标签： Trinidad and Tobago

On the eve of Trinidad and Tobago’s 64th Independence anniversary, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar delivered a stirring tribute to the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) and all national law enforcement agencies, celebrating their landmark success in reversing a years-long surge in violent crime and saving hundreds of civilian lives. The address came during a special reception hosted by Police Commissioner Allister Guevarro at Port of Spain’s Police Administration Building, a venue that brought together senior law enforcement officials and political leaders to mark the national holiday.

Persad-Bissessar opened her remarks by emphasizing that coordinated law enforcement action has pulled the nation out of the crippling grip of unprecedented violent crime that reached a peak with a historic high of 629 murders in a single year. Citing newly compiled crime statistics, she confirmed that national homicide rates have dropped to their lowest level since 2011, with all major categories of violent and property crime including murders, shootings, non-fatal woundings and robberies showing sharp downward trends in 2025. Most notably, official data shows a 42% overall reduction in murders compared to 2024. Between January 2025 and the date of the address, the country has recorded 400 fewer homicides than pre-existing projections predicted – a difference that translates directly to more than 400 citizens alive today because of targeted police intervention.

Quoting the well-known observation that “People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf,” Persad-Bissessar noted that when Guevarro was appointed to lead the TTPS, the government and public gave him and his force a clear mandate to reverse the country’s crime crisis. The now-visible results, she said, prove that the TTPS’s current crime-fighting strategies are working, and that the service is steadily regaining full control of public safety across the country. Beyond violent crime, she added, road traffic safety has also seen dramatic improvement: fatal road accidents have dropped by 31%, serious injuries by 35%, minor injuries by 33%, and total accidents are running roughly 42% lower than previous years.

Beyond the positive statistical progress, the Prime Minister stressed that numbers alone cannot capture the profound personal sacrifices made by frontline police officers and their families. Unlike civilians who naturally flee from danger, Persad-Bissessar pointed out, police officers run toward threats to protect people who will often never even know the name of the person who saved their life. Officers routinely put their own lives at risk, and some make the ultimate sacrifice while on duty. Behind every serving officer, she added, is a family that lives with constant uncertainty, carrying the emotional weight of waiting to see if their loved one will return home safely after a shift. Officers regularly give up family time, holidays, weekends, birthdays, and anniversaries so that ordinary citizens can celebrate those moments without fear. They also carry the lasting psychological and physical toll of repeatedly witnessing violence, trauma, and human suffering.

Persad-Bissessar also acknowledged that recent challenges including a national State of Emergency, a wave of unsolved bomb threats, and ongoing staffing shortages have placed extraordinary additional strain on the TTPS, forcing widespread cancellation of days off and requiring officers to work long, exhausting shifts. She then came out strongly in defense of the service against critics, urging officers not to be demoralized by unfair attacks from people who have never faced the dangers of frontline law enforcement. She noted that critics who spread unwarranted criticism, misinformation, and abuse are often the same people who flee from danger at the first sign of risk, and expect others to uphold moral standards they themselves refuse to follow. “Ignore them; they can never step in your shoes to fulfil your roles,” she told officers. “When faced with abuse and denigration from those who don’t appreciate you, always remember I respect you, I appreciate you, and I love you.”

She closed her formal remarks by confirming that her administration offers unwavering, unequivocal support to Guevarro and the entire TTPS as they continue their work to reduce crime. Speaking to reporters after the reception, Persad-Bissessar outlined next steps for strengthening law enforcement across the country. She confirmed that Parliament will soon reopen, and new anti-crime legislation is already in the pipeline. Ongoing recruitment drives across all protective services have already increased the number of frontline officers deployed across the country, and new community police posts will be opened and operationalized in the near future. The Prime Minister explained that the government is taking time to ensure all infrastructure at the new posts is fully functional before opening, so that residents will not face basic service issues like interrupted water or power once the facilities launch.

As Trinidad and Tobago marked its 64th year of independence, a sharp political rift has erupted over the prime minister’s holiday messages, with opposition leader Pennelope Beckles launching a blistering rebuke of Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s remarks, accusing the sitting prime minister of blending partisan politics with national office and spreading a distorted version of the country’s post-colonial history.

In a public statement shared across social media platforms on Monday, Beckles categorized Persad-Bissessar’s two separate Independence addresses as unresponsive to the lived experiences of the national public, disconnected from on-the-ground realities, and marked by a failure to draw a clear line between the prime minister’s duty to all citizens and her partisan obligations as leader of the United National Congress (UNC).

The core of Beckles’ criticism centers on the order of Persad-Bissessar’s communications: the prime minister first delivered an address exclusively to her “UNC family” in her capacity as party leader before releasing a formal message to the entire nation. Beckles argues that Persad-Bissessar exploited a unifying national milestone that belongs to all Trinidadians and Tobagonians to push a partisan agenda rooted in grievance and political polarization, rather than fostering cross-community unity.

“This is not the behavior one expects from a prime minister whose primary responsibility is bringing a divided country together,” Beckles noted in her statement.

Beyond the issue of misplaced partisanship, Beckles took particular issue with claims made in Persad-Bissessar’s formal national Independence address, released on Sunday. In that message, the prime minister urged the country to “grow up,” move past blaming contemporary social and economic challenges on the legacy of colonial rule, and claimed the nation experienced widespread prosperity during British colonial governance. Beckles flatly rejected this framing, calling it a blatant attempt to rewrite the country’s foundational national history.

“Trinidad and Tobago’s decades-long fight to win independence, and our decades of development as a sovereign nation since, cannot be condensed into a politically convenient retelling of history tailored to whatever audience the prime minister is seeking to win over,” Beckles asserted.

She went on to outline the flaws in Persad-Bissessar’s narrative, arguing: “The prime minister is incorrect to describe our colonial inheritance without acknowledging the deep systemic inequalities and harmful social conditions that shaped the country at the moment we gained independence. Just as wrong is her framing of our post-independence history as a partisan battle, casting one group as blameless victims and another as villains.”

Beckles emphasized that the Trinidadian and Tobagonian public deserves more thoughtful, honest leadership than what Persad-Bissessar delivered, noting that the country’s history is far more nuanced and meaningful than the distorted retelling presented by the prime minister.

“It should come as no surprise that a prime minister who has already failed to properly recognize the historical legacy of Dr. Eric Williams, the nation’s first prime minister, would now put forward such a warped account of our independence journey,” Beckles added.

She closed her statement with a sharp rebuke of Persad-Bissessar’s fitness for office: “A prime minister who cannot speak honestly about our nation’s history cannot credibly guide our nation forward.”

As the twin-island nation of Trinidad and Tobago prepares to mark 64 years of self-governance, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has delivered a landmark Independence Day message urging the country to break free from decades of blaming colonial rule for its current struggles and embrace full accountability for its post-independence policy choices.

Persad-Bissessar emphasized that after more than six decades as an independent nation, the habit of pointing to colonial legacies to excuse poor decision-making has become a barrier to progress. “It’s time we grow up and stop blaming our problems on our colonial past to escape accepting responsibility for bad decisions we made post-Independence that have resulted in negative consequences for ourselves and our nation,” she stated in the address, released a day ahead of the official anniversary celebrations.

The Prime Minister drew on historical context to ground her argument, noting that when Trinidad and Tobago gained independence from Britain in 1962, it inherited a uniquely strong economic and institutional foundation compared to many peer nations emerging from colonial rule. At the time of independence, the country boasted a higher per capita income than a long list of global economies including Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Chile, Spain, Malaysia, China, Turkey and Brazil. Today, almost all of those countries have surpassed Trinidad and Tobago in economic output and development, she acknowledged.

Beyond macroeconomic foundations, Persad-Bissessar highlighted the robust infrastructure and governance systems the nation inherited at independence: a well-structured legal and public administration framework, a leading regional oil exploration and refining industry, a large and productive agricultural sector, and an extensive operational railway network. She also recalled the country’s low crime rates and well-preserved natural environment in the early years of independence, reinforcing the point that “the British left us a very prosperous functioning country in 1962.”

Acknowledging that all societies and leaders make missteps along their development journey, the Prime Minister noted that countries often prioritize quick, short-term gains over sustainable long-term growth, leading to regrettable outcomes that hold back progress. Despite past errors, differing ideological perspectives, and historical grievances, Persad-Bissessar reminded citizens that all Trinidadians and Tobagonians share a common national identity and collective responsibility to prioritize the nation’s interests above individual and partisan gains.

Looking ahead, the Prime Minister said that building a stronger, safer, and more prosperous country to pass on to future generations requires moving forward with unwavering conviction and a radical new commitment to accountability. The message frames accountability as a critical first step toward national renewal, calling for an honest reckoning with post-independence history to unlock progress for the Caribbean nation.

In the wake of a widespread wave of fake bomb threats that targeted critical public and private facilities across Trinidad and Tobago between mid- and late-August, the country’s top law enforcement official has confirmed that all alerts were deliberate hoaxes crafted to sow public panic and disrupt regular operations of targeted organizations. Police Commissioner Allister Guevarro issued a public statement via voice note from the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) on Monday, warning that the individuals behind the coordinated campaign cannot evade capture by hiding behind the anonymity of digital cyberspace.

Guevarro detailed the scope of the threats, noting that the targets spanned a broad cross-section of national infrastructure, including magistrates’ courts, national government ministries, a popular commercial shopping mall, multiple hotels, state government offices, and foreign diplomatic missions. On just the first day of the campaign, August 19, 11 separate threats were delivered across a 40-minute window, hitting eight district magistrates’ courts along with three high-profile sites: Kent House, Valpark Shopping Plaza, and Tobago’s central judicial building. Additional coordinated threats were registered on August 22 and August 28, this time targeting government offices, hospitality properties, and diplomatic missions, according to official records.

Every threat report was prioritized for full investigation by the TTPS’s specialized Explosive Detection and Disposal Unit, which received full operational support from the Trinidad and Tobago Fire Service. Guevarro confirmed that after systematic searches of every targeted location, no explosive materials or suspicious devices were ever recovered at any site.

“These hoax threats were intentionally designed to disrupt daily operations at these key institutions, and more than that, they represent a cowardly attempt to spread fear among ordinary members of the public,” Guevarro said in his statement. He classified the hoax campaign as a criminal act of profound irresponsibility, noting that the perpetrators sought to undermine public trust, disrupt the delivery of justice through the court system, and drain limited public resources that could be allocated to other pressing community needs. “These fake threats weaken our national security framework and divert law enforcement attention away from legitimate policing priorities. The public must understand that anyone who carries out these acts is attacking the core stability of our democracy and the safety of our local communities,” he added.

Guevarro also moved to reassure the public that there is no credible intelligence to support claims of a planned violent attack tied to the country’s upcoming Independence Day celebrations, or any planned attack against state institutions or diplomatic missions. “The national threat level remains low. The primary risk stemming from this hoax campaign is public panic and operational disruption, and no single credible threat of a real attack has been uncovered,” he explained. Despite the lack of credible risk, Guevarro confirmed that TTPS has already elevated its operational alert status and rolled out enhanced security measures to guarantee that all scheduled Independence Day events can proceed without disruption or safety concerns.

Investigations into the origin of the threats remain active, Guevarro confirmed, though he noted that complex cybercrime probes often require extended timelines as investigators work to gather admissible legal evidence. He referenced a parallel cyber threat case from the previous year to underscore that digital anonymity is not a barrier to prosecution. In that earlier incident, a perpetrator launched a cyber terror campaign against Rio Claro Secondary School, incorrectly believing that the internet would allow them to remain untraceable. “That person foolishly believed that the internet gave them the luxury of anonymity. Right up until the moment my officers removed their freedom, they still thought they could not be caught. And then the handcuffs clicked,” Guevarro recounted. That case concluded with the arrest of a 16-year-old boy in May of this year, who faces multiple harassment charges for cyber threats made against students and staff at the school between November 2025 and February 2026.

Addressing the perpetrators directly, Guevarro called the group unpatriotic, cowardly “keyboard warriors” and emphasized that law enforcement will not back down from pursuing them. “Time is longer than twine. These hoax threats are no joke. They are an attack on our courts, our institutions, and our people, and the TTPS will follow every lead relentlessly. Those responsible will face full justice under the law,” he said. “I give my assurance to all citizens that Independence Day celebrations will proceed safely, securely, and without interruption.”

Homeland Security Minister Roger Alexander echoed Guevarro’s firm stance in a separate warning issued Saturday, after TTPS announced it was probing an unconfirmed new threat targeting embassies, diplomatic facilities, and government buildings over the Independence Day holiday weekend. Addressing anyone planning to carry out violent or disruptive acts over the holiday, Alexander said: “Don’t you dare! We will do anything we have to, by any means necessary, to put down and end any madness you attempt. And we will do it as easily as drinking water, and continue the day’s proceedings like nothing ever happened.”

As Trinidad and Tobago marks its 64th year of national independence, President Christine Kangaloo has delivered a sober yet forward-looking national address that confronts the country’s most pressing challenges while calling on all citizens to embrace collective responsibility for the nation’s future.

Opening her address, Kangaloo did not shy away from the harsh realities facing the Caribbean nation, highlighting the widespread grief that has torn through communities due to persistent violence. “Too many families across our country have known the pain of losing loved ones to senseless violence, and every grieving household carries a sorrow that resonates across the entire nation,” she said. She emphasized that achieving independence does not require citizens to ignore deep-seated problems; instead, self-governance grants the freedom and imposes a non-negotiable duty to confront these challenges head-on.

Reflecting on the country’s constitutional journey, Kangaloo framed national sovereignty as a collective stewardship rather than a symbolic milestone. “Independence gave us the authority to chart our own national path, and transitioning to republican status placed full responsibility for our constitutional future in our own hands,” she explained. “Sovereignty, in the end, is stewardship: it is our shared duty to nurture the nation entrusted to us, and leave it stronger than we inherited it.”

The President stressed that the fundamental freedoms the nation celebrates must include the right to live without fear of violence. Every life cut short by violent crime weakens the entire country, she argued, making the demand for public safety and the rule of law not just a policy goal, but a fundamental citizen right. She pushed back against the false framing that personal liberty, public security, and the sanctity of life are competing priorities, noting that a mature democracy works thoughtfully to protect all three values simultaneously.

Building a peaceful, inclusive nation is a shared responsibility that extends far beyond government institutions, Kangaloo argued. Meaningful change begins at the community level: when adults teach children to value human life, when families, teachers, faith leaders and coaches help young people find a sense of purpose, and when every citizen chooses active engagement over indifference and collective service over personal gain.

A core pillar of that inclusive nation-building, she added, is a commitment to genuine equity for all citizens. While independence made all Trinidadians and Tobagonians equal under the law, true nationhood requires putting that equality into practice. This means celebrating the cultural differences that enrich national life without letting those differences determine who belongs, whose contributions matter, or whose dignity deserves protection. “The Republic belongs equally to every single citizen,” Kangaloo said. “Our national institutions are held in trust for all people, not the property of those who hold office, and their strength depends on the integrity of public servants and the vigilance of the communities they serve.”

Looking ahead to the future that will be led by the next generation, the President outlined key priorities to equip young people for success. The nation must leave behind institutions that earn young people’s trust, build an economy that rewards entrepreneurship, creativity and honest work, and expand opportunity so it is not limited by birth or background. She also highlighted the importance of passing down the nation’s rich cultural inheritance, noting that preserving the country’s faiths, traditions, music and shared stories is how generations have built unity from diversity.

Kangaloo also positioned environmental stewardship as a core part of national independence. The islands’ land and coastal ecosystems are a central part of the national inheritance, she said, so protecting these natural resources, planning for climate change, and strengthening domestic food production are core acts of national stewardship. She added that national sovereignty does not mean isolation; instead, Trinidad and Tobago’s independence is strengthened when it contributes to the Caribbean community and the global order through a commitment to mutual respect, cooperation and peace.

Noting the return of the traditional Independence Day parade after disruptions, Kangaloo said the event is not just a celebration of nationhood, but a reaffirmation of collective responsibility for the future. “The true measure of our independence is not simply that we have the freedom to make our own choices,” she said. “It is whether we choose wisely, whether we treat one another justly, and whether we leave the next generation a country that is more peaceful, more prosperous and more united than the one we received.”

Closing her address, the President recalled that 64 years ago, the nation took control of its own destiny, and 50 years ago, it reaffirmed that responsibility as a republic. “Today, that responsibility belongs to every single one of us,” she said. “Let us meet it with honesty about where we have fallen short, confidence in what we can still achieve, and faith in one another.”