Carib Scope

标签： Trinidad and Tobago

特立尼达和多巴哥

  • Kesar: Borough Day on despite funding dispute

    Kesar: Borough Day on despite funding dispute

    A public dispute over financing has broken out ahead of the 2026 Point Fortin Borough Day celebrations, pitting the borough’s sitting Member of Parliament against local council leaders over who is to blame for ongoing budget shortfalls. Despite the conflict, the ruling national government has confirmed the iconic festival will move forward as scheduled, with its official launch kicking off this Saturday.

    In a social media video released Monday, Point Fortin MP Ernesto Kesar stated that the central government, which he represents, maintains full backing for the successful execution of the 2026 Borough Day. He extended an open invitation to Mayor Clyde James and the Borough Council to set aside political differences and collaborate to deliver a memorable event for local residents and visitors.

    The festival’s administrative status shifted in 2025, when last year’s celebration was designated a national festival, moving oversight from the local borough corporation to the central government. Prior to that, planning and funding responsibilities rested entirely with local authorities.

    Last week, Mayor James went public with the council’s financial woes in his own social media statement. He revealed that the 2026 budget allocation for festivals from the national government only totals $75,000, an amount he says is far too small to cover the event’s basic costs. Compounding the shortfall is the loss of long-time private sponsor Heritage Petroleum, which has left the Borough Council carrying an accumulated $300,000 debt from past events, much of which remains unpaid. James added that he had reached out to multiple national government ministries for emergency assistance but had not received any response, accusing the government and local MP of only offering empty “lip service” instead of tangible support.

    Deputy Mayor Kwesi Thomas echoed these concerns, noting that while the full calendar of 2026 events has already been printed, it has not been distributed to the public due to the ongoing financial crisis. Thomas added that the council has yet to receive confirmation of funding from most national agencies, with the only exception being Atlantic LNG, which has stepped in to sponsor the popular Pan on the Move segment of the festival.

    Kesar pushed back against these claims in his Monday address, pushing back the timeline of the council’s funding request as the root of the current shortfall. According to Kesar, the council submitted its funding proposal for 2026 in February 2026, when the required deadline for submissions was August 2025. This late submission left little time for processing and securing additional budget allocation, Kesar explained. He added that the time for budget negotiations was last year, when allocations were being finalized, not weeks ahead of the scheduled event.

    Addressing the unresolved $300,000 debt from 2025, Kesar acknowledged he was not in office when the debt was incurred, but has already offered to work with the mayor to resolve the outstanding obligations. He claimed there are political actors who do not want the festival to succeed, solely for the purpose of shifting blame to the national government. Kesar confirmed he spoke as recently as Sunday morning with Minister of Culture and Community Development, who plans to release an official statement on the government’s commitment to the festival before the end of the week.

    For Kesar, the top priority is supporting the people of Point Fortin, who rely on the annual festival to generate significant local income for small businesses, vendors and hospitality operators. He thanked the mayor and his council team for their work in planning the event, and reiterated that he remains open to collaboration, even after what he implied was a rejection of his outreach. “I offered my hand and it seems like they slapping away my hand. I will continue to offer my hand because my interest has always been the development of Point Fortin,” Kesar said.

    Kesar also pushed for the immediate distribution of the printed event calendar, noting that independent promoters have already reported that most festival events are completely sold out. With Pan on the Move confirmed and thousands of attendees already booked to travel to Point Fortin, Kesar insisted there is no deception surrounding the 2026 celebration: “Borough Day is going to happen…Borough Day 2026—it eh no tricks, come down and get in the mix. It will be excellent.”

    As of Tuesday, James has declined to issue any further public comment in response to Kesar’s social media address. Local media outlet The Express has confirmed that Minister of Rural Development and Local Government Khadijah Ameen is scheduled to meet on Wednesday with Point Fortin’s Mayor James and the leaders of all 14 regional corporations at the San Fernando City Corporation, where the Borough Day funding dispute is expected to be a top agenda item.

  • Face the pressure

    Face the pressure

    As Trinidad and Tobago navigates a fragile, transitional economic period marked by rising business failures and persistent systemic headwinds, two leading regional chamber of commerce presidents are calling on local enterprises to hold out through 2026, framing 2027’s incoming gas sector monetization as the likely turning point for broader economic recovery.

    Kiran Singh, president of the Greater San Fernando Chamber of Commerce, laid out this rallying cry in comments this week, pointing to upcoming large-scale gas projects — including Shell’s Dragon and Manatee fields and other regional energy initiatives led by major international energy firms — as the catalyst that will unlock broader growth once they begin production and revenue generation.

    “Our members are excited about the projected increase in gas supply in the coming years and its vital role in stimulating economic recovery. Developments such as the Dragon and Manatee fields and other regional gas initiatives by Shell and other international energy corporations are essential to economic recovery,” Singh stated.

    Singh’s remarks come on the heels of a recent *Express* report documenting a rising wave of business branch closures and operational restructurings across the country, driven by a broadly contracting domestic economy. Acknowledging that the benefits of new gas development are still 18 months out, Singh stressed that the immediate priority for local private sector operators is simply to endure ongoing economic pressures to reach that turning point. “The responsibility of the private sector is to survive 2026, knowing that next year we will start to benefit from the monetisation of said gas fields,” he said.

    He outlined the multiple overlapping challenges currently squeezing local businesses: growing competition from digital online retailers, depressed consumer spending amid broader economic weakness, and a persistent shortage of foreign exchange that has crippled import-reliant sectors. “The shortage of foreign exchange continues to severely impact import-dependent businesses, limiting their ability to restock inventory and maintain operations. Additionally, increases in taxes and regulatory burdens have compounded these difficulties, particularly for sectors such as retail, hospitality and manufacturing,” Singh explained.

    To prevent further unnecessary business failures before the gas sector gains materialize, Singh called on the government to roll out targeted, immediate support measures in the upcoming mid-year fiscal review. These include expanded, more equitable access to foreign exchange for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), targeted fiscal relief for the ecotourism sector, and broad regulatory reforms to cut red tape and simplify doing business. “The Minister of Finance can use the upcoming mid-year review to devise fiscal measures to address these concerns,” he said. “The SME sector should have more equitable access to foreign exchange. There is a need for targeted fiscal relief in the ecotourism sector, particularly for small and medium enterprises, including temporary tax adjustments or incentives to encourage business continuity and investment.”

    Singh emphasized that while long-term macroeconomic recovery plans are important, short-term support is critical to stopping further business collapse. He called for cross-stakeholder collaboration between government, the private sector, and civil society to build practical, timely solutions that respond to on-the-ground economic realities. “Economic recovery must be inclusive and responsive to the realities on the ground,” he noted.

    Baldath Maharaj, president of the Chaguanas Chamber of Industry and Commerce, offered a complementary perspective, framing the current period as a complex, delicate economic transition rather than a single solvable crisis. Maharaj noted that Finance Minister has to navigate overlapping challenges, including post-pandemic global supply chain volatility, unstable global energy markets, and a structural foreign exchange gap where the country only generates roughly 70% of the foreign currency it needs annually.

    Maharaj pointed out that the wave of traditional business closures is being partially offset by the emergence of new enterprises, mostly in the fast-growing digital economy. But he added that these new small digital firms have not yet grown large enough to replace the tax revenue and jobs lost from shrinking traditional enterprises, creating a near-term gap that policymakers must address. “These new openings often represent a shift toward the digital economy. The challenge for the State is that these new, smaller entities do not yet have the tax base or employment capacity of the larger, older firms that are reducing their operations,” he explained.

    Acknowledging that the government is working to balance fiscal sustainability with private sector growth amid competing pressures, Maharaj said policy responses must be carefully tailored to fit the country’s constrained fiscal and currency context. He argued that non-cash interventions, particularly cutting bureaucratic red tape that slows both business openings and closures, offer a low-cost way to speed up the transition to a more diversified economy. “If we can reduce the time and cost it takes for a new business to become fully compliant and operational, we can accelerate the rate at which these new openings begin to meaningfully contribute to the GDP,” he said.

    Looking ahead, Maharaj echoed Singh’s view that upcoming gas developments are critical to medium-term growth, but stressed that these projects face significant geopolitical and technical hurdles that complicate timely market entry. He framed the current wave of business closures as a painful but inevitable part of the country’s shift away from overreliance on traditional economic models toward a more diversified future. “The financial state of the economy is one of staged recovery. We are moving away from total dependence on historical models and toward a more diversified future. The closures we see today are, in many ways, the painful friction of that transition,” he said.

  • Man killed, pregnant woman wounded in Wallerfield shooting

    Man killed, pregnant woman wounded in Wallerfield shooting

    A deadly early-morning attack has shaken the quiet community of Wallerfield, leaving one man dead and two other people — including the victim’s pregnant girlfriend — fighting for their lives in hospital. The violent incident unfolded shortly before 2 a.m. on Tuesday at a residential property located along Moonan Road, when most neighborhood residents were still asleep in their homes.

    The victim has been publicly identified as 34-year-old Anthony Francis, who was also known to local acquaintances by the nickname “Smalls.” According to initial police accounts of the attack, Francis was resting in his bedroom when an unidentified gunman approached the home and opened fire, firing multiple rounds directly through the bedroom window. Francis was hit by gunfire at the scene and suffered fatal wounds that killed him before emergency responders could arrive.

    Two other people inside the home were also struck by the gunman’s bullets: Francis’ pregnant girlfriend, who is expecting a child, and a second man who was staying at the property at the time of the attack. Both injured victims were immediately rushed by emergency medical teams to a nearby major hospital for urgent surgical care, and as of the latest update from authorities, they both remain in critical, unstable condition.

    In the wake of the shooting, local law enforcement officials have launched a full criminal investigation to identify the attacker and determine the motive behind the pre-dawn assault. As of press time, no suspects have been taken into custody, and police have not released any additional details about potential leads or connections to other recent violent incidents in the area.

  • Court orders Patrice Roberts to pay US$

    Court orders Patrice Roberts to pay US$

    A long-running legal dispute between popular soca recording artist Patrice Roberts and her former management company, Soca Bookings Incorporated, has reached a partial settlement in Trinidad’s High Court, with the artist ordered to pay just over $30,000 in compensation while securing a $9,000 payout in her own counterclaim for unpaid royalties.

    The conflict traces back to an oral management agreement struck between the Canadian-based company and Roberts back in February 2015. Under the terms of that informal arrangement, Soca Bookings agreed to provide a full suite of artist management support, including securing performance bookings, building Roberts’ public brand, organizing recording projects and expanding her reach through international promotional campaigns.

    When the relationship between the two parties broke down, Soca Bookings launched a legal suit seeking compensation for unpaid management fees for services delivered between 2015 and 2017. While both sides never disputed that a basic contractual arrangement existed, the core point of contention centered on one critical, unwritten term: when were management fees due to be paid? The company insisted fees were payable immediately for all work completed, while Roberts argued fees were only due once the business partnership turned a profit.

    In his ruling delivered Tuesday, Justice Robin Mohammed sided with Roberts on that core question, finding the company failed to produce evidence that the profitability threshold for triggering fee payments had ever been met. “The management fees were only payable once the venture became profitable and the Claimant has not established…that that threshold was ever reached,” the judge wrote in his judgment.

    Even with that finding, the judge ruled that the principle of quantum meruit— a legal doctrine that requires compensation for work performed where a recipient has benefited from that work— meant Roberts could not walk away without compensating the firm for its services. “She retained all financial benefits… and in those circumstances cannot in equity be permitted to benefit from the Claimant’s work without compensating it,” Justice Mohammed added.

    The court ultimately awarded Soca Bookings $22,535 for rendered management services, plus an additional $8,200 to cover verified loans and advances the firm had extended to Roberts during their partnership. That brought the total award to the company to $30,735. A separate claim for $11,600 tied to expenses for a music video shoot was thrown out, after the court ruled the firm had not produced sufficient evidence to prove it had covered those costs.

    On the other side of the dispute, Roberts won her counterclaim alleging that Soca Bookings had collected digital streaming and sales royalties on her behalf but never passed those earnings to her. Trial evidence contradicted the company’s earlier denials that it had received the funds, and with no complete formal financial records available to calculate the exact amount owed, the court approved $9,000 as the most reasonable estimate of the unpaid proceeds, awarding that sum to Roberts.

    Both parties were also awarded pre-judgment interest and legal costs. Justice Mohammed ruled that the opposing awards could be set off against one another, resulting in a net payment from Roberts to her former management of $25,104.12, plus TT$26,983.71 in cost awards.

    Soca Bookings was represented in court by attorneys Tara Thompson, Gideon McMaster and Joel Roper, while Roberts was represented by Sterling John and Shelly Clarke.

    In closing the case, Justice Mohammed used the ruling to highlight a widespread risk in the entertainment industry: the dangers of relying on unwritten, informal business agreements. The judge noted that the entire costly and time-consuming dispute could almost certainly have been avoided if the two sides had formalized their agreement with a clear, signed written contract before starting their working relationship.

  • Boat carrying cow and babies: 11 migrants charged

    Boat carrying cow and babies: 11 migrants charged

    A major maritime interception off the coast of Erin, Trinidad and Tobago has led to criminal charges against 11 Venezuelan migrants caught entering the country illegally, in the latest high-profile border enforcement action highlighting the country’s ongoing challenges with unauthorized migration. The accused, ranging in age from 19 to 44, include eight men and three women, who were taken into custody during a coordinated operation on Friday. Of the 11, nine face a single charge of illegal entry, while two additional defendants face the extra allegation of aiding and abetting the unauthorized crossing, according to official details.

    The operation unfolded after Trinidad and Tobago’s Radar Center detected the suspicious vessel and relayed real-time information to the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard’s mother ship, which dispatched teams to intercept the craft. Shortly after 1 a.m. that same day, the Coast Guard intercepted the boat carrying a total of 13 Venezuelan nationals in a fishing zone near Erin — the two additional people on board were infants aged one year and two months old, who have not been charged in the case.

    Beyond the human passengers, law enforcement officials also discovered a number of unusual contraband items aboard the intercepted vessel: a live black cow, plus large stockpiles of cheese, alcohol and sausage. This seizure of unregulated food and livestock echoes a similar incident from earlier this March, when local police arrested two other undocumented Venezuelan migrants in Santa Flora during a routine traffic stop. That case also resulted in seizures of uncustomed goods, including alcoholic beverages, pepper sauce, clothing, footwear and a container of cheese.

    Local media outlet the Express attempted to secure comment from Minister of National Security Roger Alexander on the string of recent unauthorized migrant arrests, but as of publication has not received a response. In an official public statement regarding the 11 charged migrants, the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) confirmed that it is maintaining close coordinated work with multiple relevant government stakeholders to strengthen border security and crack down on repeated incidents of illegal entry.

    The TTPS also issued a public reminder in its release: assisting or facilitating any form of illegal entry into Trinidad and Tobago qualifies as a serious criminal offense under the country’s laws, and any individuals found to be involved in such activity will face full prosecution and legal consequences.

  • Tancoo, Young clash over business closures

    Tancoo, Young clash over business closures

    A growing wave of business closures is sweeping across Trinidad and Tobago, triggering a bitter political blame game between the current United National Congress (UNC) administration and the former People’s National Movement (PNM) government over who is responsible for the country’s deep economic distress. Over the past three weeks alone, multiple well-established local businesses have announced permanent shutdowns or major restructuring, marking one of the sharper downturns for the private sector in recent memory. Among the latest closures is Bick’s Auto, a long-running auto parts supplier in Penal, which announced it would shut its Penal branch and hold a liquidation sale, even giving away bulk steel components for free to clear inventory ahead of closing. Kristina’s, a beloved local shoe retailer that has operated on Port of Spain’s Frederick Street for more than 30 years, also confirmed it would close that location at the end of April. In an emotional social media announcement, the brand framed the Frederick Street outlet as more than a store, noting it had been a community hub where generations of customers built relationships and made memories. While the chain’s nine other locations will remain open, the closure of the flagship branch has been felt deeply by local shoppers. Undercover Garden Centre, a popular Santa Cruz plant and gardening retailer, is also leaving its current location to prepare for relocation, though its weekly farmers’ market will continue operation under new management. Soapmakers Paradise, a Tacarigua-based craft supply business, announced its permanent closure after more than a year of attempting to stay open amid persistent operational challenges. The company explained that repeated struggles to access sufficient foreign exchange – a long-running pain point for local import-reliant businesses – ultimately forced the decision to shut down permanently, after the business had already extended operations for a year in response to customer requests. As the closure trend accelerates, the country’s top political figures have traded sharp accusations over which administration created the crisis. Current Finance Minister Davendranath Tancoo placed full blame on the previous PNM government, arguing that the outgoing administration’s flawed economic policies left the current government with an economy that had contracted by 20% when the UNC took power nearly a year ago. When asked directly for a message to struggling small business owners fighting to stay open, Tancoo declined to comment directly on their plight, instead hitting out at local media for failing to hold the prior PNM administration accountable for its economic mismanagement. He pushed back against critical coverage of the current government’s performance, claiming that the UNC has already rolled out a series of pro-growth policies that will drive a future economic resurgence, and argued that media outlets continue to ignore the lasting damage of 10 years of PNM rule. Former prime minister Stuart Young, representing the opposition PNM, rejected Tancoo’s claims and turned the blame back on the current UNC administration led by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar. Young argued that the UNC’s own policy decisions have devastated the economy: he pointed to the government’s decision to lay off more than 40,000 public sector workers and sweeping tax increases implemented in the administration’s first national budget, which have left households with less disposable income and driven sharp increases in the cost of living. Young noted that small businesses are not just struggling, but closing at record rates, with bars and restaurants hit particularly hard by what he described as “inhumane” new tax policies. He also condemned Tancoo for hosting a celebratory government event amid widespread economic hardship, calling it a slap in the face to tens of thousands of struggling families who face food insecurity. Independent economic analysis has framed the current wave of closures as an expected growing pain amid a long, slow transition period for Trinidad and Tobago’s energy-reliant economy. Leading local economist Dr. Roger Hosein explained that persistent foreign exchange shortages, a core challenge that has forced multiple businesses to close, are a temporary issue tied to the country’s current energy production cycle. Hosein noted that while the next two and a half years will remain difficult for businesses, a gradual economic recovery is expected starting in 2027, when the new Manatee gas field and other small natural gas projects come online. The International Monetary Fund, which recently completed an official visit to the country, has also projected a gradual growth pickup between 2027 and 2030, which should ease foreign exchange constraints as energy export revenues rise. Hosein added that if proposed cross-border energy projects, including the Dragon gas field and development of Venezuelan gas reserves for processing in Trinidad and Tobago, move forward, the recovery will be even stronger. In the near term, he advised struggling businesses to prioritize survival strategies, including targeted cost cutting, expanded marketing and networking to boost sales, and hold on until improved economic conditions arrive.

  • Kamla firm on Barnett

    Kamla firm on Barnett

    A growing procedural dispute within the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has taken center stage, as Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar of Trinidad and Tobago has doubled down on demands for full transparency surrounding the controversial reappointment of Secretary-General Dr. Carla Barnett.

    In a public statement shared to Facebook on Monday, Persad-Bissessar condemned the reappointment process as “surreptitious and odious”, and made clear her administration would not back down from challenging the outcome until the matter is addressed with full openness. While Trinidad and Tobago, CARICOM’s single largest budget contributor, remains fully committed to the regional bloc, the prime minister warned that her government would offer “no quarter” to the organization and its secretariat until procedural fairness is restored.

    Far from being an ordinary bureaucratic appointment, Persad-Bissessar emphasized the five-year term of the secretary-general carries sweeping long-term consequences for Trinidad and Tobago, touching core national priorities including economic trajectory, domestic security, regional integration efforts, and foreign policy direction. “In the interest of my citizens’ well-being, I will mercilessly, relentlessly, and if needed, ruthlessly publicly prosecute this matter until transparency is achieved,” she said.

    The row dates back to the 50th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government hosted by St. Kitts and Nevis, where Dr. Barnett’s second term, set to begin in August 2026, was approved. Per the Trinidad and Tobago government’s account, the reappointment was never added to the meeting’s official provisional agenda, never debated or voted on during the public plenary session, and was only addressed during a closed-door heads of government retreat from which Trinidad and Tobago and other member states were barred from sending their authorized representatives.

    Trinidad and Tobago argues the process directly violates Article 24 of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, the foundational legal framework of CARICOM, which requires the full Conference of Heads of Government to formally consider and approve all secretary-general appointments. In legal terms, the government maintains the reappointment is ultra vires, or outside the legal bounds of the treaty.

    Official objections have been moving forward for months: On March 25, 2026, Foreign and CARICOM Affairs Minister Sean Sobers formally submitted Trinidad and Tobago’s objection in an official letter to CARICOM Chair Dr. Terrance Drew. Two days later, Sobers reaffirmed the position on the floor of Trinidad and Tobago’s parliament. On March 31, the government sent two additional formal requests for clarification: one addressed to Drew and Barnett, asking for full details on when the item was added to meeting materials, what communications were sent to member states, whether post-meeting notifications were issued after the joint closing communiqué, and why the matter was treated as confidential. A separate request was sent by the Foreign Ministry’s permanent secretary to the Chef-de-Cabinet of the Secretary-General’s Office, seeking all relevant documentation related to the process.

    As of Persad-Bissessar’s latest statement, no response has been received from CARICOM leadership. The prime minister noted that past reappointments, including the 2016 selection, followed long-established, inclusive procedures that incorporated input from all heads of government, and the current process falls far short of CARICOM’s own written rules of procedure. “The people of Trinidad and Tobago who finance 22% of CARICOM’s budget deserve transparency, accountability, and faithful adherence to agreed rules,” she said.

    Addressing parliament last month, Minister Sobers expanded on the government’s position, arguing that the furtive process has already caused “irreparable harm” to the regional bloc, noting that Trinidad and Tobago was completely sidelined from the decision. He commended Persad-Bissessar for openly raising concerns about institutional shortcomings during the February CARICOM heads meeting, saying he hoped other regional and global leaders would show similar courage to address procedural gaps openly.

    Sobers stressed that all CARICOM citizens are owed confidence in the institution’s governance, which can only exist if all actions align with the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas. As the bloc’s largest annual contributor, he added, Trinidad and Tobago is owed the basic respect of inclusive, rule-following process. The government has proposed placing the reappointment dispute on the official agenda for the next CARICOM Heads of Government meeting, scheduled to take place July 5-8 in St. Lucia.

    Despite the standoff, Sobers reaffirmed that Trinidad and Tobago remains committed to reforming and revitalizing CARICOM and its secretariat to ensure the institution meets the needs of the entire region. The government recognizes the critical importance of the CARICOM single market to private sector growth across the bloc, he noted, pointing out that Trinidad and Tobago is both the largest importer and largest exporter of goods within CARICOM. At its core, the dispute is a defense of national interests and institutional integrity, not a rejection of regional cooperation: “We are a country that abides by the rules of CARICOM. We conduct our business with transparency and accountability, and we expect the same for all within the community,” Sobers said. He also outlined the scale of Trinidad and Tobago’s annual contributions to core CARICOM institutions, including $35.5 million to the CARICOM Secretariat, $25 million to the CARICOM Development Fund, $1.4 million to the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency, $16.1 million to CARICOM IMPACS, $10.3 million to the Caribbean Examinations Council, $14 million to the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), $23.3 million to the Caribbean Industrial Research Institute, and $1.3 million to the CARICOM Competition Commission.

  • WASA repairing leak at Beetham

    WASA repairing leak at Beetham

    A sudden significant leak on a critical 36-inch water transmission main in Trinidad’s Beetham Gardens has triggered widespread water service disruptions across more than 20 communities in and around Port of Spain, prompting the country’s Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) to launch an emergency repair operation with a clear phased timeline for full service restoration. The incident was first reported on Monday, with WASA confirming the leak stemmed from a faulty air valve weld on the main artery that feeds the region’s water distribution network. According to WASA’s official statement, the leak immediately forced an unplanned shutdown of the El Socorro Booster Station and the adjacent El Socorro High Lift Station — two key facilities that maintain water pressure and flow to the greater Port of Spain area. The outage rippled across a wide swath of the capital region, cutting supply to neighborhoods including Knaggs Hill, Picton II Reservoir, Black River, Barataria, Laventille, Morvant, East Dry River, St Barbs, Gonzales, Long Circular, Dundonald Hill, Dibe, Woodbrook, St James, Cocorite, Belmont, Cascade and St Ann’s. An additional five zones along Boundary Road, Boundary Road Extension, Aranjuez Main Road, El Socorro Road and Don Miguel Road lost service when the High Lift Station went offline. WASA officials confirmed that responding teams activated emergency public safety protocols immediately after receiving the leak alert. To create a safe working environment for repair crews, teams have begun adjusting control valves and draining the affected section of the 36-inch booster line, a necessary preparatory step before full repairs can commence. The authority has laid out a step-by-step timeline for restoring service to affected areas: by 6 a.m. on the day following the leak detection, the El Socorro Booster Station will restart operations at 50 percent capacity, and the High Lift Station will be brought back online. Full 100 percent production at the booster station is projected to be achieved by 8 p.m. on April 7, 2026, bringing water systems back to full pre-leak operational capacity. WASA acknowledged that the unplanned outage has caused major inconvenience for residents and businesses relying on the distribution network, noting that crews are working around the clock to resolve the issue as quickly as possible. In a statement, the organization emphasized that the safety of frontline repair workers and the general public remains its top priority, and that repairs will not be rushed to cut timelines at the cost of long-term infrastructure integrity or worker safety. It also thanked affected communities for their patience during the restoration process. While WASA moves forward with repairs, the incident has drawn public criticism from local environmental non-governmental organization Fishermen and Friends of the Sea. Corporate secretary Gary Aboud, who shared a video of the active leak on social media, claimed that the leak is tied to broader systemic issues: he alleged that private residents have been illegally constructing properties directly on top of WASA-owned utility lines, creating avoidable risk to critical public water infrastructure. Aboud called on WASA to intervene to address the illegal construction and end the waste of clean drinking water, noting that the communities most in need of reliable water access are the ones hit hardest by the resulting outages. “It’s just not right that we should be so wasteful. It’s not right that lawlessness should be allowed to endanger the public good. And the people who need it (water) the most are suffering the most,” Aboud said in his social media post.

  • Gary: ‘Begging’ won’t help

    Gary: ‘Begging’ won’t help

    A former top Trinidadian law enforcement official has pushed back against recent calls for public cooperation with police, arguing that meaningful public support can only be earned through structured institutional reform, enhanced accountability, and updated operational practices — not by simply begging citizens to step forward.

    Gary Griffith, who previously served as Commissioner of Police, made his remarks in response to recent comments from Homeland Security Minister Roger Alexander. During a recent media interview, Alexander urged members of the public to share actionable intelligence with police to help combat the country’s persistent crime challenges. In a public statement posted to his Facebook page yesterday, Griffith acknowledged that Alexander’s call for greater public collaboration is a reasonable starting point, but stressed that urging citizens to participate without addressing systemic barriers will not deliver the crime-fighting results the government is seeking.

    Griffith explained that law-abiding residents are extremely reluctant to change their long-standing patterns of behavior and share sensitive information with authorities, especially when widespread concerns about personal safety and institutional trust remain unaddressed. While he affirmed that human intelligence is the single most critical asset in effective crime fighting — with ordinary residents often holding key details that can solve or prevent serious offenses — he noted that robust protective mechanisms must be in place to allow people to come forward without fear of violent retaliation from criminal groups.

    To illustrate his point, Griffith pointed to a series of public engagement initiatives rolled out during his tenure as police commissioner that were designed to lower barriers to reporting. These included open direct communication channels between residents and senior police leadership, a dedicated police mobile app, and secure online incident reporting systems that allowed people to share information without exposing their identity or requiring an in-person visit to a local police station. He also highlighted the former Gender-Based Violence Unit, which deployed specially trained officers to take reports from survivors in their own homes, a model that directly addressed concerns about confidentiality and sensitivity and drove measurable increases in reporting rates. Griffith claimed that the rollback or elimination of these successful programs has directly contributed to a sharp drop in public engagement with law enforcement.

    Beyond accessible reporting systems, Griffith emphasized that internal accountability within the Police Service is non-negotiable for rebuilding public trust. For the public to actively cooperate, he said, residents must have full confidence that officer misconduct will be investigated and addressed promptly, and that all policing activities are carried out to professional, service-first standards. He again referenced reforms implemented during his tenure, including the rollout of body-worn cameras for patrol officers, mandatory polygraph testing for new and serving personnel, and specialized ethics and community engagement training — measures he said significantly boosted transparency and public confidence. Griffith expressed deep concern that these systems are no longer fully operational or consistently enforced under current leadership.

    Griffith also criticized current policing strategy, calling out the continued heavy reliance on roadblocks as a primary enforcement tool. He argued that this approach represents an outdated, reactive model of policing that does not align with the intelligence-led best practices used by effective law enforcement agencies across the globe. By contrast, he noted, the proactive traffic management and sustained community engagement strategies his administration implemented helped build far higher levels of public trust and voluntary cooperation.

    The former commissioner concluded that eroding public confidence does not just harm citizens — it also damages police morale, as reduced trust cuts off the flow of actionable intelligence officers need to do their jobs safely and effectively. He stressed that improving police-public relations requires deep institutional change, including policies that prioritize accountability, protect civilian informants, and embed consistent professionalism across all ranks. While Griffith said he fully supports the goal of greater public cooperation to fight crime, he made clear that this outcome can only be achieved after the government implements systemic changes that directly address the public’s core concerns and rebuild confidence in law enforcement.

  • ‘THREATS’ TO STRAY CATS

    ‘THREATS’ TO STRAY CATS

    Unconfirmed reports of a planned poisoning campaign targeting stray cats at Trinidad and Tobago’s iconic Caroni Bird Sanctuary have sparked urgent action from animal welfare advocates and concerned community members, who gathered at the ecologically sensitive site on Wednesday to demand the adoption of long-term, humane population control strategies instead of lethal cruelty.

    A group of 12 demonstrators, led by Clifford Tardieu, founder of the Valencia-based Tardieu Kitten and Puppy Sanctuary, used the gathering to feed at-risk stray cats and rescue vulnerable animals—just moments before speaking to local media outlet *Express*, Tardieu pulled three abandoned kittens from the sanctuary grounds, animals he noted would almost certainly have perished without human intervention. Tardieu explained the demonstration was organized after advocates received unconfirmed tips that local parties intended to poison the feral cat colony that roams the popular tourist site.

    Tardieu, a lifelong animal rescuer, emphasized that poisoning is not only morally abhorrent but also ecologically destructive and ultimately ineffective at solving overpopulation. Unlike quick, painless death, he explained, poisoned animals suffer prolonged, agonizing decline, creating dangerous ripple effects throughout the Caroni ecosystem. Scavenging species native to the sanctuary—including vultures and local crab populations—often feed on the carcasses of poisoned animals, leading to secondary poisoning across the food chain. Toxic compounds from poison can also seep into local soil and water systems, damaging the fragile wetland habitat that draws thousands of tourists to the site each year.

    “It becomes a trickle-down effect—this is no longer just an issue for the cats, the entire ecosystem is put at risk by one single cruel action,” Tardieu told reporters. He further argued that the premeditated nature of poisoning, which requires hiding poison in food to lure unsuspecting animals, reveals a dangerous lack of conscience that could extend beyond harming animals.

    Beyond the environmental and ethical harms of poisoning, Tardieu noted that culling entire feral colonies does nothing to fix the root cause of overpopulation: the ongoing abandonment of unsterilized pets. Even if all current stray cats were killed, he explained, the empty territory created by a cull would quickly be repopulated by new fertile stray animals that are dumped in the area, allowing populations to rebound rapidly. Tardieu added that many of the existing stray cats at the sanctuary have already been sterilized, meaning their removal would only clear space for unsterilized animals to breed unchecked.

    Instead of lethal control, Tardieu called for cross-sector collaboration between the Trinidad and Tobago government and private businesses to build a network of professionally managed, humane animal sanctuaries across the country. His vision for these facilities includes large, open enclosures—some as big as a football field—where rescued animals can live in near-natural conditions with consistent access to food and veterinary care, with humane euthanasia only used as a last resort for terminally ill or severely injured animals that cannot be saved.

    Tardieu also highlighted the potential economic benefits of such a network, noting that the Caroni Bird Sanctuary already generates significant foreign exchange from international tourism, many of whom enjoy interacting and feeding the site’s stray cats. A purpose-built sanctuary on-site could become an additional tourist attraction, generating ongoing revenue to support animal care while addressing the overpopulation problem. Decentralizing sanctuaries across regions including Arima, Valencia, San Fernando and Mayaro, he added, would prevent overcrowding at any single facility and reduce the incentive for people to dump unwanted animals in protected natural sites like the Caroni Bird Sanctuary.

    While the most proven long-term solution to stray overpopulation remains widespread trap-neuter-return (TNR) programs, Tardieu explained that independent rescuers across the country—estimated at roughly 100 people total—are stretched dangerously thin by a lack of funding and resources. All 256 animals currently housed at his own sanctuary have been sterilized, he noted, but independent operations cannot keep up with growing demand without public and private support. He called for the government to subsidize spay and neuter procedures and for private companies to contribute funding and logistical support to expand access to population control services.

    In a public statement released amid the demonstration, Nanan Caroni Bird Sanctuary Tours, the main tour operator at the site, distanced itself from any planned poisoning, noting that it has already implemented its own humane TNR program for the sanctuary’s cat colony, which an official estimates numbers between 50 and 75 animals. The company emphasized that it shares advocates’ commitment to cat welfare and has already taken steps to manage the population humanely, including organizing regular feeding stations, advocating for cat adoptions, and collaborating with animal welfare groups to monitor the colony.

    “There is no verified evidence of intentional harm to cats at the sanctuary,” the company’s Facebook post read. “What we do know is that unmanaged populations lead to suffering, and that’s what we are addressing with a structured humane programme.” The company echoed Tardieu’s point that culling and removal do not solve overpopulation, noting that removing entire colonies creates a “vacuum effect” that draws new stray cats into the area. “The only proven humane method is sterilisation and population control,” the statement read, adding that the sensitive ecological status of the site requires a structured, thoughtful approach that protects both cats and native wildlife. The company called on all stakeholders to work together toward a shared solution and shared contact information for anyone with information about potential harm to cats.

    In an official press release responding to the public outcry, Trinidad and Tobago’s Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries reminded the public that animal cruelty is a criminal offense under the country’s Summary Offences Act and Animals (Diseases and Importation) Act. While the ministry did not directly reference the reported planned poisoning at Caroni, it condemned animal cruelty as “heinous and inhumane” and reiterated the government’s unwavering commitment to protecting animal welfare across the country. The ministry called on any member of the public with information about actual or planned animal cruelty to contact local police or the ministry via its dedicated toll-free tip lines, to ensure offenders are held accountable under the law.