NEWS
Manuel Congo illegal quarrying – Cycle of raid, rebuild, resume ended
Following a Sunday Newsday Page 1 story, on June 29, on an illegal quarrying site in Manuel Congo, Guanapo, then newly-minted Commissioner of Police Allister Guevarro visited the site in July, and the operation was shut down. However, in a shocking development, on October 9 – just three months after his initial visit – Guevarro returned to the same location, this time declaring that the police was shutting down for good, a multimillion-dollar illegal quarrying outfit that included modern machinery which cleared acres of virgin forests, bit into hills and the ground, chewed up tonnes of earth and rock and converted them into aggregate worth hundreds of millions of dollars. This development follows a series of public warnings and an in-depth investigation by Newsday. Read more here
UWI students brace for Budget amid rising costs, job fears
As the Government prepares to unveil its 2026 Budget on Monday, a sense of unease hangs over the University of the West Indies (UWI), St Augustine campus. While some students expressed cautious optimism, others voiced deep anxiety. For many students, the coming fiscal plan is not just about numbers; it’s about survival. Guardian Media gathered six students from five faculties—including Nursing, Computer Science, Accounting, Theatre Arts, and International Relations—to gauge expectations ahead of Budget Day. Their discussions revealed a generation caught between hope and hardship, questioning whether policymakers truly understand the realities of youth living under rising costs, limited jobs, and crumbling infrastructure. “Quite frankly, we’re still a little bit lost about what to expect next week, Monday,” said Mikail Barrock, a nursing student from the Faculty of Medical Sciences. “All we’re expecting right now is the worst.” Read more here
POLITICS
US grants government licence to negotiate with Venezuela on Dragon gas deal
Attorney General John Jeremie has announced that the government has been granted an OFAC licence by the US to pursue the Dragon gas deal, but only to begin negotiations with Venezuela. The Attorney General made the announcement at the Attorney General and Legal Affairs office in Port of Spain. Although he was reluctant to divulge details, Jeremie said the licence was granted on October 8 as the first phase of a “tiered approach,” which would require the TT government to reach certain “benchmarks” which would give the US certain “benefits” through US companies. He however described the requirements as “reasonable and attainable.” He added that the licence has been granted for six months. However, he noted that the TT Government has not yet begun negotiations with the Venezuelan government. Read more here
Young, Moonilal spar over OFAC contract details
Former prime minister and energy minister Stuart Young has questioned the Government’s silence on the specifics of what he described as a provisional Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) licence by the US government to T&T. “I urge the Government to inform the population what are the terms and conditions of this six-month licence,” Young said in a statement yesterday, hours after Attorney General John Jeremie announced that T&T had been granted the licence on Wednesday. “Can Shell and NGC pay the Venezuelan government for the gas? This is the same UNC that, while in Opposition, demanded weekly updates on this project and accused us of secrecy. The irony is striking.” In a Facebook post, Young said his People’s National Movement administration had kept the public informed throughout its own negotiations, noting that the previous licence was publicly published in the Venezuelan Gazette. “The UNC once branded the Dragon arrangement a ‘secret deal.’ Now they are hiding behind confidentiality,” Young continued. Read more here
BUSINESS
Two RFHL directors resign
Two directors of Republic Financial Holdings Ltd (RFHL) have resigned in the past week. The two are Shameer Ronnie Mohammed and Waltnel Sosa. Mohammed resigned as chairman of Caribbean Airlines in May following the United National Congress (UNC) general election victory on April 28. He stepped down from the RFHL board on October 3. On October 7, Sosa resigned from the RFHL board, according to two separate notices issued by the company. In December 2018, RFHL issued a release defending the appointment of Sosa to its board. Read more here
REGIONAL
Soesdyke-Linden Highway residents get direct answers to questions
COMMUNITIES along the Soesdyke-Linden Highway are set to benefit from housing support, health and agricultural initiatives, and infrastructure development following a series of direct engagements with over a dozen ministers, who also pledged to address community issues. On Thursday, government ministers reaffirmed the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C)’s commitment to inclusive development to hundreds of residents while also listening to their voices. During separate outreaches, the ministers emphasised that these interactions are vital to ensuring that government policies and programmes remain people-centred and responsive to the needs of citizens. The series of engagements saw residents raising key issues such as infrastructure upgrades, drainage, waste management, and road safety. Government ministers assured citizens that these matters will be addressed collaboratively through the relevant agencies. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
How Trump secured a Gaza breakthrough which eluded Biden
At the time, Israel's air strike against the Hamas negotiating team in Qatar seemed like yet another escalation that pushed the prospect of peace further away. The attack on 9 September violated the sovereignty of an American ally and risked expanding the conflict into a region-wide war. Diplomacy appeared to be in ruins. Instead it turned out to be a key moment that has led to a deal, announced by President Donald Trump, to release all remaining hostages. This is a goal that he, and President Joe Biden before him, had sought for nearly two years. Read more here
10th October 2025