The tight-knit fishing community of Barbados is enveloped in collective sorrow this week after the unexpected passing of 38-year-old Dr Shelly-Ann Cox, the island’s first woman and youngest ever Chief Fisheries Officer, who collapsed mid-event Saturday and could not be revived.\n\nCox suffered the medical emergency while presenting an award at a fishing competition hosted in Weston, St. James. First responders attempted on-site resuscitation before rushing her to a nearby hospital, where she was officially pronounced dead. What makes her loss all the more acute for the sector is the extraordinary impact she packed into her relatively short time in the top role, transforming the relationship between government fisheries regulators and the working people who depend on the ocean for their livelihoods.\n\nAcross fishing co-ops, market stalls and boat docks, tributes have poured in from across the industry, all highlighting Cox’s rare combination of academic expertise, hands-on community connection, and relentless drive to modernize and strengthen Barbados’ fishing sector. Moonesh Dharampaul, president of the Black Fin Fleet Co-operative Society, remembered her as a “people’s person” who never let her professional credentials create distance between herself and the fishers and vendors she served.\n\n“Her greatest legacy is how she completely redefined collaboration between the Fisheries Division and our fishing communities,” Dharampaul explained. “Before she took on the role, that kind of partnership was almost non-existent. She genuinely listened to every person in the industry, from boat captains to market sellers.”\n\nDharampaul pointed to a long list of transformative initiatives Cox championed during her tenure. She organized large-scale hurricane preparedness drills for vessel owners, a program that saw participation jump from just 5 boats in 2023 to 40 boats this year. She also advocated heavily for the establishment of a dedicated local fish quality testing laboratory, a critical step to protecting consumer safety and boosting the sector’s reputation. Most notably, Dharampaul emphasized her deep commitment to bringing young Barbadians into the trade, including launching the Young Anglers program in partnership with the Big Game Fishing Association to introduce children to commercial and recreational fishing opportunities.\n\nBeyond infrastructure and youth development, Cox worked tirelessly to raise public awareness of the fishing industry’s outsized importance to Barbados. “She wanted all Barbadians to understand that fishing is a generational wealth industry that binds together so many of our coastal villages and families,” Dharampaul added. “That commitment to public engagement was game changing for us.”\n\nAt the Bridgetown Fisheries Complex on Tuesday, the mood among vendors was quiet and somber, with many describing a gaping hole left by her passing that will be hard to fill. Sharon Bellamy-Thompson, a veteran fish vendor, praised Cox’s unwavering accessibility and dedication to standing up for the industry’s most vulnerable members.\n\n“She would go above and beyond for every boat owner, every fisher, every vendor,” Bellamy-Thompson said. “Right now, we’re all grieving, we’re heartbroken, we’re shocked. She was everything this industry needed. I have never seen anyone like her – she answered every call, showed up to every event, and did everything possible to move us forward.”\n\nAnother vendor echoed that sentiment, noting that the sheer volume of Cox’s achievements made it feel like she had served the sector for 30 years, rather than the few years she held the top role. The vendor specifically highlighted Cox’s quick action in the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl, when she personally traveled around to check in with vendors and ensure every single one had the correct paperwork to access emergency disaster financial assistance.\n\n“She came around and made sure every vendor had the right documents so that they would receive the relief money they were owed,” the vendor recalled. “She was really, truly one of a kind, and she always looked out for our best interests. That’s why every fisher and vendor loved her so much.”’
作者： admin
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COMMENTARY: From Plans to Action: Why Implementation Is the Hardest Part of Strategy
Strategy is often mislabeled as an exclusive concept — a tool reserved only for C-suite executives in corner offices or national policymakers drafting sweeping blueprints. But this could not be further from the truth. At its core, strategy is nothing more than a deliberate plan to reach a defined destination, and it matters for every type of organization across Antigua and Barbuda: from small family-owned diners and community non-profits to local church groups and neighborhood sports clubs. The foundation of any strong strategy, regardless of sector, rests on two core building blocks: distinct goals and measurable objectives.
To clear up common confusion between the two terms, it helps to think of goals as the broad, inspirational long-term vision that guides an organization’s work. For example, a family restaurant in Antigua might set a goal to become the most beloved destination for authentic local cuisine on the entire island. Objectives, by contrast, are the specific, quantifiable incremental steps that turn that big-picture dream into reality. For that same restaurant, tangible objectives could include boosting lunchtime foot traffic by 15% over three months, or rolling out three new locally sourced dishes within a calendar year. This analogy holds for every sector: if a goal is the final destination on a road trip, objectives are the clearly marked mile markers that confirm you are on the right path.
For-profit businesses across Antigua rely on this distinction to grow and retain a competitive edge. Take a small boutique hotel in English Harbour as an example: its overarching goal is to earn recognition as the top boutique accommodation in Antigua. To back that goal, it sets two clear objectives: hit a 90% occupancy rate during the peak tourist season, and collect 200 five-star online customer reviews by the end of the year. These concrete targets give every staff member a shared understanding of what success looks like, and allow leadership to track progress over time. Without defined objectives, the hotel risks drifting without direction, losing market share to more intentional competitors.
Non-profit organizations, while not focused on turning a profit, still need structured goals and objectives to maximize their community impact. Consider a youth mentoring program based in St. John’s: its core goal is to empower young people to achieve academic and personal success. To turn that mission into action, it sets specific objectives: provide free tutoring support to 150 local students in a single year, and launch two new mentorship cohorts by the start of September. These clear targets ensure that limited resources are allocated efficiently, and allow donors to see tangible proof of the good their contributions are funding. Even the most passionately rooted mission can lose focus and traction without defined, measurable objectives.
Even faith-based organizations, which many assume operate without formal planning, see major benefits from embedding strategic clarity into their work. For a local Antiguan church looking to expand its community outreach, a fitting overarching goal is to serve as a reliable beacon of hope and support for every family in the parish. To turn that goal into action, the church sets two concrete objectives: launch a weekly food assistance program supporting 50 local food-insecure families, and grow youth group participation by 40% within 12 months. The biggest barrier here, as with any organization, is turning the plan into action: volunteer capacity is often stretched, funding can be inconsistent, and balancing spiritual core work with administrative organizational tasks poses a constant challenge. Even the most well-intentioned outreach mission will fall short of its potential without a structured, executable plan.
Despite the clear value of intentional strategy, organizations across all sectors struggle to develop and roll out effective strategic plans. Five common challenges derail most efforts:
First, lack of clarity: many leaders mix up the definitions of goals and objectives, or set vague, unmeasurable ambitions such as “be the best” without ever defining what success actually looks like for their group.
Second, overloaded priorities: when organizations try to tackle too many initiatives at once, their focus and resources become spread too thin. A small local non-profit may set 10 ambitious objectives, for example, but only have the staff and budget to deliver on three.
Third, limited resources: money, time, and skilled labor are almost always scarce for small and community-focused organizations, making both planning and execution far more difficult.
Fourth, resistance to change: most people prefer sticking to familiar routines, and new strategic approaches almost always require new workflows and habits, which are often met with hesitation from team members and volunteers.
Fifth, poor communication: even the most brilliant strategic plan will fail if every staff member, volunteer and stakeholder does not understand their role in executing it.
These common pitfalls are the reason so many polished strategic documents look impressive on paper but never deliver real-world results.Industry research consistently shows that between 70% and 90% of all strategic plans fail at the execution stage, not because the core idea is flawed, but because organizations never effectively turn words into action. Writing down goals and objectives is a straightforward task; the real challenge is implementation, and there are four key reasons that execution so often falls short.
First, people: strategy needs collective buy-in to succeed. Every employee, volunteer, and leader has to align their daily work with the organization’s objectives. Change is inherently uncomfortable, and not everyone will embrace it immediately.
Second, resources: even the most well-designed plan will collapse without sufficient funding, time, and skilled staff. Community groups and non-profits are particularly vulnerable to gaps in resourcing that derail execution.
Third, consistency: goals are long-term commitments, but daily urgent distractions from unexpected customer requests to sudden crises can pull organizations far off their planned course.
Fourth, progress tracking: without regular measurement of results, it is impossible to know whether objectives are being met. Many organizations invest time in setting goals but never follow through with regular tracking, leaving them blind to gaps in performance.
To illustrate this, consider a community sports club in Antigua that sets a goal to promote accessible healthy living through recreational sports. Its objectives are simple: host 12 free community sports events per year, and grow total club membership by 30%. Common implementation barriers include busy volunteer schedules, tight funding, and bad weather that forces event cancellations. Without consistent persistence and creative problem-solving, the entire strategy stalls quickly. This is why execution is often called the “graveyard of strategy”: plans look perfect on paper, but messy real-world conditions always test their strength.A strategic plan that never leaves the page is nothing more than a wish list. Real, lasting success comes when leaders prioritize four core implementation practices: clearly communicating organizational goals to every team member, breaking large objectives into small, manageable daily and weekly tasks, celebrating small incremental wins to keep team motivation high, and adjusting plans quickly when unforeseen obstacles arise.
This approach can be compared to sailing, a skill that Antiguan communities have honed for generations: plotting a course on a map is only the first step. The real skill lies in adjusting your sails to shifting winds, navigating unexpected currents, and weathering storms while never losing sight of your final destination.No matter what type of organization you lead — whether it is a small business, a community non-profit, a local church, or a neighborhood club — one truth holds constant: a strategy is only as strong as its execution. Leaders should invest time in defining clear, distinct goals and objectives, but commit even more energy to rolling those plans out. Talk to your team, assign clear responsibilities, and track progress regularly. Antigua needs organizations that do not just dream big, but deliver on those dreams for local communities. It is time to move beyond planning and into action — because the future of our local businesses, charities, faith groups, and entire communities depends on it.
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ABEC Officials Participate in International Workshop on Disinformation, Artificial Intelligence, and Electoral Integrity
On June 17, 2026, the 13th Annual Meeting of Election Management Bodies (EMBs) kicked off at Batumi, Georgia’s Hilton Hotel, bringing together electoral leaders from 20 nations across the globe to address one of the most pressing threats to modern democratic processes: disinformation. Running through June 18, the high-level international forum has drawn a unique participant from the Caribbean region: the Antigua and Barbuda Electoral Commission (ABEC), the only representative from the entire Caribbean among attending delegations. ABEC’s delegation is led by Commission member Alrick Daniel and Public Relations Officer Elisa Graham, who will not only take part in key discussions but also share the twin-island nation’s own experiences in addressing disinformation risks.
Over the two-day summit, delegates will participate in a packed schedule of expert-facilitated dialogues and policy workshops centered on the tangled interplay between information integrity and election administration. The agenda is anchored by two core sessions tailored to unpack the multifaceted disinformation challenge. The first, titled “Electoral Processes Under Pressure: The Influence of Disinformation”, delves into how coordinated false information campaigns can skew voter decision-making, manipulate public opinion, and erode public trust in both electoral institutions and their official outcomes. The second high-priority session, “Disinformation as a Policy Challenge: Mechanisms, Drivers, and Implications”, frames disinformation as a systemic problem that demands coordinated, cross-sector action spanning government agencies, independent election bodies, global technology platforms, civil society groups, and professional media outlets.
For ABEC, attending this global forum is far more than a diplomatic engagement—it is a strategic investment in strengthening the commission’s institutional capacity to protect the integrity of Antigua and Barbuda’s electoral system. By connecting with international electoral peers and accessing the latest research and best practices, the delegation will bring back actionable insights to advance the commission’s ongoing work: from expanding and improving voter education programs to refining strategic communications, rebuilding public confidence, and hardening electoral processes against emerging information threats. In addition to their participation in plenary and breakout sessions, Daniel and Graham will deliver a case study presentation focused on Antigua and Barbuda’s approach to “Architecting Public Resilience against Disinformation”, sharing the nation’s on-the-ground lessons with the global community.
In a joint statement released ahead of the summit, Daniel and Graham emphasized the shifting landscape that modern election management bodies must navigate. “The challenges facing electoral institutions today extend far beyond the traditional administration of elections. Disinformation, rapidly advancing technologies, and the increasing influence of digital platforms require Election Management Bodies to be proactive, informed, and responsive,” they said. “Participation in this conference allows us to learn from the experiences of our international counterparts, examine innovative approaches to protecting electoral integrity, and contribute to important discussions on the future of democratic governance. We look forward to the insights and practical recommendations from these sessions to assist in strengthening public confidence, enhancing voter engagement, and ensuring that our electoral processes remain transparent, credible, and resilient in an evolving information age.”
ABEC has long held a core mandate to deliver free, fair, transparent, and credible elections for the people of Antigua and Barbuda. Engagement in international collaborative forums like the 13th Annual Meeting of EMBs is a key part of the commission’s ongoing commitment to professional development, institutional strengthening, and the adoption of global best practices that advance democratic governance and electoral excellence in the nation.
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Gear boost for students of Belmont Primary
Student-athletes at Belmont Primary School are gearing up for a critical playoff run with new support from a community partnership that is addressing a persistent gap in school sports resources. A collaboration between local community figure Dr. Janal Browne and popular footwear retailer The Athlete’s Foot has delivered approximately 15 pairs of new athletic shoes to the school’s advancing netball team, with more donations planned for other local schools in the coming months. This contribution marks the second consecutive year that Dr. Browne has stepped up to support Belmont Primary’s athletic programs, after providing branded game bibs and new game balls for the netball team last year.
In comments following the handover of the new gear, Dr. Browne explained that his outreach grew from a simple observation of unmet needs in local school sports. “So many local schools have eager young athletes and opportunities to compete, but they often lack the basic equipment and gear required to participate at their full potential,” he said. “That’s why we wanted to build long-term partnerships with Belmont Primary and other campuses across the region, to make sure every student has access to the tools they need to succeed on the court.” In total, the initiative is on track to donate more than 100 pairs of new athletic shoes to student-athletes across multiple local primary schools.
For Belmont Primary, the first batch of donated shoes could not come at a better time. The school’s netball team, made up of 12 Class 3 and Class 4 student athletes, has punched its ticket to the playoff round of the National Sports Council Pedialyte Sport Primary School Netball Competition, one of the largest youth netball tournaments in the region. Shodia Cobham, Belmont Primary’s Information Technology coordinator who also serves as the team’s assistant coach, said the donation has been a huge morale boost for the young players.
Cobham shared that the team entered the tournament with quiet nerves, as many of the student athletes were competing at the state level for the first time. Those early jitters quickly faded, however, as the team put together an undefeated streak through the preliminary rounds of the competition that earned them their playoff spot. “This new gear is such a thoughtful, generous gesture from Dr. Browne and his team, and we could not be more grateful,” Cobham added. “It gives our girls one less thing to worry about as they head into the most important games of their young athletic careers.”
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NODS Staff participate in specialized training on DisasterAWARE Platform
When extreme weather and other hazard events grow increasingly frequent globally, small island nations like Antigua and Barbuda face disproportionate risk to their communities and critical infrastructure. To address this vulnerability, the country’s National Office of Disaster Services (NODS) has taken a key step forward to upgrade its emergency response capabilities, equipping its staff with advanced technical training on a cutting-edge global disaster risk management platform.
Last week, all participating NODS personnel completed a virtual specialized training course focused on DisasterAWARE, a leading decision-support and risk reduction platform developed by the Pacific Disaster Center (PDC). Headquartered at the University of Hawaii, PDC has earned international recognition as a pioneer in advancing science and technology for global disaster risk reduction. The training session was led by Alex Carias, PDC’s Liaison to U.S. Southern Command (US SOUTHCOM), who guided participants through the platform’s core functions and real-world use cases.
Widely adopted by emergency management professionals across the globe, DisasterAWARE currently serves more than 25,000 users worldwide. What sets the platform apart is its ability to aggregate and analyze multi-source data to support proactive hazard management: it delivers real-time monitoring and customized alerting for 28 distinct types of hazards, ranging from natural disasters and biological outbreaks to human-caused events and geopolitical threats. By combining authoritative open and proprietary data sources, cutting-edge impact modeling, artificial intelligence, advanced predictive analytics, and targeted risk intelligence tools, DisasterAWARE enables emergency managers and senior decision-makers to act early, before hazards escalate into large-scale crises that threaten lives, destroy property, and disrupt critical community services.
During the hands-on training, NODS staff gained practical skills to integrate DisasterAWARE into daily operations at the country’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC). A key component of the training focused on leveraging data from Antigua and Barbuda’s 2024 National Disaster Preparedness Baseline Assessment, a project completed in close collaboration between NODS and PDC earlier this year. Trainees learned how to draw on this locally specific baseline data to generate more accurate, context-aware risk analyses that support sound, timely decision-making during emergency events.
Beyond technical skills, the training program centered on tangible, on-the-ground applications for all phases of disaster management: from pre-event preparedness planning and early warning, to on-the-ground response during active crises, to post-disaster recovery and long-term hazard mitigation. By building these capabilities, the initiative directly supports Antigua and Barbuda’s broader goal of strengthening national resilience against growing disaster risk. NODS has reaffirmed its ongoing commitment to continuously upgrade national disaster preparedness, improve operational readiness across all levels of response, and ensure the country always has access to the cutting-edge tools and reliable information required to manage disasters effectively and protect every community across Antigua and Barbuda.
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Attorney General Wants Immediate Licence Suspensions in Fatal Crash Cases
In a historic parliamentary sitting marking the first regular session of the newly elected legislature following April’s general election, Antigua and Barbuda’s Parliament has approved a sweeping overhaul of the nation’s century-old fatal accident legislation, paired with a controversial push for immediate driver’s license suspension for motorists involved in fatal reckless driving collisions.
Attorney General Steadroy Benjamin led the debate over the Fatal Accidents Bill 2026 on Tuesday, framing the reform as a long-overdue correction to a 100-year-old law that no longer aligns with modern road safety and social realities. The outgoing 1924 Fatal Accidents Act, Benjamin argued, failed to provide grieving families with meaningful justice and financial support as they navigate the loss of a loved one.
A centerpiece of the new legislation is the introduction of formal bereavement damages, which grants eligible family members the legal right to seek compensation for the emotional suffering and grief that follows a wrongful death caused by another party’s negligence. Under the original draft of the bill, lawmakers proposed a hard cap of EC$5,000 on these damages — a provision Benjamin publicly pushed back against during debate, calling the sum shockingly insufficient for families coping with the devastating loss of a primary breadwinner or parent.
Following committee stage negotiations, amendments were adopted to raise the maximum bereavement award to EC$20,000 and expand the pool of eligible claimants to include children, alongside spouses, parents, grandchildren and other qualifying dependents. Clause 4 of the original bill was also scrapped before the final vote to approve the legislation.
Beyond the reforms to fatal accident compensation, Benjamin used the parliamentary debate to announce a separate policy priority: he has already instructed legal drafters to craft additional amendments to the nation’s traffic laws that would grant law enforcement the power to suspend a driver’s license immediately at the scene of a fatal collision, when evidence clearly shows the crash resulted from dangerous, careless or reckless driving.
Benjamin criticized the current legal framework for allowing dangerous drivers to remain on the road for months or even years, as lengthy investigations and court proceedings drag on. In those cases, he noted, grieving families are left waiting for justice while the responsible party continues to drive undeterred.
“Wherever a car is used in that kind of fashion and somebody loses his life, clearly licences should be suspended on the spot,” Benjamin told the assembled lawmakers. He emphasized that the entire package of reforms is designed to ensure that families who lose loved ones to negligent driving are not left without legal recourse, and that dependents receive the financial protection they need to move forward after tragedy. The Fatal Accidents Bill 2026 was one of several key pieces of legislation considered during Tuesday’s sitting of the House of Representatives.
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Derde helft 2026: Arnautovic scoort penalty en bezorgt Oostenrijk 3-1 zege op debutant Jordanië
In a rain of late twists and dramatic moments that had fans on the edge of their seats, Austria has secured its first FIFA World Cup win in 36 years, defeating first-time tournament qualifier Jordan 3-1 in a tense Group J clash held in Santa Clara, California on Wednesday.
The match got off to a fast start, with Austria dominating possession in the opening 20 minutes. The European side broke the deadlock with a clinical finish from Romano Schmid, who capped off a smooth, well-orchestrated attacking sequence by slotting a perfectly placed shot into the top corner of Jordan’s net, leaving goalkeeper Yazeed Abulaila with no chance to save.
The second half brought a complete shift in momentum. Just five minutes after halftime, Jordan leveled the score through a blistering counterattack finished by Ali Olwan, who outpaced Austria’s backline and slid the ball past goalkeeper Alexander Schlager. The large contingent of Jordanian supporters packed into the stadium erupted into wild celebrations, as the debutant side proved they could compete with their more experienced opponents.
Austria thought they had retaken the lead in the 69th minute, when veteran striker Marko Arnautovic pounced on a mistake from Abulaila to tap the ball into an empty net. However, a video assistant referee (VAR) review overturned the goal after officials spotted a handball by Austria’s Stefan Posch in the build-up to the chance. Posch would later leave the match with a fractured jaw, leaving his availability for upcoming group stage matches uncertain.
The decisive break finally came for Austria shortly after the second hydration break. A corner from Marcel Sabitzer took an unlucky deflection off Jordanian defender Yazan Al Arab, wrongfooting Abulaila and rolling into the back of the net for an own goal that put Austria back in front. Deep into 12 minutes of stoppage time, Austria won a penalty after Saleem Obeid handled the ball in the box. Arnautovic stepped up coolly to convert the spot kick, setting the final score at 3-1.
Speaking after the match, Austria manager Ralf Rangnick described the contest as a “very intense evening” and praised Jordan’s resilient performance. “They made it extremely difficult for us, but we did enough to deserve the win,” Rangnick said. For Austria, the result marks a historic milestone: the side had not claimed a World Cup win since beating the United States in the 1990 group stage, and had missed out on qualification for the tournament for the previous 28 years.
Despite the loss, Jordan and manager Jamal Sellami had plenty to be proud of, as the World Cup newcomer pushed one of Europe’s solid mid-tier teams all the way to the final whistle. “Nobody expected us to play with this much courage and aggression going forward,” Sellami said. “That was exactly the message we wanted to send to the world.”
Both teams return to action next Monday. Jordan will face Algeria back in Santa Clara, while Austria will take on tournament favorites Argentina, led by superstar Lionel Messi, in the Dallas area. Wednesday’s result puts Austria in a strong position to advance out of the group, while Jordan’s impressive performance has already marked them as one of the tournament’s most surprising debutants in recent memory.
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TTPWU: NOTHING LESS THAN 10%
A recent announcement from Trinidad and Tobago’s Finance Minister Davendranath Tancoo has sparked mixed reactions from the nation’s trade unions, as the government commits to setting aside funds in the 2027 national budget to cover all obligations stemming from ongoing wage negotiations with public sector workers, including nurses and teachers.
Tancoo made the pledge during parliamentary debate Monday, while discussing the government’s request for an additional $2.9 billion in supplementary funding to cover urgent recurrent and capital spending through September 30, 2026. He clarified that the necessary tabulation and quantification of negotiated wage increases will take several weeks or months to complete, making the 2027 budget the appropriate place to allocate for these settled obligations. “Appropriate provisions will be made in the budget fiscal 2027 to meet all obligations settled between now and budget 2027,” he told parliament.
In interviews following the announcement, union leaders have offered a range of responses, with some welcoming the commitment and others expressing skepticism over the extended timeline. David Forbes, general secretary of the Trinidad and Tobago Postal Workers Union (TTPWU), said his organization welcomed the plan, noting that the commitment includes postal workers who have been negotiating back wages for the 2013 to 2019 period. Forbes confirmed that non-cost items in the negotiations are nearly finalized, with the union awaiting cost guidance from the Chief Personnel Officer (CPO). “We anticipate nothing less than 10%,” Forbes said, adding the union’s most recent proposal was for a 12% increase, with a pending job evaluation to be addressed once negotiations conclude.
Forbes added that the announcement was not unexpected, saying the timeline aligned with the government’s fiscal calendar. He also noted that some unions, including the Amalgamated Workers Union and the Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers’ Association (TTUTA), have already accepted a 4% increase. Ahead of the national Labour Day holiday Friday, Forbes called on all workers to participate in the traditional historical march, to honor the struggles of past workers and push for progress. He also shared that Joint Trade Union Movement (JTUM) president Ancel Roget is expected to address the finance minister’s announcement alongside other pressing labor issues — including the planned reopening of the Petrotrin refinery — during the day’s events.
Michael Annisette, general secretary of the National Trade Union Centre (Natuc), echoed Forbes’ positive opening stance, emphasizing that granting workers long-overdue compensation is not just fair, but beneficial for the national economy. “I welcome the idea every effort has been made to give workers their just due. It’s good for the economy. The workers have been patient and continued working assiduously,” Annisette said. He called for the commitment to extend to all categories of public sector workers, noting that outstanding collective agreements should not leave workers waiting a decade or more for resolution. “Workers should be able to recover their purchasing power that was lost. We have to ensure there’s no recurrence of this kind of delay,” he stressed, adding that collective agreements should be settled within their standard three-year term. Echoing International Labour Organisation standards, he added: “People are our greatest resource, and every effort should be made to ensure they are respected and properly remunerated. There must be sustainable growth and sustainable employment.”
Gerard Gordon, president of the Prison Officers’ Association, said the announcement signals the government’s intent to resolve outstanding negotiations quickly. His association is currently preparing a counter-proposal for the CPO, covering the outstanding 2020 to 2022 wage period, and Gordon said the group looks forward to reaching a settled agreement that delivers necessary salary adjustments for correctional officers moving forward.
Not all union leaders have backed the timeline, however. TTUTA president Crystal Ashe rejected the government’s 2027 timetable, pointing out that previous timelines set by the administration have been revised multiple times, questioning whether negotiations will stretch all the way to the end of the current government’s term. On the other hand, Idi Stuart, president of the Trinidad and Tobago National Nursing Association (TTNNA), said his organization welcomes the announcement and will consult its full membership on the proposed timeline for salary adjustments.
As of Wednesday, attempts by reporters to reach Ancel Roget, Public Services Association president Felisha Thomas, and Transport and Industrial Workers’ Union president Shawn Roberts for comment were unsuccessful.
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Rowley denies knowledge of T&TEC list
A bitter political dispute has erupted in Trinidad and Tobago after sitting Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar exposed an internal ‘protected’ list at the state-run Trinidad and Tobago Electricity Commission (T&TEC), triggering fierce pushback from top figures of the opposition People’s National Movement (PNM), including former Prime Minister Keith Rowley. During a Monday address to Parliament, Persad-Bissessar revealed the names of high-profile individuals included on the list, which prominently featured Rowley, Opposition Leader Pennelope Beckles, multiple former PNM government officials, and the PNM Tobago Council. The Prime Minister noted the controversy came to light during a government review of operational issues tied to Flavorite Foods Ltd, a firm chaired by ex-PNM treasurer Andre Monteil. She also pointed out a striking omission: no current ruling United National Congress (UNC) politicians appear on the list, implying the roster was curated by PNM-affiliated officials during the previous administration. In a jab at the opposition, she joked that the PNM should launch a GoFundMe campaign to settle their outstanding power bills. The opposition has responded with unanimous, scathing denials of any improper favoritism, challenging the Prime Minister’s claims point by point. Former Prime Minister Rowley, who leads the PNM, flatly rejected any knowledge of the special list, even posting photographic evidence of his most recent electricity bill for his private Goodwood Park residence to prove he has no outstanding arrears. In a public Facebook statement, Rowley emphasized that he and his wife consistently pay all power bills on time for all their properties across Trinidad and Tobago, and he has never requested nor accepted any special exemptions from standard T&TEC billing processes. ‘For the benefit of those who have been misled by your leader, I hope you can read what I said and also decipher the T&TEC bill with particular reference to Payment of April 15 and Net Arrears of 0.00,’ Rowley wrote. ‘I repeat: I am UNAWARE of any list. For those who take that as proof, then please accept my sympathy.’ Marvin Gonzales, the opposition chief whip and former public utilities minister under the PNM administration, has also pushed back hard, labeling Persad-Bissessar’s claims a ‘wicked and monstrous lie’. Gonzales acknowledged that T&TEC does maintain an internal database of high-profile customers including sitting and former government ministers, judges, and foreign diplomats, but clarified the list serves only one procedural purpose: to alert senior T&TEC staff to reach out directly to the customers if their accounts are flagged for potential disconnection or other unusual account activity. Crucially, Gonzales stressed that the customers on the list have no knowledge their accounts are flagged, and the process is entirely internal to the commission with no political interference from outside officeholders. ‘I can personally say for a fact that no one in T&TEC informed me that my account was flagged in this manner and I have consistently paid my bills before and after holding ministerial office,’ Gonzales said, publicly authorizing T&TEC to release his full billing records for the past decade to prove his claims. He accused the Prime Minister of irresponsible fearmongering, arguing she deliberately selectively named only former PNM-affiliated customers while omitting UNC-aligned figures, non-political judges, and other high-profile customers on the list to score political points. He slammed Persad-Bissessar for abusing parliamentary privilege to spread falsehoods and wage a campaign of ‘politics of hate and revenge’ against the opposition. Other senior PNM figures have echoed these criticisms, uniformly denying knowledge of the list and framing the controversy as a deliberate distraction from the current government’s failures to address pressing national issues. Opposition Leader Beckles called Persad-Bissessar a ‘desperate woman grasping at straws’ who is hiding the UNC government’s inability to solve the country’s core problems by manufacturing a fake scandal. ‘Her actions yesterday paint a sorry picture: that of a Prime Minister cowering behind parliamentary privilege and trying to distract the population from the glaring fact that the UNC is unable to address the real issues affecting Trinidad and Tobago,’ Beckles said, adding that she has always paid her utility bills on time and has never needed special protection. Former PNM senator Renuka Sagramsingh-Sooklal echoed the distraction claim, noting that the real issue demanding public attention is the ongoing controversy over the old $100 Trinidad and Tobago dollar banknote, not her personal power bill. Former education minister Nyan Gadsby-Dolly dared the Prime Minister to release public evidence that she has failed to pay her bills, dismissing the entire scandal as the ‘lamest’ political distraction she has ever seen. Former national security minister Fitzgerald Hinds compared the UNC government’s focus on the list to a nationwide public health epidemic, saying the administration prioritizes political chaos over governing the country. Former sport minister Shamfa Cudjoe-Lewis added that she always pays her bills on time and maintains a credit balance on her account, calling the controversy ‘wicked, worthless and weak’ political theater that will not fool the Trinidad and Tobago public.
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PNM MPs walk out during House debate
A major political uproar unfolded in Trinidad and Tobago’s House of Representatives late Monday night, when all opposition lawmakers from the People’s National Movement (PNM) staged a coordinated walkout mid-debate, cutting short proceedings on the 2026 fiscal year supplementary budget to protest controversial behavior by ruling United National Congress (UNC) Leader of Government Business Barry Padarath.
The mass exit came at approximately 10:19 p.m., moments after Padarath took the floor to deliver his remarks on the Supplementation and Variation of Appropriation bill. In an official post-walkout statement, the PNM outlined its grievance: last Friday, Padarath allegedly photographed a parliamentary audio technician, an act the party frames as deliberate intimidation against a neutral parliamentary staff member.
Parliament, the PNM emphasized, is an independent, nonpartisan institution, and its technical and administrative staff must be able to carry out their core duties free from harassment, intimidation, or partisan pressure. The party called Padarath’s conduct “wholly unbecoming” of a senior parliamentary leader and labeled it a clear abuse of his authority as government business leader. Days after the incident, the opposition added, the ruling UNC has offered no apology, no expression of remorse, and no public recognition of the seriousness of Padarath’s actions.
Instead of addressing the concern, the PNM claims the government has escalated the conflict, with Prime Minister even publicly endorsing Padarath’s behavior. The opposition went further, revealing it has received unconfirmed information that the alleged pattern of intimidation may extend beyond parliamentary staff, even reaching members of Padarath’s own ruling caucus. In an open call, the PNM urged any lawmaker who has experienced bullying, coercion, or intimidation connected to the incident to step forward with information.
The PNM stressed that it could not in good conscience continue participating in formal parliamentary proceedings while the individual it holds responsible for the intimidation incident led government business in the chamber. The party reiterated its two core demands: a full, independent criminal investigation into Padarath’s conduct, and immediate removal of Padarath from his post as Leader of Government Business by the Prime Minister.
Far from being cowed by the mass walkout, Padarath pushed back aggressively against the opposition and its leader Pennelope Beckles, opening his scheduled remarks by accusing the PNM of abandoning its core legislative responsibility to the Trinidad and Tobago public. Padarath pointed out that parliamentary proceedings began at 10:30 a.m. Monday, and nearly 12 hours after the gavel fell, Beckles had still not taken part in the budget debate. He added that he had spoken privately with Opposition Chief Whip Marvin Gonzales, who indicated the opposition was prepared to end the debate prematurely.
Padarath defended the commitment of his own UNC caucus and the two sitting Tobago MPs, noting that the ruling party lawmakers would not walk away from their obligation to represent public interests and debate the proposed supplementary spending. “We are not lazy, we are not incompetent and we will not be silent,” he said, adding that the government was prepared to fully account for its performance and the budget adjustment request before the chamber.
In a direct rebuke of Beckles, who represents the Arima constituency, Padarath said: “You big, you bad, you bold outside there, you in every vigil, you in every protest, but now having been given the opportunity to stand in the gap for the people who elected you to do so, the member for Arima in her typical lazy, laissez-faire approach towards contributing to this House.” Lone remaining opposition MP Keith Scotland quickly raised an objection to the description of Beckles, prompting the Speaker to order Padarath to revise his language.
Padarath doubled down on his criticism of the PNM in a social media post published Tuesday, writing: “The PNM is useless inside the Parliament as they are outside the Parliament. They can walk out as often as they wish, however that will not deter the UNC from exposing them and their proxies.” He noted that the chamber sat continuously from 10:30 a.m. Monday through 12:45 a.m. Tuesday debating the mid-year fiscal review, yet the opposition leader still had not delivered any remarks. “I will not be used by the PNM to distract from their racist, divisive and disgusting attacks. They wanted to know who I am at war with, well let’s make it clear to them, I am at war with the PNM and their waste, mismanagement and corruption.”
For his part, Padarath has previously pushed back on the original intimidation claim, arguing that the microphone technician had intentionally muted the microphones of ruling party lawmakers — a practice he says dates back to when the current UNC government was serving in opposition. The incident has deepened an already sharp partisan divide in Trinidad and Tobago’s legislature, casting uncertainty over the timeline for approval of the 2026 supplementary budget.