标签： Trinidad and Tobago

In a landmark diplomatic victory for Trinidad and Tobago, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has publicly thanked the global community for the overwhelming support that earned the small island nation a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for the 2027-2028 term.

Announced via the Prime Minister’s official X platform, the election results confirmed Trinidad and Tobago secured backing from 181 out of 190 voting UN member states — an approval rating of 95 percent that included support from all five of the UNSC’s permanent members: China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Under the UN’s long-standing regional rotation framework for the 10 non-permanent UNSC seats, one 2027-2028 seat was allocated to the Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC), which counts Trinidad and Tobago among its Caricom member states. As the only candidate nominated by the regional bloc, the nation ran uncontested for the seat currently occupied by Panama, but still faced the requirement of earning a two-thirds majority of votes from UN General Assembly members present and voting to secure the seat. The threshold stood at approximately 129 votes, a mark the nation far surpassed in a single round of voting.

Speaking immediately after the vote count concluded in New York, Minister of Foreign and Caricom Affairs Sean Sobers accepted the international community’s vote of confidence with humility and deep honor. “We accept this mantle of responsibility with humility and pride; we wish to express our profound gratitude for the friendship, partnership and solidarity shown to Trinidad and Tobago during our campaign,” Sobers said. He extended congratulations to all successful candidates in the 2027 UNSC elections, noting that Trinidad and Tobago is eager to collaborate with all incoming and sitting council members.

This term will mark Trinidad and Tobago’s second stint on the UNSC, following an earlier term in 1985-1986, and it will become the first English-speaking Caribbean nation to hold a seat on the council since Jamaica’s 2000-2001 tenure. Since gaining independence 64 years ago, Sobers emphasized, Trinidad and Tobago has consistently upheld the rule of law, advocated for human rights, and strengthened international norms, never remaining silent in the face of injustice. He reaffirmed the nation’s unwavering commitment to the UN Charter and international legal frameworks.

Sobers outlined that the nation’s campaign theme — “Building Consensus for the Realisation of Sustainable Peace and Security” — will guide all of Trinidad and Tobago’s work during its two-year term, which will begin on January 1, 2027. Facing a global landscape marked by increasingly complex interconnected challenges, the nation will prioritize fostering constructive dialogue and bridging divides between competing international actors. Three core strategic pillars will anchor Trinidad and Tobago’s agenda: curbing the illicit trafficking of small arms and light weapons, advancing the women, peace, and security agenda to protect vulnerable children, and examining the growing implications of artificial intelligence for global peace and security. In line with instructions from Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar, the nation will use its platform to amplify underrepresented voices from across the globe, centering justice and equality as the foundation of lasting international security.

A formal statement from the Ministry of Foreign and Caricom Affairs credited Persad-Bissessar’s steady, visionary leadership for delivering what it calls a transformative diplomatic milestone for the nation. The ministry recalled that the Prime Minister first launched Trinidad and Tobago’s UNSC bid during her address to the United Nations General Assembly in September 2025, and subsequently held sustained, direct diplomatic engagement with dozens of world leaders to build support for the candidacy. “Therefore, this country’s success is a testament to the vision, dedication, and steadfast leadership of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, whose commitment to advancing Trinidad and Tobago’s interests internationally has helped secure this historic victory,” the release read.

When the new council convenes in 2027, the UNSC will consist of the five permanent members alongside nine other non-permanent members: Bahrain, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Latvia, Liberia, Austria, Kyrgyzstan, Portugal, and Zimbabwe. Trinidad and Tobago will fill the seat left vacant when Panama’s current term expires on December 31, 2026, alongside four other new non-permanent members replacing outgoing Denmark, Greece, Pakistan, and Somalia.

As Trinidad and Tobago prepares to open a new parliamentary term this Friday, Opposition Leader Pennelope Beckles has publicly confirmed she will implement a planned rotation of the Opposition’s six appointed Senate seats, a shakeup that is widely expected to include the departure of embattled senator Janelle John-Bates.

Beckles made the announcement during a press briefing held Wednesday at her Port of Spain office on Charles Street, confirming that both the House of Representatives and the Senate will convene simultaneously tomorrow to mark the start of the new session. Under the country’s Constitution, the Opposition Leader holds the exclusive authority to appoint six members to the Senate, and Beckles framed the upcoming rotation as a regular, ongoing policy rather than a one-time move.

“From time to time, my policy will be to rotate senators,” Beckles told reporters. She declined to release the full list of incoming and outgoing appointees ahead of the official opening, noting that a formal public announcement would be delivered when parliament convenes. While Beckles did not explicitly name John-Bates, she openly acknowledged that one of the senators up for rotation is facing a pending matter before the Senate Privileges Committee and has already submitted a resignation offer.

She explained: “In making that decision, I have considered many factors, including the fact that there has been a matter before the Privileges Committee. On Friday, considering all the factors, including the fact that I do have before me an offer of resignation together with all that has transpired over the last couple of weeks or months, and my right to rotate from time to time—which is what I will be doing not just on Friday but over the coming months and years—I will be making an adjustment.”

The controversy surrounding John-Bates stems from her decision to assist former Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh in editing and reviewing his witness statement ahead of his appearance before the Public Accounts and Appropriations Committee (PAAC), which was probing the state’s process for pharmaceutical acquisition, importation, and approval. After the involvement was discovered in mid-April, PAAC chairman Jagdeo Singh adjourned the inquiry following a closed-door meeting on April 13.

The Opposition quickly removed John-Bates from her PAAC posting on April 21, replacing her with fellow Opposition Senator Vishnu Dhanpaul. The governing party ramped up pressure on the senator days later, tabling a motion on April 29 to remove her from the Joint Select Committee on National Security. On May 1, Government Senator David Nakhid filed a formal privilege motion in the Senate against John-Bates and fellow Opposition member Faris Al-Rawi over their roles in the witness memorandum submitted to PAAC.

The following day, John-Bates submitted her resignation from the Senate. No formal investigation by the Privileges Committee ever moved forward, as the entire matter lapsed when the first session of the 13th Republican Parliament dissolved on May 23.

Beckles pushed back Wednesday against critics who have accused her of dragging her feet on a final decision regarding John-Bates’ seat, framing the delay as a commitment to due process. “Whilst there are those who argued about me taking time, I understand the importance of the judicial process and of justice, natural justice in particular,” she said. “As a lawyer myself of more than 30 years, I recognise the importance of the right to be heard.”

Local news outlet The Express reached out to John-Bates by phone Wednesday to ask whether she had been formally notified of her upcoming removal from the Senate. Her only response was, “No comment at this time.”

Jack Warner, a one-time national security minister in Trinidad and Tobago who reemerged from political retirement less than two years ago to campaign alongside the United National Congress (UNC) during the country’s general election, has publicly denounced the recently enacted no-protest zone policies as a deliberate attempt to silence the nation’s citizens.

In an exclusive interview with TV6’s *Morning Edition* this week, Warner pulled no punches in his assessment of the new government regulations, but was quick to frame his criticism as constructive feedback rather than a partisan attack. Anyone interpreting his words as an assault on the ruling administration, he argued, is simply overly sensitive. “I have no regrets about supporting the UNC during the election campaign,” Warner emphasized, “and my comments here are not meant to tear anyone down.”

When pressed to respond to recent remarks from UNC leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar, who confirmed the ruling government has no plans to roll back the State of Emergency regulations that ban all demonstrations within 500 meters of 15 designated state institutions, Warner made his position clear: if he still held a seat in government today, he would never back such a ban. Without a legitimate, peaceful outlet to voice their discontent, Warner warned, ordinary people will inevitably turn to more extreme, destructive channels to make their voices heard.

Warner stressed that peaceful protest is a foundational pillar of any functional democracy, noting that the current administration itself rose to power in large part through public demonstrations against the previous government. He drew a historical parallel to the 1974 mobilization of the Blue River Action Committee, reminding audiences that past efforts to stifle public dissent in the country have always failed to achieve their intended goals.

“This is nothing less than an attempt to muzzle the Trinidadian people, and it is a dangerous one at that,” Warner said. “It is dangerous because when you cut off the peaceful outlet, people will find other means, and those other means will be destructive in ways our country cannot afford to handle right now.”

Addressing the growing economic and social strain on working people, Warner added: “You have to understand that people are hurting right now, and they need a way to express that pain. If their protest is constructive, that is all the better, but even when it is critical, as long as it remains nonviolent, we have no right to ban it. Our leaders need to listen to what people are saying, correct the mistakes that have been made, and stop closing off the space for public debate. For as long as I can remember, protesting near Parliament has been a normal, accepted part of our democracy. Banning that practice? Something is fundamentally wrong here.”

The former minister also commented on a recent wave of protests sparked by the police shooting death of Joshua Samaroo and the controversial decision to file criminal charges against Samaroo’s common-law wife, Kaia Sealy. Last week, a demonstration held outside the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) resulted in the arrest of three organizers: lead protester Alyssa Phillip, her mother Camille Caresquero, and local blogger Jason Da Silva. Warner said he was stunned by the overwhelming show of police force deployed to control the demonstration, which was led primarily by women.

“I’ve kept asking myself: do our leaders understand what this does to our country’s international image? Do they get how this looks to tourists who are considering visiting our shores? Do they see how this feeds the narrative of rising violence and authoritarianism that is already spreading online?” Warner said. “When you see hundreds of heavily armed police officers deployed to break up a protest of just 100 women, that is a drastic failure of judgment. I was amazed when I saw it, and I am still amazed now.”

The no-protest zone regulations have already drawn widespread criticism from the political opposition, and earlier this week a coalition of national trade unions formally called on the government to rescind the policy immediately.

A public conflict over constitutional rights and public safety has emerged in Trinidad and Tobago, as the Peace Foundation TT is standing firm in its plan to hold a “Walk for Peace” in downtown Port of Spain, even after national police explicitly stated the event has not received legal approval under the country’s ongoing State of Emergency.

The standoff unfolded in coordinated statements released by both sides on Wednesday, with each party outlining their core positions and justifications for their stances. In its formal public response, the Peace Foundation TT emphasized that the gathering was never intended to disrupt public order — instead, the entire initiative was built around a simple, unifying mission: to push for an end to violent community conflict across the nation, and foster widespread values of unity, love, and collective peace.

The organization addressed law enforcement’s concerns directly, acknowledging the TT Police Service (TTPS)’s position while pushing back against the proposed restriction on the gathering. The foundation’s legal argument centers on a key principle of constitutional governance: that limits on fundamental civil rights can only be legally justified when there is clear, provable evidence that an event poses a real threat to public safety. To date, the group says, authorities have not produced any such evidence demonstrating their peaceful procession would put the public at risk. The foundation has formally requested clarity on the specific legal and operational justifications for blocking the event.

Despite the confrontation with police, the Peace Foundation TT reiterated its unwavering commitment to non-violence and adherence to the rule of law. “Our message remains simple: Trinidad and Tobago deserves peace, unity, and safer communities for all,” the group’s statement read. It closed by reaffirming its intention to move forward with the event, framing the walk as a broader movement for positive change: “The Walk for Peace remains a movement of hope, love, and positive change. One Nation. One People. One Peace.”

Earlier the same day, the TTPS had issued its own formal warning to the public, advising citizens against taking part in the event, which was scheduled to kick off at 3 p.m. in Port of Spain, with a planned assembly point on Piccadilly Street. Police stressed that they share the foundation’s goal of reducing violence and building peaceful communities, and fully support legitimate initiatives aligned with those aims. However, they noted that all public gatherings, marches, and processions are bound by strict legal conditions and mandatory security reviews while the State of Emergency remains in effect.

“At this time, no authorisation has been granted for any public march or procession associated with this event,” the TTPS confirmed. Police warned that participating in an unauthorized procession along public roads qualifies as a violation of current emergency regulations, carrying potential legal consequences for attendees. Beyond the lack of approval, authorities also raised specific practical concerns around the planned Piccadilly Street starting point, citing unresolvable public safety and traffic management challenges, as well as the inherent risks of large, uncoordinated public gatherings under current rules.

The TTPS urged community members to avoid joining the unapproved event, follow official lawful directions from serving officers, and use pre-approved government channels to pursue advocacy and community organizing. Law enforcement added that it will continue actively monitoring developments around the planned walk, and will take all legally permitted action necessary to uphold public order, protect civilian life and property, and safeguard national security.

In a landmark diplomatic win that marks the Caribbean nation’s return to the United Nations’ most influential decision-making body after more than 20 years, Trinidad and Tobago has been elected to a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2027–2028 term, earning overwhelming cross-global support from UN member states.

The election, held Wednesday at UN headquarters in New York, saw Trinidad and Tobago secure backing from 181 of the 190 voting countries, according to the nation’s Ministry of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs. This margin far exceeded the two-thirds majority threshold required to claim the seat, which was allocated to the Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC). Parallel elections for UNSC seats representing Africa, the Asia-Pacific region, and the Western European and Others Group were also held alongside the GRULAC contest.

Trinidad and Tobago’s government framed the landslide result as a defining diplomatic achievement under the leadership of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar. The nation’s official campaign launched during the 2025 UN General Assembly in September, built on months of extensive diplomatic outreach and relationship-building with heads of state and government across every global region.

Centered on the campaign theme “Building Consensus for the Realization of Sustainable Peace and Security,” Trinidad and Tobago’s candidacy outlined three core priorities for its upcoming term: cracking down on the illegal trafficking of small arms and light weapons, advancing the global peace and security agenda focused on protecting and empowering women and children, and addressing the emerging security risks and opportunities tied to artificial intelligence’s global impact.

As the body tasked with upholding international peace and security, the UNSC holds unique authority to pass binding resolutions on a sweeping range of critical global issues, from armed conflict mediation and counter-terrorism operations to the imposition of international sanctions, deployment of peacekeeping missions, and coordination of responses to humanitarian emergencies. As a non-permanent member, Trinidad and Tobago will hold full voting rights on all Security Council resolutions and take a direct seat at the table during deliberations on the world’s most urgent security challenges.

This election marks the third time in Trinidad and Tobago’s history that the nation will hold a UNSC seat, following previous terms in 1985–1986 and 2002–2003. The new two-year term will officially begin on January 1, 2027, and conclude on December 31 of 2028. Now that the election is finalized, government teams are expected to begin formal preparations for the nation’s return to the council, where it will join five permanent and nine other non-permanent members to address pressing threats to global stability.

In an official statement, the foreign affairs ministry emphasized that the successful bid reflects Trinidad and Tobago’s longstanding commitment to multilateral cooperation and its consistent work advancing global peace and security goals. Government officials added that the seat will not only boost the nation’s own diplomatic standing on the global stage, but also provide a critical platform to elevate the priorities and interests of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and the broader Caribbean community. The ministry also noted that the election outcome underscores the country’s proven ability to build international consensus, and is set to unlock new opportunities for deeper diplomatic partnerships and more impactful engagement on critical global issues.

A public employment and community maintenance initiative in Trinidad and Tobago has found itself at the center of heated political debate, with the cabinet minister in charge pushing back hard against longstanding accusations of so-called “ghost work” — a practice of paying unemployed workers for no completed labor that plagued two now-discontinued national programs.

Rural Development and Local Government Minister Khadijah Ameen, who also serves as the Member of Parliament for the St Augustine constituency, made her remarks during a community plant distribution event held at her constituency office on Pasea Main Road, St Augustine on the day before the Corpus Christi public holiday.

Addressing public and political scrutiny of the National Programme for the Upkeep of Public Spaces (NPUPS), Ameen refuted claims that the initiative’s roughly 1,600 deployed workers across 14 local corporations are non-existent “ghost gangs”. She emphasized that program staff are active in every region and electoral district across the country, turning out consistent, verifiable work. “We have been reviewing daily work logs and conducting on-site observations of teams in the field,” she stated. “I do not run ghost gangs. The number of workers may be smaller than previous programs, but every person on the payroll is showing up to work. Taxpayer money no longer goes to workers who do not perform any duties.” Ameen added that the central government is also conducting a full performance review of all local corporations to bring greater accountability and structure to local governance.

The NPUPS was launched as a replacement for two decades-old public employment programs, the Community-Based Environmental Protection and Enhancement Programme (CEPEP) and the Unemployment Relief Programme (URP), both of which were permanently shelved by the Trinidad national government in 2023 after repeated accusations of widespread corruption and ghost worker schemes. Thousands of workers lost their positions when the programs ended, though both continue to operate in Tobago.

Ameen told attendees at the community event that her ministry is currently exploring expansion of the NPUPS to under-served rural communities including Blanchisseuse, Paramin, Lopinot, Maracas and Matelot. Any scaling of the program will depend on approval of the new national budget, expected to be delivered in October, she noted. The initiative’s core mandate, she explained, is to address urgent public maintenance needs while the government develops long-term solutions for persistent unemployment and community underdevelopment. It also pairs ongoing productivity assessments of workers with support for local municipal governance and the creation of short-term income opportunities for out-of-work citizens.

When the NPUPS launched nationwide on April 27, a ministry statement outlined that the 1,600 hired workers would be responsible for regular maintenance of public recreational grounds, parks, and other community open spaces. “This program strengthens proactive, consistent maintenance across all communities, as our ministry remains fully committed to advancing local development and raising quality of life for all citizens,” Ameen said in the post-launch statement. The program currently offers three-month fixed-term employment contracts to all participants, and was first rolled out on a smaller scale in February to support post-Carnival cleanup operations, where NPUPS teams handled public space cleaning outside official Carnival venues, complementing cleanup teams operated by the National Carnival Commission.

Despite the minister’s defense, reactions from local government leaders across the country have been deeply divided, with some praising the program’s accountability and others criticizing its limited scope, short contract lengths, and alleged political bias.

In a phone interview conducted the week after the launch, Kwesi Antoine, deputy chairman of the San Juan/Laventille Regional Corporation, argued that the small size of NPUPS work teams is woefully inadequate to meet widespread need in the wake of the CEPEP and URP closures. “We are being told to send just one name for an opening, when thousands of people in this region are out of work and struggling to put food on the table,” Antoine said. The program currently assigns small teams of roughly 12 people per area, including one laborer, one checker, and one foreman. “Thousands of people lost their jobs from CEPEP, URP, the Forestry Division, even other government ministries, and we only get a handful of openings. It is impossible to choose just one person when so many are in need.” Antoine added that three-month fixed contracts do not offer the stable, long-term employment that workers need to plan for the future, pay into national insurance, and qualify for pensions. “The government could allocate the same budget to create stable permanent positions instead of these short-term stints,” he said. He also alleged that the program shows a clear allocation bias against areas controlled by the opposition People’s National Movement (PNM).

Not all local leaders have criticized the initiative, however. Siparia Mayor Doodnath Mayrhoo called the NPUPS a positive improvement over the previous programs, noting that rampant corruption in CEPEP and URP required urgent government action. He added that NPUPS workers earn just over $200 per day, compared to the $79 per day workers received under the old CEPEP system. “The program has rolled out across all 14 corporations nationwide, and it is already delivering results in our area,” Mayrhoo said. “Schools and recreational grounds are now in excellent condition, and communities are cleaner than they have been in years. Local corporations just need to ensure the program is managed efficiently to keep that progress going. If the national economy were stronger, we would be able to do even more for residents.”

Other municipal leaders have echoed Antoine’s concerns about insufficient staffing. Point Fortin Mayor Clyde James said the 36 workers assigned to his municipality could not replace the much larger CEPEP workforce that previously operated in the area. Josiah Austin, chairman of the Tunapuna/Piarco Regional Corporation, reported that his corporation received 218 NPUPS workers, far fewer than the CEPEP contingent it previously had. To cover the corporation’s nine electoral districts adequately, Austin estimated the region needs roughly 2,500 workers to maintain public spaces effectively.

Opposition leaders have also raised broader criticisms of the initiative. Opposition Senator Faris Al-Rawi argued shortly after the launch that the NPUPS fails to deliver sustainable employment for former CEPEP and URP workers, and has left communities under-maintained ahead of the annual rainy season. Al-Rawi noted that CEPEP employed roughly 11,000 workers nationwide, compared to the NPUPS’s 1,600, and the reduced workforce has already led to unkempt communities and delayed critical maintenance at a time when upkeep is most needed.

Some other local leaders have backed the program’s structure. Ryan Rampersad, chairman of the Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo Regional Corporation, said the 204 workers assigned to his region were sufficient to meet current needs. Chaguanas Mayor Faaiq Mohammed also praised the initiative, noting that under the previous CEPEP system, coverage was inconsistent across the borough, with only one team serving Chaguanas West and unreliable support for Chaguanas East. “NPUPS brings a far more equitable, structured approach to public space maintenance across the entire Borough of Chaguanas,” Mohammed said.

Nearly 17 months after the departure of the last U.S. ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago, President Donald Trump has put forward a historic nomination to fill the long-vacant diplomatic post: Jennifer Johnson-Carroll, a Trinidad-born former Florida lieutenant governor with a decades-long record of U.S. public service.

The post has remained empty since former ambassador Candace Bond concluded her tenure on January 20, 2025, shortly before the new Trump administration took office. On June 1, 2026, the White House released an official statement listing Johnson-Carroll, a Florida resident, among a slate of new diplomatic nominees, tapping her to serve as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States to the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. The nomination was formally submitted to the U.S. Senate for confirmation the day after the White House announcement.

Born in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago in 1959, Johnson-Carroll moved to the United States with her family at age 8, building a diverse career that spans military service, public office, and private sector leadership. She enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1979 as a jet mechanic, retiring 20 years later as a lieutenant commander aviation maintenance officer. She went on to earn multiple degrees in political science and business administration, and entered electoral politics in 2003, when she made history as the first Black female Republican elected to the Florida House of Representatives. In 2010, she was selected as running mate by Republican gubernatorial candidate Rick Scott, taking office as Florida’s 18th lieutenant governor in 2011—again breaking barriers as the first woman and first Caribbean-born person to hold the statewide post. She resigned in 2013 amid questioning connected to a federal investigation into an illegal gambling and money laundering scandal at a charity organization, though she was never criminally charged.

The American Chamber of Commerce of Trinidad and Tobago (AMCHAM T&T) has publicly welcomed the nomination, emphasizing its significance for bilateral relations between the two nations. In an official statement released shortly after the nomination announcement, the chamber noted that Johnson-Carroll’s roots in Arouca, Trinidad and Tobago make the appointment particularly meaningful. If confirmed by the U.S. Senate, she will become the first Trinidad and Tobago-born woman to serve as U.S. ambassador to her country of origin, a milestone that AMCHAM T&T says underscores the far-reaching global contributions of the Trinidadian and Tobagonian diaspora.

AMCHAM T&T also highlighted Johnson-Carroll’s long record of demonstrated leadership and commitment to public service across government, policy, and community advocacy, noting her repeated history of breaking barriers for underrepresented groups in U.S. politics. The organization acknowledged that the nomination must now advance through the formal Senate confirmation process: first a review by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, followed by a full vote by the entire Senate. AMCHAM T&T said it expects the process to conclude successfully and looks forward to welcoming the new ambassador in the near term.

Beyond welcoming the nominee, the chamber reaffirmed the deep strategic ties between the United States and Trinidad and Tobago, which span trade, investment, energy, security, education, technology, and cultural and community connections. The bilateral relationship, the organization noted, remains a core driver of economic growth, democratic governance, and regional cooperation across the Caribbean. AMCHAM T&T said it remains committed to advancing the strong commercial and diplomatic partnership between the two nations, and looks forward to working with Johnson-Carroll, if confirmed, to expand opportunities for collaboration, innovation, increased investment, and shared prosperity for both countries.