Carib Scope

标签： Trinidad and Tobago

特立尼达和多巴哥

  • Horizons Art Gallery set to host silent art auction

    Horizons Art Gallery set to host silent art auction

    Horizons Art Gallery is poised to host an exclusive silent art auction on February 3rd, creating a distinctive opportunity for collectors and art aficionados to acquire original works from a prestigious private collection. The meticulously curated event will showcase an impressive array of pieces from both established and emerging artists across the region.

    The auction features significant contributions from renowned local talents including Lisa O’Connor, Joanna Aldred, Colin Boothman, Shawn Peters, Ken Crichlow, Glen Roopchand, and Sarah Beckett among other distinguished artists. Each artwork has been carefully selected for its exceptional quality and unique artistic voice, ensuring a diverse and compelling collection for discerning buyers.

    Unlike traditional auctions, the silent format fosters a contemplative atmosphere where attendees can engage deeply with each piece without the pressure of rapid-fire bidding. This approach encourages personal connection with the artworks while allowing participants to bid at their leisure throughout the evening.

    The gallery emphasizes the intimate nature of this one-day-only event, welcoming both experienced collectors and those new to art acquisition. The refined setting of the Mucurapo Road venue provides an ideal backdrop for this sophisticated art experience.

    Due to limited capacity, early arrival is recommended for optimal viewing and bidding opportunities. The auction will run from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM at the gallery’s Port of Spain location. Interested parties may contact 628-9769 or 280-3058 for additional information regarding the exhibition and bidding process.

  • Reflections on life at Newsday

    Reflections on life at Newsday

    In a heartfelt farewell, Newsday’s editorial team has shared profound reflections on their careers at the Trinidad-based publication, highlighting both personal journeys and the critical importance of journalism in society.

    Sports Editor Stephon Nicholas, after an 18-year tenure, emphasized the enduring legacy of media despite industry challenges. ‘Media cannot die,’ Nicholas stated, acknowledging the mentorship from news titans and the responsibility to document truth through various crises—from sports events to volcanic eruptions and elections.

    Veteran specialist writer Sean Douglas, with nearly 30 years of service, reflected on the evolution of news consumption and the financial struggles facing traditional media. He expressed hope that the public would recognize the value of verified news, suggesting a modest daily subscription fee equivalent to ‘a doubles or a short drop in a maxi taxi.’ Douglas warned against a future where society relies solely on press releases and influencers rather than robust journalism.

    Reporter Paula Lindo, who joined just before the COVID-19 pandemic, described her rapid integration into the newsroom and the diverse storytelling opportunities she encountered. From pandemic coverage to highlighting systemic issues like discrimination and racism, Lindo valued the platform Newsday provided for amplifying community voices. She also praised the collaborative spirit among colleagues, including photographers and digital teams, who enriched the storytelling process.

    Administrative assistant Sasha Gulston, celebrating 28 years with Newsday, shared a journey of personal and professional growth. From receptionist to administrative roles, Gulston highlighted the familial atmosphere and the pride in nurturing media talent that later flourished elsewhere. She fondly recalled the bonds formed and the legacy of figures like Therese Mills in shaping Newsday’s impact.

    Across these accounts, a common theme emerges: Newsday was more than a workplace—it was a hub of learning, camaraderie, and unwavering commitment to public service. Despite the sadness surrounding its closure, the team’s gratitude and resolve underscore the indispensable role of journalism in informing and educating society.

  • Learning from the source

    Learning from the source

    In an era of escalating climate crises, environmental educator Faraaz Abdool proposes a radical shift in how we approach learning—by turning to nature itself as the ultimate classroom. Despite global efforts to implement environmental education, humanity continues its trajectory toward ecological catastrophe, suggesting fundamental flaws in our current educational paradigms.

    The prevailing extractive mindset cultivated by modern education systems treats nature as a commodity to be harvested and exploited rather than a complex system to be understood and preserved. This approach produces professionals who value timber over forests, economic gain over ecological balance, and resource extraction over sustainability.

    Abdool identifies our profound disconnection from natural systems as the core issue, manifested not just physically but cognitively—through diminished patience, avoidance of uncertainty, and manufactured fears of wild creatures. This separation has been carefully engineered through comfort-oriented lifestyles and sensationalized media portrayals of nature.

    The solution proposed is both simple and revolutionary: begin reconnecting with nature through bird observation. Birds serve as ideal entry points to natural education due to their accessibility, diversity, captivating behaviors, and ability to command attention in an increasingly distracted world. They require no prior knowledge or equipment to appreciate, making them perfect ambassadors for the natural world.

    Through observing species like Trinidad and Tobago’s distinctive yellow-rumped caciques (locally known as ‘cornbirds’), students of nature can uncover complex ecological relationships. These birds flock to swamp immortelle trees during flowering season, attracting smaller birds like tanagers and hummingbirds. Later, parrots arrive to feed on seed pods, inadvertently assisting in seed dispersal. These observations reveal seasonal patterns, habitat preferences, and ecosystem functions that formal education often overlooks.

    This nature-based learning generates practical wisdom that informs responsible decision-making—recognizing that swamp immortelle populations indicate seasonal flooding patterns and aquifer recharge zones, knowledge crucial for sustainable land use planning. Such insights surpass what conventional degrees offer and cannot be replaced by recycling initiatives or corporate sustainability rhetoric.

    Abdool concludes that rekindling our connection to nature through simple observation represents our best hope for developing the ecological literacy necessary to navigate impending environmental challenges. This approach benefits not just children but lifelong learners seeking wisdom from nature’s infinite classroom.

  • A note from the liquidator

    A note from the liquidator

    In a significant development for Caribbean media, Trinidad and Tobago Newsday has published its final edition and entered formal liquidation proceedings. Liquidator Maria Daniel confirmed the difficult decision, acknowledging the profound impact on employees, readers, and the nation’s media landscape.

    The closure stems from challenges facing legacy media worldwide, including escalating operational expenses, transformative digital disruption, and structural decline in traditional advertising markets. Despite these pressures, Daniel emphasized that the liquidation process prioritizes treating employees with fairness and dignity, recognizing their decades of service and contributions to national storytelling and democratic discourse.

    Notably, employee severance obligations constitute the largest creditor claim in the liquidation. Daniel called upon all parties with outstanding debts to Newsday to fulfill their obligations promptly, as these collections are essential for providing former staff with deserved financial compensation for their service.

    While the print edition has ceased, Newsday’s substantial digital assets remain valuable. The publication maintains significant digital traction with millions of annual website visits, an engaged social media following, and one of the most comprehensive journalistic archives documenting Trinidad and Tobago’s modern history. These assets—including digital reach, brand equity, and historical archives—represent meaningful commercial value and form a core component of the liquidation sale.

    During the transition period, businesses can leverage greatly reduced advertising rates and free digital subscriptions to access Newsday’s established national audience at below-market costs. These measures aim to support the business community while maintaining platform engagement and funding operational expenses.

    The liquidator has issued a formal call for prospective buyers and partners, describing Newsday as a “uniquely positioned media asset: nationally recognized, digitally active, culturally embedded, and historically significant.” Opportunities exist for media operators seeking expansion, investors desiring digital footholds, academic institutions valuing historical archives, or corporations needing trusted communication platforms.

    Interested parties are directed to contact the liquidator’s office at the provided email addresses for confidential discussions regarding asset acquisition or partnership opportunities.

    The message concluded with gratitude to readers who welcomed Newsday into their lives for over three decades, recognition of staff who built the institution, and affirmation that the stories captured in Newsday’s pages remain part of Trinidad and Tobago’s national memory.

  • Sports salute

    Sports salute

    In a poignant conclusion to its 32-year legacy of sports journalism, Newsday has chosen to spotlight youth athletics one final time through compelling photographic coverage of secondary schools cricket. Photographer Faith Ayoung captured the intense encounter between Hillview College and Queen’s Royal College at Honeymoon Park in El Dorado on January 27, marking the publication’s farewell to sports reporting.

    The images document the technical prowess and competitive spirit of young cricketers during the Secondary Schools Cricket League match. One photograph shows ORC’s Indar Rampersad delivering a strategic bowl against Hillview’s Tyler Ramroop, demonstrating the skill level present in youth competitions. Another frame captures the triumphant celebration of QRC players after successfully bowling out a Hillview batsman, highlighting the emotional highs of interscholastic competition.

    Tyler Ramroop of Hillview College was photographed squaring up to bat against QRC’s bowling attack, his focused stance exemplifying the dedication of student-athletes. The visual narrative serves as a testament to the quality of secondary school sports that Newsday has championed for over three decades.

    This final sports feature symbolizes the publication’s commitment to showcasing developing athletic talent and the importance of school-based competitions in nurturing future sports professionals. The coverage emphasizes how youth sports provide not just physical development but also teach valuable lessons in teamwork, discipline, and sportsmanship.

  • TCL warns: Price hike coming

    TCL warns: Price hike coming

    Trinidad Cement Ltd (TCL) has issued a formal notification to its customers regarding impending price adjustments for cement products, directly linking the potential increase to the proposed natural gas price hike currently under consideration. The company’s general manager, Gonzalo Rueda Castillo, emphasized in a January 26 statement that natural gas serves as a fundamental component in cement manufacturing processes, making the proposed energy cost increase particularly impactful.

    The National Gas Company’s anticipated decision on January 31 regarding natural gas pricing will determine the extent of necessary adjustments. Castillo clarified that should the gas price increase receive approval, TCL would be compelled to implement corresponding price revisions to maintain operational sustainability. The company highlighted that recent months have witnessed substantial cost escalations across multiple production aspects, including raw materials, packaging, and general inflationary pressures.

    Despite expressing opposition to the proposed energy cost increase and ongoing engagement with relevant stakeholders, TCL acknowledges the unavoidable financial implications. The cement manufacturer emphasized its commitment to maintaining reliable supply chains and supporting Trinidad and Tobago’s construction sector while navigating these economic challenges.

    In response to the announcement, former Energy Minister Stuart Young launched criticism against the current administration, characterizing the situation as evidence of governmental incompetence. Young’s social media statements warned citizens to anticipate broader economic repercussions, including potential increases in food prices and negative impacts on employment and foreign exchange stability.

  • Families of Trinidadian fishermen killed in US missile strike sue US government

    Families of Trinidadian fishermen killed in US missile strike sue US government

    In a significant legal challenge against US military operations, the families of two Trinidadian men killed in a missile strike have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the US government. The complaint, lodged in the US District Court for Massachusetts on January 27, alleges extrajudicial killing and seeks accountability for what plaintiffs describe as unlawful lethal force.

    The case centers on the deaths of Chad Joseph, 26, and Rishi Samaroo, 41, who were among six civilians killed when a US missile struck their small boat traveling from Venezuela to Trinidad and Tobago on October 14, 2025. According to court documents, the victims were returning to their homes in Las Cuevas when the attack occurred.

    Legal representatives from the American Civil Liberties Union, the Center for Constitutional Rights, and Seton Hall Law School argue the strike was part of a broader pattern of military actions targeting civilian vessels in Caribbean and Pacific waters. The lawsuit claims at least 36 similar strikes have occurred since September 2025, resulting in approximately 125 fatalities.

    Lenore Burnley, Joseph’s mother, and Sallycar Korasingh, Samaroo’s sister, filed the action on behalf of all surviving family members. Burnley described her son as a devoted family man who frequently traveled to Venezuela for fishing and agricultural work to support his wife and three children. Korasingh remembered her brother as a hardworking individual rebuilding his life after completing a 15-year prison sentence.

    The legal action invokes two jurisdictional foundations: the Death on the High Seas Act, which permits lawsuits for deaths occurring in international waters, and the Alien Tort Statute, which allows foreign nationals to seek redress in US courts for severe violations of international human rights law.

    The complaint systematically challenges the legal basis for the strikes, arguing they lack proper congressional authorization and violate both international humanitarian law and US constitutional principles. Legal director Baher Azmy of the Center for Constitutional Rights characterized the killings as ‘absurd and dangerous,’ warning against unilateral state declarations of war to justify lethal force.

    The case has drawn attention to the Trump administration’s maritime security operations, with President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth having publicly acknowledged the strikes and released footage of the operations. Notably, US authorities have not publicly identified any of the victims.

    Trinidad’s Foreign Affairs Minister Sean Sobers previously stated the government had no information linking either man to illegal activities, while Attorney General John Jeremie asserted the strikes were consistent with international law based on advice from an unidentified external expert.

    The lawsuit seeks to establish judicial oversight of military actions that plaintiffs argue constitute ‘manifestly unlawful’ killings ordered by highest levels of government. Professor Jonathan Hafetz of Seton Hall Law School warned the case carries profound implications for international legal norms and US standing in the global community.

  • Kamella Carmino unleashes Sōk-D’M, a fusion of soca, EDM

    Kamella Carmino unleashes Sōk-D’M, a fusion of soca, EDM

    Trinidadian entrepreneur and cultural innovator Kamella Carmino has pioneered a groundbreaking musical genre titled Sōk-D’M (pronounced Soak Dem), representing an intentional fusion of Caribbean soca rhythms and electronic dance music (EDM). This innovative soundscape bridges traditional Carnival energy with global festival appeal, creating what industry observers are calling a transformative moment for Caribbean music on the world stage.

    The genesis of Sōk-D’M emerged from a strategic conversation between Carmino and ABM of Platinum Trini Hot 97FM Internet Radio, based in Los Angeles. During their discussion, ABM—who holds promotional licensing rights in Las Vegas—revealed the challenging reality that while EDM dominated the Vegas entertainment market, virtually no platform existed for traditional soca music. This market gap inspired Carmino’s immediate creative response: “So why don’t we fuse soca and EDM and call it Sōk-D’M?”

    Within hours of this conceptual breakthrough, Carmino collaborated with her son Jesus Carmino-Garraway to produce the inaugural Sōk-D’M single “Cross De Stage,” released through JuJu Multimedia. This pioneering track established the genre’s technical parameters and artistic vision, blending soca’s characteristic drum patterns, call-and-response vocal arrangements, and steelpan heritage with EDM’s synthesizer textures, powerful basslines, and dramatic build-and-drop structures.

    Carmino has since expanded the Sōk-D’M catalog with additional compositions including “High on Love” and “Jump Up on Down,” further refining the genre’s sonic identity and emotional resonance. Operating within a tempo range of 125-132 BPM, Sōk-D’M occupies a unique musical space that merges the visceral energy of Trinidad’s J’Ouvert celebrations with the spectacular production values of international festivals like Tomorrowland.

    The term “Sōk-D’M” itself carries profound cultural meaning, with Carmino explaining: “To Soak Dem is to be drenched in rhythm, culture and spirit.” Beyond its musical innovations, the genre represents a philosophical movement advocating for borderless Carnival expression and electronic music with authentic Caribbean soul. This creative initiative invites global producers, DJs, and music enthusiasts to engage with Caribbean culture through rhythm-based connection and collective celebration.

    As Sōk-D’M gains traction across international markets, Carmino envisions the genre transforming how Caribbean music is perceived and consumed worldwide, creating new pathways for cultural exchange and artistic collaboration across continents.

  • US lawsuit alleges Trinidadian men were unlawfully killed

    US lawsuit alleges Trinidadian men were unlawfully killed

    In a landmark legal action, the families of two Trinidad and Tobago citizens killed in a US military strike have filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against the United States government. The case, lodged in the US District Court for the District of Massachusetts on January 27, challenges the legality of America’s maritime security operations in the Caribbean region.

    The plaintiffs allege that a October 14, 2025 missile attack destroyed a civilian vessel traveling from Venezuela toward Trinidad, resulting in the deaths of all six persons aboard. Among the victims were Chad Joseph, 26, and Rishi Samaroo, 41, both residents of Las Cuevas who their families maintain were returning from legitimate fishing and agricultural work in Venezuela.

    Legal representatives for the families are pursuing compensation under the Death on the High Seas Act and the Alien Tort Statute, contending the strike constituted both wrongful death and extrajudicial killing under international law. The suit invokes the Suits in Admiralty Act to overcome sovereign immunity protections typically afforded to the US government.

    According to court documents, the incident formed part of what plaintiffs describe as an ‘unprecedented’ military campaign initiated in September 2025, involving approximately 36 armed attacks on maritime vessels in Caribbean and eastern Pacific international waters. The lawsuit estimates these operations resulted in roughly 125 casualties.

    The complaint references former President Donald Trump’s public acknowledgment of authorizing the October 14 strike via social media, including shared footage showing a stationary boat being destroyed by munitions. Families maintain neither Joseph nor Samaroo presented any imminent threat, and their vessel was unequivocally civilian in nature.

    US officials have previously defended such strikes as lawful operations within a non-international armed conflict against regional drug cartels. Government representatives have cited a classified Office of Legal Counsel memorandum purportedly supporting this legal position.

    The families’ lawsuit systematically dismantles this justification, arguing drug trafficking does not constitute armed conflict under international humanitarian law. The filing emphasizes that neither victim had documented connections to criminal organizations, noting Trinidadian authorities have publicly stated they possess ‘no information linking Joseph or Samaroo to illegal activities.’

    The legal action seeks not only financial compensation but also accountability for senior officials who authorized the strikes. It represents a significant challenge to the legal frameworks governing maritime security operations and the boundaries of lethal force in counter-narcotics missions.

  • How taxes impact air connectivity in the Caribbean

    How taxes impact air connectivity in the Caribbean

    The Caribbean aviation sector faces mounting pressure as airlines and industry leaders decry exorbitant taxation rates that threaten regional connectivity. Windward Islands Airways International NV (Winair) has launched cautious twice-weekly service between Trinidad and Sint Maarten, with CEO Hans van de Velde acknowledging the challenging economic landscape. ‘Operating an airline in this region is inherently expensive,’ van de Velde stated, revealing that approximately 50% of their introductory $200 one-way fare consists of government taxes.

    This taxation crisis isn’t new. Since at least 2018, when CaribSKY alliance members first raised concerns, regional carriers have struggled with escalating fees. LIAT 1974 documented a startling 56% increase in taxes between 2009-2016 while base fares rose merely 3%. The consequences are stark: annual passenger numbers plummeted from one million to 750,000, with taxes identified as the primary deterrent.

    The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has issued stern warnings, noting Caribbean destinations risk pricing themselves out of the global market. While global taxes average 15% of ticket prices, Caribbean routes endure 30-50% taxation—significantly higher than competing destinations like Cancun (23%). IATA’s Peter Cerdá emphasized that modern travelers prioritize total cost, making the Caribbean increasingly uncompetitive.

    At the recent State of the Tourism Industry Conference in Barbados, the tax dilemma dominated discussions. Barbados Tourism Minister Lisa Cummins defended the fees as necessary for infrastructure funding, acknowledging the challenge of reducing taxes without compromising service quality. Meanwhile, LIAT Air CEO Hafsah Abdulsalam stressed the urgent need for efficiency improvements and tax reform to enable regional expansion plans, including future routes to South America and Africa.

    A Caribbean Development Bank working paper from 2018 remains critically relevant, recommending reductions in both aviation taxes and airport charges to stimulate connectivity. The report highlighted that high costs particularly distort intra-regional travel markets, where demand proves highly price-sensitive. Without intervention, the Caribbean’s aviation ecosystem risks further contraction, potentially isolating islands and undermining tourism recovery efforts.