标签： Trinidad and Tobago

A contentious debate has emerged in Trinidad and Tobago regarding bar owners’ resistance to gaming tax enforcement, sparking strong public criticism. Keith Roland, in a recent editorial submission, challenges the prevailing narrative that portrays bar operators as victims of government overreach.

The controversy centers on unregistered gaming machines that have operated extensively throughout TT establishments for years. Roland contends that bar owners have significantly profited from these illegal operations while now demanding public sympathy amid increased regulatory scrutiny. The situation reached a visible point when Guniss Seecharan and members of the Barkeepers and Operators Association (BOATT) gathered at Woodford Square in Port of Spain on December 9 to protest the gaming tax measures.

Roland’s commentary sharply criticizes bar owners for requesting that authorities ‘look away’ from their unlawful activities. He traces the current enforcement climate to previous administrations that allegedly turned a blind eye to certain violations for political reasons, creating an environment where illegality became normalized.

The editorial emphasizes that current enforcement actions represent necessary compliance measures rather than political targeting. Roland maintains that proper governance requires upholding legal standards regardless of protest volumes from affected businesses. He concludes that legitimate bar operations must occur within established legal frameworks, noting that consistent law enforcement is long overdue despite industry objections.

A scathing critique from Diego Martin resident Michael Jattan has denounced Trinidad and Tobago’s recently enacted fireworks legislation as profoundly flawed and dangerously irresponsible. In a sharply worded editorial submission to Newsday, Jattan characterizes the new law as “asinine” and serving exclusively to protect commercial interests while ignoring public welfare concerns.

The commentary highlights how both major political parties – the ruling administration and opposition PNM – have collectively endorsed legislation that Jattan asserts will legitimize the traditional Old Year’s Night chaos. The author contends that the government has prioritized financial considerations of fireworks importers over addressing the documented hazards to both human and animal populations.

Tragic incidents including the death of an infant during Divali celebrations and thousands of canine fatalities over the past two decades are cited as evidence of the dire consequences of unrestricted fireworks usage. Jattan notes with particular dismay that the proposed reforms contain no substantive improvements to existing regulations, suggesting the legislation may have been effectively drafted by industry stakeholders themselves.

The critique employs powerful symbolism, associating red with the bloodshed of animals terrified into roadway accidents and yellow with governmental cowardice in failing to enact morally courageous legislation. Jattan concludes with a sobering warning about the eventual reckoning that divine justice will deliver in the absence of responsible governance, noting that “the longest rope has an end” for those currently benefiting from the problematic legislation.

Trinidad and Tobago law enforcement authorities have announced a substantial narcotics interception in the Caroni Swamp region, confiscating marijuana valued at approximately $171 million. The operation, described by police officials as a “significant breakthrough” and “tremendous exercise,” was commemorated with a dramatic social media video presentation reminiscent of Trump administration-style publicity, complete with cinematic background music.

Despite the triumphant announcement, the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) corporate communications unit acknowledged a critical shortcoming: no arrests were made during the extensive operation. Authorities indicated that investigations remain ongoing, though historical patterns suggest conclusive results may prove elusive.

Police Commissioner Allister Guevarro attributed this interception success to newly installed US radar technology in Tobago, which reportedly detected the substantial 1,560 kilogram shipment of what local authorities term “creepy marijuana.” However, this technological attribution raises questions given the force’s demonstrated interdiction capabilities prior to the radar’s deployment. Recent records show successful drug seizures occurred on September 12, November 1, and November 26, suggesting existing operational effectiveness without the advanced equipment.

Law enforcement personnel deserve recognition for their continued efforts, evidenced by an additional December 12 bust in rural Point Fortin valuing $56 million. Yet the fundamental problem persists: the absence of high-level arrests undermines these tactical victories. Commissioner Guevarro himself conceded the troubling pattern of recovering massive drug quantities without holding responsible parties accountable, though he subsequently dismissed calls for enhanced surveillance operations with rhetorical deflection.

Criminal justice experts emphasize that merely intercepting and destroying narcotics constitutes an incomplete solution. Some analysts suggest that premature disruption of distribution chains may actually facilitate the escape of masterminds behind these operations, rendering even the most sophisticated detection technology ultimately ineffective against well-organized trafficking networks.

Trinidad and Tobago is mourning the passing of Ferdinand ‘Ferdie’ Ferreira, a foundational figure in the nation’s political landscape and close confidant of first prime minister Dr. Eric Williams, who died on December 11 at the age of 93. Recognized across party lines as an unwavering patriot, Ferreira dedicated his life to national development and political scholarship.

Opposition Leader Pennelope Beckles led tributes, honoring Ferreira as a man whose “life lived in service, integrity and devotion is honoured by God Himself.” Born in 1932 on Dundonald Street in Port of Spain, Ferreira became one of the few authorities capable of speaking comprehensively about Trinidad and Tobago’s political evolution from colonial times to the present.

As a founding member of the People’s National Movement (PNM), Ferreira served in multiple capacities including elections officer and labor relations officer while acting as trusted adviser to Williams and subsequent party leaders. His expertise became so renowned that the PNM described his home as “a museum of sorts” containing historical documents, laminated articles, photographs, and recordings preserved with his late wife Pearl.

Beyond political service, Ferreira was a prolific writer who authored two significant works: “Political Encounters 1946–2016” (2018) and the autobiography “Portrait of a Patriot” (2022), launched the day after his 90th birthday. His intellectual contributions earned him the honorary degree from the University of Trinidad and Tobago in 2021 and the D. Eric Williams Medal of Honour in 2019.

Tributes poured in from across the political spectrum. Former culture minister Joan Yuille-Williams remembered him as “the most dedicated servant of the people” who “didn’t look back for anything for himself.” NAR former deputy leader Winston Dookeran praised Ferreira as “a foundation stone for the building of the independent TT,” while former minister Vasant Bharath noted his commentary was “never about spectacle – it was about service.”

Ferreira’s legacy includes his recent work preserving the PNM’s history on film through interviews with founding members. He is survived by his children David, Donna, and Jaime, daughter-in-law Lavaughn, and numerous grandchildren.

For over three decades, Trinidad’s northern coastal waters have witnessed what environmental advocates describe as “ecological violence”—the systematic destruction of marine ecosystems through illegal shrimp trawling operations that flout environmental regulations with impunity.

According to Fishermen and Friends of the Sea (FFOS), the repetitive environmental crime occurs as a grim annual ritual, leaving coastal communities impoverished and marine habitats devastated. Massive tickler chains dragged by shrimp trawlers systematically scrape and massacre seabeds, destroying marine life from bottom to top during critical spawning seasons.

The existing legislation clearly restricts shrimp trawling to specific parameters: only permitted from November 15 to January 15, exclusively west of Saut d’Eau Island, at minimum two nautical miles offshore, and solely between 6 am and 6 pm. These regulations were established to protect juvenile fish populations, preserve seabed integrity, and safeguard the livelihoods of artisanal fishers.

Despite these protections, illegal operations continue unabated—conducting trawling activities during nighttime hours, operating dangerously close to shore, and even intruding within the marine protected area east of Saut d’Eau Island. The very agencies mandated to prevent these violations appear either unable or unwilling to enforce compliance.

The enforcement failure is particularly glaring given newly available radar capabilities in Tobago that can monitor maritime activity. On December 9, when reports of illegal trawling were filed, the Coast Guard’s response proved deeply troubling—acknowledging they must “catch them in the act” while trawlers engage in elaborate evasion tactics, lifting nets as enforcement vessels approach and claiming compliance.

This annual cat-and-mouse game costs taxpayers tens of millions while producing one of the world’s highest bycatch discard rates: 14.7 pounds of marine life destroyed for every single pound of shrimp landed—representing over 90% waste. Environmental advocates characterize this destruction as nothing short of “ecological genocide.”

The crisis is compounded by antiquated legislation—the 1916 fisheries law, the world’s oldest still in effect—which FFOS has campaigned to replace for over 30 years. Despite a 2014 commitment by the then UNC government to ban shrimp trawling entirely, and millions spent on feasibility studies, destructive practices continue without pause.

The organization now issues a direct appeal to Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, emphasizing that over 50,000 citizens depend on this industry for survival. They demand real enforcement, properly equipped Coast Guard vessels with fast interceptors, and urgent parliamentary action on the Fisheries Bill to end what they term “state-sanctioned lawlessness at sea.”