Carib Scope

博客

  • Matthews: Important points still at stake in final ODI

    Matthews: Important points still at stake in final ODI

    West Indies Women’s national cricket team will enter the decisive third One Day International (ODI) against Ireland at Bready on Wednesday with a clear goal: lock in a full series sweep. Leading the charge is captain Hayley Matthews, who recently etched her name into West Indies women’s cricket history over the weekend at the same ground.

    In the second ODI on Sunday, Matthews put on a masterclass with the bat, smashing a 94-ball century to secure back-to-back hundreds — a first for any West Indies Women’s player in ODI history. She was joined at the crease by star all-rounder Stafanie Taylor, who notched an unbeaten century of her own. The pair’s historic batting partnership guided the Caribbean side to a six-wicket series-clinching win, putting the visitors 2-0 up in the three-match series ahead of Wednesday’s decider.

    Speaking after the victory, Matthews expressed that while the series win was a critical early milestone, the team remains focused on collecting full points to climb the ICC ODI rankings. “Series win, obviously super important, so I’m glad we could get that out of the way. At the same time, I think we came here and the points were definitely a priority,” she said. “It’s really good that we were able to get four so far with the first two wins, but there are still really important points to play for in our last match. Hopefully we can get two more on the board, and get ourselves climbing up that ladder.”

    Despite her red-hot form with both bat and ball, Matthews emphasized that team success takes priority over personal milestones ahead of the third match. When asked about the prospect of chasing a third consecutive century, the captain said she is focused on process rather than individual results. “Hopefully, look I try not to focus on the result too much, but just go through the process once again. I’m doing what I need to do and hopefully the result at the end of the day is something good,” she stated.

    Taylor, who delivered the match-winning knock in the second ODI, echoed her captain’s team-first mindset and opened up about the camaraderie that has powered the side’s early success. “I always enjoy batting with Hayley. We both understand each other when we’re out there and we support each other, because we know how each other plays. It’s always easy to bat with her,” Taylor said.

    During her unbeaten century, Taylor quietly passed a personal milestone: she became the first player to surpass 500 ODI runs against Ireland, a milestone she did not even realize she had hit until after the match. She also recalled the lighthearted moment that led to her pushing for a century in the final overs of the run chase, when West Indies needed just 11 runs to win and Taylor was stuck on 90.

    “Well for me with 11 runs (for victory) and I needed ten, I just, I said to Minnie, I don’t care about 100, I just don’t want to train tomorrow. I need a break from training, so as long as we get over the line, it means that we’re not gonna train,” Taylor explained. “But she said to me, no, you have to get your 100… I said, all right, I’m gonna try and then I, I heard the players in the dugout, they were cheering and backing me to have a go. I said, all right, I’m just gonna have a go and if it comes off, it comes off. And yeah, it did.”

    With momentum firmly on their side, the West Indies side will look to cap off their successful tour with a third straight win on Wednesday.

  • Trident ID for BIMpay payments ‘eventually’

    Trident ID for BIMpay payments ‘eventually’

    Barbados’ push toward a more integrated, inclusive digital financial system hit a new milestone this week, as Central Bank Governor Dr. Kevin Greenidge outlined the next stage of development for the country’s month-old BiMPay instant payment platform. In a press briefing Monday, Greenidge confirmed that once the platform’s first rollout phase wraps up successfully, the central bank will move to connect the BiMPay digital e-wallet directly to the national Trident ID card, a secure chip-and-PIN identification document launched nationwide in 2023.

    The first phase of the BiMPay rollout is currently focused on integrating all of Barbados’ licensed financial institutions and three major credit unions into the platform’s network, a foundational step that must be completed before work on the second phase can accelerate. Beyond Trident ID integration, the second phase will also see the central bank partner with the national government to fully onboard all public sector agencies, while opening the platform up to additional private financial firms and fintech companies to expand the scope of available services for Barbadian consumers and businesses.

    Greenidge emphasized that the central bank’s immediate priority is refining the platform’s core functionality and supporting its steady, sustainable growth, with two overarching strategic goals: expanding financial inclusion to bring unbanked and underbanked Barbadians into the formal financial system, and deepening the country’s financial product ecosystem to match the diversity of options available in more established global markets.

    “When that integration is complete, a wider range of advanced financial services will be accessible to Trident ID holders, leveraging the card’s built-in security features that already cut counterfeit risk and grant access to government services from anywhere in the world,” the governor added.

    This multi-phase rollout marks a key step in Barbados’ broader digital transformation of its financial sector, with officials expecting the integrated BiMPay-Trident system to streamline everyday transactions, reduce administrative friction, and attract new fintech investment to the island nation.

  • Party Monarch comeback a hit, but changes coming, says Archer

    Party Monarch comeback a hit, but changes coming, says Archer

    After a six-year hiatus, the iconic Party Monarch competition has made its triumphant return to Barbados’ annual Crop Over festival – but government officials have signaled that major changes are still ahead to secure the cultural staple’s place for future generations.

    Senator Shane Archer, Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office with oversight over Youth and Culture, who is leading the government’s management of this year’s festival, announced that a full sector-wide review is already planned to modernize the competition and reinforce its long-term relevance and financial sustainability.

    Sunday’s sold-out Party Monarch Finals drew massive public support, marking the first iteration of the contest since it was put on hold in 2019. Thousands of festival-goers packed the National Botanical Gardens to watch the live performances, while hundreds more tuned into digital streams to follow the event from home.

    Archer emphasized that the decision by the current Mottley administration to revive the competition has already been vindicated by the overwhelming public response. “I’m very satisfied with both the turnout and the quality of performances across the board, especially after such a long break,” he said. “Bringing back Party Monarch was absolutely the right call for our government and our culture.”

    The turnout, Archer noted, confirms that the competition remains a deeply beloved part of Barbados’ cultural identity and a core highlight of the Crop Over calendar. “Thousands of people showed up in person to support the event, and hundreds more joined online, proving that there is still huge public demand for this key part of our festival, and our broader cultural landscape,” he explained. “Beyond the numbers, we’ve brought the conversation about Party Monarch back to the forefront, and restored a platform that many creatives and fans thought was lost for good. The quality of this year’s performances makes it clear how much extraordinary talent we have in our local creative sector, and the public’s reaction was far more encouraging than even we expected.”

    Despite the overwhelmingly successful comeback, Archer stressed that the revived competition is still a work in progress, noting that systemic changes are needed to bring the event in line with modern expectations. “This is just the first step in the journey to rebuild Party Monarch,” he said. “We know that we have to restructure key elements of the competition to modernize it, and to make sure it can thrive for decades to come.”

    Following the February 11 general election that returned the Mottley administration to power, Archer took on day-to-day responsibility for the Crop Over festival. He confirmed that the government will conduct a full audit of every aspect of the competition, hold wide-ranging consultations with creative stakeholders, industry partners and community members, and implement targeted improvements to keep the contest financially viable and aligned with the evolving direction of Barbadian cultural expression.

    Archer added that this year’s successful return has already laid a strong foundation for future improvements. “Overall, bringing Party Monarch back has been a clear success, and that gives us a solid base to keep building on moving forward,” he said.

    Sunday’s finals closed on a high note when local performer Mikey Mercer made history by claiming both the Sweet Soca Monarch and Power Soca Monarch titles with perfect scores from the judges, capping off the comeback event with a high-energy finish that delighted the crowd.

  • High-Speed Chase Ends in Crash and Arrests Following Reported Swetes Home Invasions

    High-Speed Chase Ends in Crash and Arrests Following Reported Swetes Home Invasions

    A string of burglary incidents targeting residential properties in the quiet village of Swetes has concluded in a dramatic high-speed police pursuit, a vehicle collision and the capture of multiple alleged intruders, details of which have emerged from accounts shared by a local resident connected to one of the targeted homes.

    The break-in at the first resident’s home unfolded shortly before 12 p.m. on Monday, when the intruders gained forced entry by damaging the deadbolt lock on the property’s back door. At the time of the incursion, one of the homeowner’s adult daughters was alone inside the residence. According to the account, the suspects immediately confronted the young woman, demanding that she hand over all available cash and gold jewelry before making their escape. Stolen from the home was a small sum of 165 Eastern Caribbean dollars, as well as an Apple iPhone, the resident confirmed.

    In the days following the incident, the homeowner discovered that their property was not the only one targeted that day. At least two additional residences in the Swetes village area were hit by the same group of intruders, and one neighbor has since publicly confirmed that their home was also robbed in the coordinated string of break-ins.

    Law enforcement moved quickly to track down the alleged perpetrators, and later that same evening, officers located the suspects and initiated a high-speed vehicle chase through populated areas of Swetes. During the chaotic pursuit, the suspects, who were traveling in a silver sedan, lost control of their vehicle and crashed into a residential perimeter fence. Attempting to evade capture, the group abandoned the wrecked car and fled the scene on foot into nearby vegetation, but responding police officers were able to quickly surround and apprehend all suspects involved.

    As of the latest updates, official sources within the local police department have not yet released an official public statement confirming the details of the reported break-ins, the chase, or the subsequent arrests. The resident connected to the first targeted home, who has spoken publicly about the incident, expressed profound relief that their daughter escaped the terrifying encounter without any physical injury. They have also issued a public appeal to all members of the Swetes community, urging anyone who holds additional information that could assist local police with their ongoing investigation to reach out to law enforcement authorities immediately.

  • SVG, India sign MoU on public health advancement

    SVG, India sign MoU on public health advancement

    On July 10, in Kingstown, the capital of St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG), a landmark public health cooperation agreement was signed between the Caribbean island nation and India, marking a new milestone in bilateral health engagement and expanding India’s growing health partnership with the broader Caribbean Community (CARICOM).

    The signing ceremony saw Daniel Cummings, SVG’s Minister of Health, Wellness, Environmental Health and Energy, join Subhash Prasad Gupta, India’s High Commissioner to SVG, to formalize the memorandum of understanding (MoU), which codifies both nations’ shared commitment to advancing global public health through collaborative expertise exchange and harmonized regulatory frameworks.

    As outlined in an official press statement issued by India’s High Commission in Suriname, a core provision of the new agreement is SVG’s official recognition of the Indian Pharmacopoeia. This regulatory alignment is expected to deliver widespread practical benefits: it will simplify cross-border import procedures, streamline product registration processes, and strengthen quality assurance protocols for Indian-made pharmaceutical goods entering SVG. Ultimately, these changes will make it far easier for SVG residents to access affordable, high-quality generic medications that meet international safety and efficacy standards.

    Beyond regulatory cooperation, the MoU opens the door for SVG to adapt and implement a program modeled after India’s successful Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) initiative. Launched by the Indian government, PMBJP operates a network of dedicated outlets across India that provide low-cost generic medications to millions of people, particularly those from low-income and marginalized communities. Replicating this model in SVG would create a sustainable infrastructure for expanding affordable access to essential medicines across the Caribbean nation.

    The partnership is rooted in India’s longstanding global health philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, which translates to “the world is one family.” This vision aligns closely with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, which prioritize universal access to affordable healthcare and the promotion of well-being for all people across the globe. The agreement also forms part of a broader set of health cooperation commitments that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has outlined for CARICOM, highlighting India’s ongoing efforts to expand equitable health access across developing nations through south-south cooperation.

  • Ministry’s state land review raises bigger questions about housing

    Ministry’s state land review raises bigger questions about housing

    A government-led audit of recent state land allocations in St. Vincent and the Grenadines has ignited widespread public debate, pushing discussions of housing policy and land governance to the top of the national agenda. The review, which focuses specifically on parcels distributed in the lead-up to the 2025 November general election, was launched to assess whether these allocations aligned with existing regulatory frameworks and core principles of fair distribution.

    According to the nation’s Minister of Housing and Land Management, the ongoing audit has already uncovered several irregularities across the allocation process. These include multiple parcels granted to a single individual, repeat recipients who still have unfulfilled financial or legal obligations tied to earlier land grants, and allocations that failed to prioritize low-income and vulnerable households identified as the most in need of state support. The minister has emphasized that the review is not designed to seize land from rightful, eligible beneficiaries, but rather to formalize and regularize existing arrangements, urging qualifying recipients to complete their documentation through the official Housing and Land Development Corporation.

    Beyond the individual cases under review, the audit has opened up broader, far-reaching questions about how small island developing states like St. Vincent and the Grenadines, which face extreme constraints on land and public finances, can build a housing system that is equitable, transparent, and responsive to both current and long-term population needs. The core takeaway from this ongoing discussion is that meaningful housing reform must start with robust, accountable land governance.

    For any nation, and particularly small island states with limited territorial space, land is one of the most precious and finite public resources. Decisions around how state land is distributed do not only impact individual recipients — they shape national development trajectories, social equity outcomes, and public trust in government institutions. Because of this, transparent allocation protocols, accurate and up-to-date beneficiary records, clearly defined eligibility criteria, and consistent enforcement of land agreements are non-negotiable components of an effective national housing strategy. When these systems are weak, limited public resources fail to deliver on their intended goals, leaving the most vulnerable groups excluded from access to affordable land and housing.

    This analysis frames strengthened land governance not as a separate policy priority, but as the foundational bedrock of meaningful housing reform. The current public debate also highlights a longstanding gap in how global housing policy outcomes are measured: for decades, success has been primarily judged by the number of homes built or parcels allocated. While these metrics are not irrelevant, they only paint a partial picture of a housing policy’s impact.

    Housing is far more than the physical structure of a building. A property becomes a stable home only when it is paired with secure land rights, access to critical infrastructure, proximity to employment opportunities, connected to quality education, healthcare, and public transport, and embedded in functional, connected communities. The true value of housing lies not in the structure itself, but in the security, opportunity, and improved quality of life that it enables for households and communities. This perspective has increasingly become the consensus in international housing policy discourse.

    Global organizations including UN-Habitat have long argued that governments cannot solve national housing crises through large-scale construction alone. Instead, sustainable housing solutions require governments to build enabling regulatory and institutional environments that empower households, community groups, financial institutions, private sector developers, and international development partners to collaborate on inclusive, long-term solutions. This approach is especially relevant to the unique context of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

    The nation is still progressing through recovery and reconstruction efforts in the wake of Hurricane Beryl, while navigating structural challenges shared by many small island developing states: limited fiscal capacity, exorbitantly high construction costs, scarce availability of suitable developable land, and growing exposure to climate-related natural hazards. Under these conditions, large-scale, publicly funded housing programs alone will never be able to meet growing national demand for affordable housing. A more sustainable, resilient model requires integrating effective land administration with climate-resilient construction practices, innovative housing financing mechanisms, incremental incremental incremental incremental incremental housing solutions, and strategic cross-sector partnerships.

    As such, national housing policy must be understood as a core component of a broader, interconnected national development strategy. It is inextricably linked to land management, disaster risk reduction, urban planning, economic opportunity, and social inclusion. The role of strong governance in this process cannot be overstated. International development partners increasingly prioritize not just a country’s documented housing needs, but also the strength of its domestic institutions, the transparency of its administrative processes, and its capacity to manage public resources effectively. Robust governance builds public and donor confidence, and increases the likelihood that limited public investments will deliver lasting, equitable benefits for communities.

    Viewed through this broader lens, the current state land review presents far more than an opportunity to resolve individual allocation irregularities. While individual cases will require appropriate administrative action in due course, the larger, more transformative opportunity is to strengthen the institutional systems that govern access to land and housing for future generations of Vincentians.

    Ultimately, the success of a national housing policy should not be measured only by the number of parcels allocated or homes constructed. The more meaningful, far-reaching measure is whether public policy creates inclusive communities where all residents hold secure land rights, have access to essential public services, can access stable livelihood opportunities, and possess the resilience to withstand future climate and economic shocks. If the current review sparks a sustained national conversation about how to integrate land policy, housing development, and broad-based national development, it will have achieved a purpose far beyond resolving individual allocation disputes.

    For St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the core challenge is not simply building more housing units. It is building a lasting housing system that is fair, transparent, climate-resilient, and capable of supporting the long-term well-being and property ownership aspirations of all Vincentians.

    *Disclaimer: The views expressed in this analysis are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the editorial position of iWitness News.*

  • Prisons boss sent on leave over Hadeed ‘special treatment’

    Prisons boss sent on leave over Hadeed ‘special treatment’

    A high-stakes scandal has rocked the Trinidad and Tobago prison system, resulting in the immediate suspension of the nation’s top prisons commissioner and a second senior official over explosive allegations that a wealthy businessman held on charges of plotting to assassinate top government leaders was granted special, rule-breaking privileges not available to other detainees.

    Homeland Security Minister Roger Alexander has publicly confirmed the disciplinary action, confirming that Commissioner of Prisons Carlos Corraspe and the unnamed senior official were placed on paid administrative leave after a formal complaint was filed by the country’s Prison Officers Association (POA). The allegations, laid out in a detailed letter dated to last Friday from POA General Secretary Lester Logie, center on Dominic Hadeed, a 52-year-old businessman currently detained under a Preventive Detention Order (PDO) at the Golden Grove Prison over accusations he conspired to kill Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and other senior government officials to destabilize the nation.

    Logie’s letter, which was copied directly to both the prime minister and Alexander, outlines a litany of unauthorized privileges that multiple uniformed prison officers witnessed Hadeed receiving, in direct violation of longstanding security protocols for detainees held under preventive detention. Among the most notable of the unapproved benefits was access to watch 2026 FIFA World Cup football matches on television, a perk not extended to any other detainee held under the same type of detention order. Other privileges included private table visits that are not permitted for this category of detainee, unsupervised movement inside the Golden Grove Prison Administration Building, access to the facility’s outdoor airing yard after the mandatory 8:30 p.m. curfew, and the assignment of a full-time dedicated Prison Officer II solely to Hadeed.

    The complaint also notes that Hadeed’s wife Genevieve, 42, who is also detained at the Golden Grove Women’s Prison on the same conspiracy charges, was spotted meeting with Hadeed inside the restricted administration building, a further breach of facility rules. Compounding the inequity, Logie pointed out that the reassignment of a Prison Officer II to Hadeed has left the death row unit at the Port of Spain Prison severely understaffed, despite the division’s critical operational needs. The letter also highlights a separate, contradictory case where another maximum security detainee was denied medically approved care by the commissioner’s office, reinforcing what Logie called a clear pattern of unequal treatment.

    Beyond the fairness of the system, Logie emphasized that the preferential treatment has already created significant safety risks for frontline prison officers. Resentment over Hadeed’s special status has spiked tension among the general detainee population at the Golden Grove Remand Prison, where detainees have openly complained of discriminatory treatment. Logie revealed that this agitation has already escalated to direct threats against officer lives: one detainee told a senior superintendent he was arranging to have officers killed after observing the favorable treatment Hadeed received. Logie recalled past fatal attacks on officers that stemmed from perceptions of unfair treatment inside the facility, including the murder of a superintendent who refused to smuggle contraband into the prison for an inmate.

    These unauthorized arrangements, Logie argued, undermine fundamental security protocols, erode public and detainee confidence in the fairness of the prison system, and expose all uniformed staff to unnecessary, avoidable risk. In his letter, Logie called for urgent corrective action: a formal commitment to equal treatment for all preventive detention detainees, strict re-enforcement of existing security rules around detainee movement, access and visits, and immediate action to correct the dangerous staffing imbalance at Port of Spain Prison’s death row division. The POA, he added, expects swift intervention to stop further erosion of institutional discipline and protect officers working under increasingly dangerous conditions.

    Local news outlet the Express, which first broke the story, confirmed that within days of the letter being submitted, Corraspe and the second senior official were placed on immediate leave. When contacted by reporters for comment, Alexander confirmed he had reviewed the official complaint, adding that family members of other detainees had also submitted separate complaints about the unequal treatment. When reached by phone for comment, Corraspe declined to address the allegations or the disciplinary action, telling reporters only, “I have no comment to make concerning these matters, please.”

    To contextualize the case, Dominic Hadeed, his wife Genevieve, and Genevieve’s 69-year-old maternal aunt Star Sabga were taken into custody in late June under emergency powers granted to the government. The PDOs authorizing their detainment, signed by Alexander, cite intelligence confirming the trio is part of an active conspiracy to murder senior government leaders and incite violent instability across the country. Genevieve Hadeed’s detention order specifically references public calls for the assassination of Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar. The couple was arrested at their private residence in Westmoorings on June 24, while Sabga was taken into custody the following day and is currently being held alongside Genevieve at the Golden Grove Women’s Prison.

  • 13,000 sign petition against AI data centres

    13,000 sign petition against AI data centres

    Just days after the government of Trinidad and Tobago unveiled plans to build two large-scale artificial intelligence data centres, widespread public anxiety over the projects’ environmental footprint and strain on national utility systems has sparked a rapidly growing grassroots campaign to suspend development until full public consultation can be held. The petition, hosted on change.org, targets two proposed facilities: a 300-megawatt centre developed by Ernst & Young LLP, and a 150-megawatt AI infrastructure and data hub from Hummingbird AI Holdings LLC that could eventually expand to 500 megawatts. Within 24 hours of its launch, the petition had gathered more than 8,500 signatures, and that number surged past 13,000 in the following 24 hours.

    The government’s announcement of two memoranda of understanding for the projects comes amid a global boom in AI investment, where major international technology firms have poured billions of dollars into new AI-related infrastructure. Morgan Stanley analysts project that total global spending on data centres by tech companies, governments and their partners will hit nearly $3 trillion by 2028, driven largely by the race to develop Artificial General Intelligence and improve digital user experiences. But this global construction wave has already drawn fierce international pushback: several U.S. states have even called for temporary moratoriums on new data centre development over sustainability concerns. Trinidad and Tobago’s government has framed the projects as an economic opportunity, projecting they could create up to 5,000 local jobs.

    The petition was launched by Syam Nath, a bioacoustician and conservation researcher with extensive experience in underwater ecological studies. Nath is raising alarms over the massive water and energy demands of hyperscale data centres—facilities operating above 20 megawatts, which rely on enormous volumes of fresh water for their cooling systems. The petition calls for all development work to be paused until independent, comprehensive assessments of environmental impacts, water resources, and existing infrastructure are completed and released for full public review.

    In an interview with local outlet the Express, Nath explained that he launched the petition in response to ongoing state of emergency restrictions that limit public protest, creating a need to document widespread public concern formally. “A lot of people were upset and there was a reaction from people not knowing what the next step was. I am very glad that I did this, and for it to get this response,” Nath said. “Everybody is really riled up. We need to try something and at least we have these names. The Government may underestimate the people but we have a few thousand names and they may see that we are not going to be taken for fools.”

    Nath’s concerns extend beyond water scarcity to threats to local marine and aquatic ecosystems, many of which host already endangered species. As an underwater researcher, he noted that construction and operation of the data centres could put both human communities and marine life that depend on local water supplies at severe risk. Endangered freshwater species, echolocating animals such as dolphins and manatees, already face mounting threats in Trinidad and Tobago’s waters, and data centre operations could push vulnerable populations closer to extinction. “I do know our dolphins already have fungal infection only found in dolphins and humans. In the Gulf of Paria they already have this and everything washes off into the water. My main concern is the environmental effects from chemicals and pollution. The liquid that cools these centres is possibly going to wash off into the ocean,” Nath explained.

    He also highlighted the noise pollution generated by large data centres, which can radiate into surrounding aquatic environments and disrupt the echolocation that fish, dolphins, and even local bat and bird populations rely on to navigate and communicate. This noise disruption would also negatively impact the quality of life for nearby human communities, he added. Of particular concern is Trinidad and Tobago’s small remaining manatee population, which numbers only around three dozen individuals and depends on connected river systems that could be contaminated by runoff from the data centres. “We need to look at the bigger picture of the environment and assess what’s happening. We need to know everything about where the water is going to go and where it is going to come from,” Nath said, calling for full transparency before any construction proceeds.

    Local residents have widely criticized the government for failing to publicly disclose details of the data centres’ planned water usage. Most large data centres use open-loop evaporative air cooling systems, which are extremely water-intensive. The Environmental and Energy Study Institute, a U.S.-based non-profit focused on climate and energy issues, reports that a medium-sized data centre can consume up to 110 million gallons of water annually for cooling—equal to the annual water use of roughly 1,000 households. The largest hyperscale facilities can draw up to 5 million gallons of water per day. For context, Trinidad and Tobago’s total national water production in 2024 is estimated at just 240 million gallons per day.

    Barry Padarath, Trinidad and Tobago’s Minister of Public Utilities, has pushed back on these concerns, stating that the country has sufficient utility capacity to meet the data centres’ demands without disrupting residential water access. When asked for further details on the exact water and electricity requirements of the projects, Padarath confirmed that a cross-ministerial working group was established by the Cabinet months ago to outline project requirements. He added that the group has already mapped out both short-term and long-term utility provisions for the projects, and said he was not aware of any widespread public backlash against the development.

  • Threats for Guevarro’s daughters

    Threats for Guevarro’s daughters

    Law enforcement agencies in Trinidad and Tobago have launched an urgent investigation after explicit threats were made against the family of the country’s top police official, in a separate incident, a sitting cabinet minister is also facing a documented assassination plot that authorities are already probing. The disturbing sequence of events began last Saturday, when police received an emergency call through the E999 emergency response line. According to internal police sources, the caller was unable to contact Commissioner of Police Allister Guevarro directly, and issued a chilling warning that they would instead target Guevarro’s two adult daughters if their demand to speak to the commissioner was not met. Immediately after the threat was received, the call was marked as high-priority, and specialist investigators from the Cyber Crime Unit were brought in to trace the origin of the call and identify the perpetrator behind the threats. On Monday, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Administration) Junior Benjamin publicly addressed the situation during an interview with the Express, emphasizing that the entire Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) stands unwaveringly behind its leader and will not be cowed by attempts at intimidation. “We certainly do not take kindly to threats, especially threats made to our Commissioner of Police, his family, any officer or any citizen, and we will do what is absolutely necessary to deal with the situation decisively, and we will deal with it in accordance with the law… the full brunt of the law,” Benjamin stated. “The TTPS stands firmly behind its Commissioner, and officers would not be intimidated, by such actions, from performing their duties.” Minister of Homeland Security Roger Alexander also spoke to reporters yesterday from his constituency office in Tunapuna, confirming that he was aware of the threats against Guevarro’s family, and expressed full confidence in the TTPS’s ability to bring the investigation to a successful conclusion. While he declined to disclose sensitive operational details of the ongoing probe, Alexander framed the threats as an indicator that the national police force is making meaningful progress in cracking down on criminal activity, that is pushing desperate criminal elements to lash out. “It is clear that something positive is happening in this country, and criminal elements are doing what they can to disrupt it,” Alexander added. Beyond the threats targeting Guevarro’s family, Alexander also confirmed that investigators are already probing separate alleged threats against Public Utilities Minister Barry Padarath. Earlier reporting from the Sunday Experience has detailed claims that a former government minister offered a $250,000 payout to a hired individual to assassinate Padarath. Padarath first went public with the threat in December 2025, saying he was contacted by the head of Special Branch, who arranged a formal meeting to inform him of the planned plot against him. Following that briefing, police advised Padarath that his personal security detail would be strengthened, and Special Branch would carry out a full security evaluation to address any vulnerabilities. The minister told reporters at the time that he was shocked by the revelation of the assassination plot, but made clear that the threat would not stop him from carrying out his official duties to the public. Alexander confirmed yesterday that law enforcement moved quickly to address the threat against Padarath as soon as it was brought to his attention, stressing that the incident is treated with the highest level of urgency. “The ministers and I speak every day, and if something comes to my attention that needs urgent attention, it will be dealt with. It happens to the minister, it can happen to the public. So, yes, a lot of communication took place. And it is necessary that it should be done now because of what we have unearthed. It is very serious,” Alexander said.

  • PM: Data centres won’t drain water and power

    PM: Data centres won’t drain water and power

    Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has pushed back against public criticism of a landmark series of multi-billion-dollar US-backed investment projects, dismissing opponents’ concerns about strains on the nation’s water and electricity supplies and defending the initiatives as a transformative opportunity for economic growth.

    Last week, the Trinidad and Tobago government signed three memoranda of understanding (MOUs) with US-based entities that lay the groundwork for major developments across the technology and industrial sectors. These projects include the construction of large-scale data centres, new artificial intelligence infrastructure, and the restart of the idled iron and steel plant at Point Lisas, with preliminary estimates projecting the creation of more than 5,000 new jobs across all initiatives. If completed, the 300-megawatt primary data centre would rank as one of the largest digital infrastructure projects in the entire Caribbean, dramatically boosting the country’s cloud computing and digital capacity.

    Speaking to local outlet *Trinidad Express* in response to growing public pushback – which has included a public petition opposing the developments – Persad-Bissessar called on critics to abandon what she termed their unfounded high-handed opposition, arguing that objecting to the projects before full proposals are released is premature. She emphasized that all projects are 100% funded by private sector investors, with no public expenditure required, and are designed to create new employment opportunities while diversifying Trinidad and Tobago’s historically energy-dependent revenue base.

    To address widespread claims that the data centres would drain domestic water reserves managed by the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA), the Prime Minister outlined detailed water use plans tailored to each of the five shortlisted potential sites: Picton Estate near Debe, the former Usine Ste Madeleine sugar factory, Brechin Castle, Point Lisas, and an additional parcel of land adjacent to the Beetham Water Treatment Plant. For the Picton Estate site, all non-potable water would be stored in purpose-built on-site ponds, while the Usine Ste Madeleine and Brechin Castle locations will expand existing pond infrastructure to supply water needs. If the Beetham site is ultimately selected, the facility would exclusively use treated wastewater. All water used by the centres will be recycled through a closed-loop system, Persad-Bissessar confirmed, meaning no potable water will be drawn from the public WASA supply network. She also added that none of the shortlisted sites are currently inhabited, so no local residents will be displaced to make way for construction.

    On the energy side, the Prime Minister clarified that government subsidies will not cover the electricity or natural gas consumed by the projects, though the sites will be designated as Special Economic Zones to encourage investment. Formal facility design plans are still pending regulatory approval, and final financial negotiations with relevant state-owned enterprises are yet to be completed, she noted.

    In sharp criticism of opponents who have framed the projects as environmentally harmful, Persad-Bissessar pointed to widespread ongoing littering and illegal dumping across the country as a far more pressing environmental threat. “Every river and drain is filled with plastic and tyres, most streets and highways have litter on the sides, illegal dumping occurs indiscriminately and all our recreational sites and beaches are strewn with litter,” she said. “The citizens of our country are responsible for that, not any outside group. So when citizens want to get on a high horse about protecting the environment they should look at how the country is a dump and understand why it’s hard to take their objections seriously.”

    Breaking down the three signed MOUs, the first agreement pairs the government with Ernst & Young LLP to build out a collaborative framework for large-scale data centre and supporting infrastructure development across the country. The project will leverage Ernst & Young’s proprietary Energy to Intelligence (E2I) platform, and the firm plans to partner with third-party investors to develop the 300-megawatt facility, which would mark a major expansion of Caribbean digital infrastructure.

    The second MOU, signed with Hummingbird AI Holdings LLC, sets out a framework for preliminary coordination, due diligence, and planning for a proposed 150-megawatt artificial intelligence infrastructure and associated data centre. The plan includes provisions for potential long-term expansion to 500 megawatts as global demand for digital and AI capacity grows, with initial commercial operations targeted for the first quarter of 2028, pending completion of due diligence and final investment approval from all stakeholders.

    The third and final MOU focuses on reviving the shuttered Point Lisas iron and steel plant, which was recently acquired by Pinnacle Steel and Vanadium Corporation. The agreement establishes a formal framework for due diligence and negotiations surrounding the facility’s refurbishment, restart, and long-term operation for steel and vanadium production.

    Persad-Bissessar framed the incoming foreign investments as a positive indicator of Trinidad and Tobago’s attractiveness to global business, saying that the projects put the country on a path toward long-term prosperity. “Any project will have some type of environmental impact so planners will cater for that in their designs. Foreign companies want to invest in Trinidad and this is a good sign for future prosperity,” she stated, urging critics to wait for full project details to be released before passing judgment.