what everyone wanted, but it showed they had a clear plan to help the people who needed it most. The Commissioner and his officers absolutely deserve credit for this.”
Jeremy, a commuter from St Augustine who declined to give his full name, added that the operation showed a side of the TTPS that the public rarely sees. “We usually see police when there’s a crime, an accident, or during protest operations, so it’s not often positive press for them. But today, no matter what you think of the service, you have to commend them. They saw a crisis developing and acted before it got out of hand,” he said.
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Activists call for June 5 shutdown for Kaia
A grassroots movement demanding accountability for the deaths of Kaia Sealy and Joshua Samaroo is moving forward with plans for a nationwide civil society shutdown on June 5, organizers confirm, despite increased government restrictions and official pushback under a national state of emergency. Leading demonstration organizer Alyssa Phillip has remained unbowed by authorities’ recent efforts to curb public action, including the creation of official no-protest zones by police and her own recent arrest while protesting.
Phillip was taken into custody last Wednesday during a demonstration held outside the Director of Public Prosecutions’ office in Port of Spain, and she is set to appear before a local magistrate to face her charges on the same day she spoke to reporters for this update. In a telephone interview, Phillip made clear that the push for justice has not been silenced by law enforcement action, noting that the movement has adapted its tactics to meet growing restrictions. A silent gathering held in St. James this past Friday, for example, was intentionally structured to symbolize the widespread silence of community members who have not yet spoken out against the injustices at the heart of the campaign.
The core demand of the movement stretches far beyond the individual cases of Sealy and Samaroo, Phillip explained. At its root, the campaign is a fight for fundamental fairness and public trust in Trinidad and Tobago’s national institutions, most notably the country’s justice system. To that end, the June 5 shutdown calls on all members of the national community to opt out of work, school and all routine public activities, and to share their participation on social media to build momentum. This peaceful, low-risk approach was specifically designed to accommodate those who fear repercussions from joining in-person public demonstrations, Phillip added, opening participation to a far broader cross-section of the public.
Phillip also addressed recent public comments from Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, noting that while she holds deep personal respect for the Prime Minister, the movement has been disappointed by what she describes as a lack of meaningful empathy and action on the Sealy case. Most critically, the organization has pushed back hard against the Prime Minister’s recent allegations that the movement has ties to violent criminal activity. Persad-Bissessar recently claimed that opposition lawmakers, union leaders, entertainers and movement supporters were actually backing a plot to unite violent criminal gangs against law enforcement and law-abiding citizens. Those claims grew out of a circulating video that called on rival gangs to end their internal conflicts to push back against a systemic policy of political divide and rule, not to target civilian or state institutions.
In her response, Phillip flatly rejected all claims of gang affiliation for the movement’s leading activists, emphasizing that all residents hold a fundamental democratic right to speak out on public injustice and organize peaceful protest. She also closed the interview by offering public thanks to the high-profile artists who have already added their voices to the movement, including popular soca performer Nailah Blackman, whose public support has helped bring national attention to the campaign’s demands.