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Hundreds of grieving relatives, friends and fellow law enforcement officers gathered at the Morvant Central Community Centre this week to lay to rest Police Constable Rommel Douglas, a 20-year veteran of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) who was killed in late July. Tributes poured in from those who knew him best, painting a portrait of a man who dedicated his entire life to lifting up others, placing the needs of his family and community far above his own long before he ever put on a police uniform.

In an emotional address to mourners, Mikhail Douglas, the younger brother of the fallen officer, shared how responsibility found Rommel at an early age. When the siblings’ mother traveled overseas for extended work to keep the household stable, Rommel stepped into the role of father figure for Mikhail and their sister – a role he embraced fully without hesitation. He ensured the pair always had warm meals, neatly pressed uniforms for school, and the unshakable sense of safety that only a steady guardian can provide when a parent is far from home.

Mikhail recalled one of his most cherished childhood memories: when Rommel used his own limited funds to buy him a brand-name FUBU jersey, a new pair of Timberland boots, and extra spending money for a school bazaar. “At the time, I felt like I had all the money in the world. And for Rommel, he simply wanted me to enjoy myself,” Mikhail said, adding that this selfless approach defined every part of his brother’s life. That same generous spirit translated to his own role as a father to three children, where he prioritized presence over material gifts and believed active parenting meant showing up for every milestone, providing steady financial and emotional support, setting clear moral boundaries, and guiding his children to grow into their best possible selves.

While he could be firm when it came to discipline, that firmness always grew from deep love, not anger. Education was a particularly important priority for Douglas, who made a point of reviewing his children’s report cards every term, discussing areas for improvement and pushing them to pursue higher educational opportunities than he had access to himself. Beyond his immediate family, he was always the first relative called when a car broke down or a household appliance needed repair, and he never turned away anyone who needed help. Before joining the TTPS, Douglas harbored dreams of becoming a sports journalist, fueled by his lifelong passion for football; even after his career path shifted to law enforcement, he remained a dedicated fan of Real Madrid, who could spend hours breaking down match tactics and team selections with fellow supporters.

Senior Superintendent Sylvester Williams, head of the TTPS Western Division where Douglas served his final years, honored Douglas’ legacy as a law enforcement officer, noting that the fallen constable joined the service in January 2006, and amassed more than 20 years of honorable service. After an initial posting to the Tobago Division, he transferred to the Western Division in April 2009, where he served with distinction as both a detective and a uniformed patrol officer until his death.

Williams emphasized that Douglas embodied every core value the TTPS expects of its officers: professionalism, respect, integrity, dignity, and a relentless sense of responsibility that never wavered through his decades of service. A quiet, unassuming man by nature, Douglas earned respect through consistent action rather than self-promotion, standing out in an era where many crave public recognition and praise. “In a world where many seek attention and applause, he found strength in humility. He was never one to boast or demand the spotlight,” Williams said.

His calm, steady demeanor brought reassurance to vulnerable community members and earned the lasting trust of both colleagues and the members of the public he served. Williams noted that modern policing demands a rare mix of courage, wisdom and compassion, qualities Douglas lived out every day without ever seeking praise or public acknowledgment. “He allowed his commitment and his character to speak for him,” Williams added.

Closing his tribute, Williams reflected on the enduring legacy Douglas leaves behind, noting that his impact stretches far beyond his years in uniform. It lives on in the countless lives he touched through small acts of kindness, quiet words of encouragement and unwavering commitment to doing the right thing. He urged serving TTPS officers to continue drawing inspiration from Douglas’ example, telling mourners: “though we say farewell today, we do not say goodbye forever.” Turning to address his fallen colleague directly, Williams concluded: “Your watch on earth is complete. You served your family, your country and your community, with quiet dignity and unwavering commitment. You fought the good fight. You finished the race. You kept the faith.”

Five years after launching its signature awards program to celebrate outstanding female changemakers, the International Women’s Forum of Trinidad and Tobago (IWFTT) has announced three distinguished honorees set to receive recognition at its upcoming September Inspirational Women Awards (IWA) Gala. The ceremony will take place September 29 at Port of Spain’s Hyatt Regency Trinidad, shining a spotlight on three women who have driven transformative progress across human rights advocacy, scientific research, and marine conservation.

This year’s gala carries the theme “The Power of Possibility: Celebrating Five Years of Women Who Inspire Change”, a framing that IWFTT President Lisa Agard says aligns perfectly with the work of this year’s awardees. In an official statement announcing the honorees, Agard emphasized that the selection was intentional: these three dynamic, deeply committed women have delivered tangible, lasting change for communities both across the Caribbean and around the globe.

Leading the group of honorees is Roberta Clarke, a veteran human rights defender and gender equality advocate who will receive the Inspirational Champion of Women award. A trained lawyer and social justice activist, Clarke has built a decades-long international career advancing gender-equitable policy with the United Nations, where she led the UN Women Caribbean Office, oversaw the organization’s Libya program, and served as regional director for East and Southern Africa as well as Asia and the Pacific. In these roles, she worked to embed gender-responsive policy and practice into national and regional development frameworks across multiple continents.

Clarke has also held landmark leadership roles in inter-American human rights: she was elected as a commissioner to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) by the Organization of American States (OAS) General Assembly, and later went on to serve as the commission’s president. She also held the role of IACHR rapporteur for the rights of women, LGBTI persons, and human rights defenders, where she pushed to strengthen legal protections for marginalized groups across the Americas. Holding a Master of Studies in international human rights law from the University of Oxford, a Bachelor of Laws from the University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus, and a Master of Arts in sociology from Canada’s York University, Clarke currently chairs Trinidad and Tobago’s Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

The Inspirational Advocate Award will go to Professor Christine Carrington, a molecular geneticist and virologist with more than 30 years of pioneering research experience focused on infectious diseases. Based at The University of the West Indies St. Augustine Campus, Carrington is a Chaconia Medal Gold recipient, an honor that recognizes her outstanding contributions to national development. She holds a Bachelor of Science in biotechnology from King’s College London, a PhD in molecular virology from the Institute of Cancer Research, and a postgraduate degree from the University of London.

Carrington’s research centers on unpacking the evolutionary and ecological drivers that shape the emergence, spread, and persistence of viruses, with a specific focus on vector-borne and zoonotic RNA viruses. At the height of the global COVID-19 pandemic, she designed and led the landmark Covid-19 IMPACT project, which built the first local whole-genome sequencing capacity in Trinidad and Tobago and provided critical genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 variants for 17 Caribbean nations while local and regional public health bodies developed their own in-country capabilities. She is currently leading the development of the new One Health Molecular Epidemiology and Genomics (EDGe) Centre at The UWI St. Augustine Campus.

Rounding out the group of honorees is Dr. Diva Amon, an emerging Caribbean leader in marine conservation who will be recognized for her groundbreaking work studying deep-sea and high-sea ecosystems. Amon, a marine biologist with a PhD in ocean and earth science from the University of Southampton, holds research affiliations with the Benioff Ocean Science Laboratory at the University of California Santa Barbara and The UWI St. Augustine Campus. Her work focuses on expanding scientific understanding of understudied deep-ocean ecosystems and documenting how human activity impacts these vast, fragile environments.

Earlier this year, Amon made history as the lead of the “Deep Wonders of T&T and the High Seas” expedition, the first-ever locally led deep-sea research mission in Trinidad and Tobago’s history, and the largest expedition of its kind the country has hosted. The mission successfully mapped and surveyed previously undocumented ecosystems and species in waters surrounding Trinidad and Tobago.

Tickets for the 2024 IWA Gala are available to the public; interested attendees can request more information by emailing IWFTTAD@gmail.com or visiting the IWFTT official website at https://iwftt.org.

A violent confrontation in the residential community of Edinburgh 500 South in Chaguanas has ended with the death of 28-year-old Shayanna Ruiz, and a local couple now faces murder charges for their alleged involvement in the July 29 attack. Investigative details paint a clear picture of the sequence of events that led to the fatal incident: Ruiz traveled to a home on Plumbago Circular in the neighborhood to collect a $4,500 debt owed to her by a former boyfriend. What began as a dispute over the unpaid money quickly escalated into a physical altercation, according to official police accounts. After the initial argument broke out between Ruiz and the former boyfriend, his current romantic partner intervened in the conflict. Law enforcement alleges that during the chaotic scuffle, the woman grabbed a black-handled knife and stabbed Ruiz multiple times before fleeing the area together with the man. Emergency responders rushed the critically injured Ruiz to the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex in Mt Hope to treat her numerous stab wounds, but medical staff were unable to save her life, and she succumbed to her injuries shortly after arrival. A post-mortem examination conducted after her death officially confirmed the cause of death: cardiopulmonary arrest triggered by multiple penetrating stab wounds. Crime scene investigators processing the area after the attack successfully recovered the black-handled knife that authorities believe was the weapon used in the stabbing. Following their investigation, police took the couple—both residents of Edinburgh—into custody and formally charged them with murder. The pair was scheduled to appear in court to face the murder charge, but as of the most recent update on the case, no official information has been released regarding the outcome of their court appearance. The deadly incident has shaken the quiet suburban community of Edinburgh 500 South, leaving local residents shocked and mourning the death of the 28-year-old victim as the legal process moves forward.