NEWS
New Goodwood police post abandoned due to soil erosion
Just one week after its official opening, the Goodwood micro policing unit has been closed due to infrastructure concerns, including soil erosion affecting its foundation. The facility, built on a hillside in Goodwood, Tobago, was officially opened on October 13 by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar. However, officers were ordered to vacate the premises just 24 hours later. While the Goodwood post remains closed, operations continue at the Signal Hill and Plymouth micro policing units, which were commissioned on the same day. The Tobago facilities are among 30 micro policing posts the Government plans to establish across the country. Read more here
Arima woman attacked, robbed outside Trinicty Mall
Three men beat a woman as she exited Trincity Mall on Tuesday, and robbed her of $20,000. The woman, aged 37, had withdrawn the cash from Republic Bank, at around 12.15pm. A police report stated that she then had lunch at the mall and was returning to her vehicle in the mall parking lot when she was attacked. Police said the men surrounded the woman, near her vehicle, and attempted to grab her handbag. But she refused to let go. Read more here
POLITICS
NO PLAN TO FIX WHITEHALL, PM’S RESIDENCE
One year after the Government declared both Whitehall and the Prime Minister’s official residence in St Ann’s to be in poor condition to accommodate Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar in the conduct of her national duties, plans are now advancing to relocate key functions of the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) from Whitehall. The OPM’s allocation in the 2026/2027 Budget includes $500,000 for a new project titled the Whitehall Companion Building. Speaking on the allocation yesterday, Public Utilities Minister Barry Padarath said Whitehall remains ill-suited to the needs of a modern government and that officials are exploring alternative accommodation for several OPM departments. Read more here
Senator: Tobago health allocation cut over 68%
OPPOSITION Senator Melanie Roberts-Radgman has called on the Government to review Tobago’s fiscal 2027 allocation, warning that a reduction of more than 68% in funding for the Tobago Regional Health Authority (TRHA) could further affect the delivery of essential health services. Speaking at a PNM news conference at the Opposition’s office in Port of Spain yesterday, Roberts-Radgman said the TRHA had received an allocation of $750 million for fiscal 2026, but less than $240 million had been allocated for fiscal 2027. She put the reduction at $510,255,500, or just over 68%.Roberts-Radgman said the allocation covered recurrent expenditure needed to operate the authority and raised concerns about how the health system would function with the reduced funding. Read more here
BUSINESS
Labour Ministry to expand contract workforce by 83
The Ministry of Labour, Small and Micro Enterprise Development intends to recruit 83 additional contract workers in fiscal 2027, including 65 for the Occupational Safety and Health Authority (OSHA) and 18 for the ministry’s general administration. Labour Minister Leroy Baptiste said the ministry currently employs 40 people under contract in general administration, with plans to transition at least 18 short-term workers to contract employment. Read more here
REGIONAL
US relationship built on partnership, not dominance –President Ali affirms
GUYANA’S President, Dr Irfaan Ali, has rejected the suggestion that the United States (US) is seeking to dominate, describing the relationship instead as one based on partnership, shared interests and respect for Guyana’s sovereignty. Speaking to CNN anchor and chief national security analyst Jim Sciutto, Dr Ali was asked whether he was concerned that the President Donald Trump administration’s approach to the Western Hemisphere could mean control rather than cooperation. President Ali said he did not view the US as trying to force its will on Guyana or act as a dominant power. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Ukraine says Starlink still restricted after Trump says limits lifted
Ukraine is still recording issues with the Starlink network, sources within the defence ministry say, after Donald Trump said limits on the satellite uplink had been reversed by Elon Musk. The sources told the BBC that instances of drones experiencing connection loss at speeds of 161km/h (100mph) were being recorded, hampering military operations. The US president had denied instructing the tech billionaire to restrict connectivity to Starlink's military-grade counterpart, Starshield, before saying on Thursday that Musk had "put it back". Read more here
23rd October 2026