NEWS
Ex-Industrial Court president now TT's High Commissioner to Jamaica
Former Industrial Court president and deputy Chief Magistrate Deborah Thomas-Felix has been appointed this country's High Commissioner to Jamaica. Confirmation of her appointment came in a post on the Ministry of Foreign and Caricom Affairs' Facebook page on October 8. The brief post said that Foreign and Caricom Affairs Minister Sean Sobers presented instruments of appointment to two new high commissioners-designate at the ministry's head office. The other new appointee is Chandradath Singh, TT's new High Commissioner to India. Read more here
TTBWA calls for national action to prevent blindness
Today is World Sight Day 2025 and the T&T Blind Welfare Association (TTBWA) has joined the international community in calling for urgent and coordinated action to prevent avoidable blindness and vision impairment. The global observance, held under the theme Love Your Eyes, underscores that access to affordable, quality eye care is a right for all citizens. In a release issued yesterday, the TTBWA said the National Eye Survey of Trinidad and Tobago (2013–2014) found that glaucoma, cataracts, and diabetic retinopathy are the three leading causes of blindness in the country. The study also identified uncorrected refractive error and cataract as the main contributors to moderate and severe vision impairment—conditions that can often be treated or prevented through early detection and timely care. Read more here
POLITICS
Analyst: PM will decide Lee's political future
UWI political analyst Dr Bishnu Ragoonath said only Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar can determine Housing Minister David Lee's political future. Ragoonath made this comment in a telephone interview on October 8, in relation to the re-arrest and charging of Lee on October 7. In a statement on the same day, Persad-Bissessar said, "We have respect for the courts of the land. Minister Lee was acquitted of these allegations before. Now that the charges have been relaid, we have confidence in the courts to deliver a just result." Lee and businessman Hugh Leong Poi were re-arrested on charges relating to the use of a vehicle tax exemption granted to Lee as an MP. Lee is also a UNC deputy political leader and Caroni Central MP. Read more here
Govt revokes appointment of Chief of Defence Staff
Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Air Vice Marshall Darryl Daniel was fired and replaced by Captain Don Polo on Tuesday night. This was confirmed in a media release by the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force yesterday. According to the release, Defence Minister Wayne Sturge, after consultation with Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, in accordance with Section 12 of the Defence Act, Chap 14:01, advised President Christine Kangaloo to revoke Daniel’s appointment and appoint Polo. The release stated: “The instrument of revocation, as well as the instrument of appointment, were both served by the Minister of Defence on the aforementioned officers shortly after 8 pm at the Temple Court Office of the Ministry of Defence. The Minister of Defence thanked Air Vice Marshall Daniel for his unprecedented eight-year stint as Chief of Defence Staff.” Read more here
BUSINESS
Gas station group calls for lower fuel prices
As anticipation builds ahead of T&T’s budget on Monday, debate continues over whether the Government should consider reducing fuel prices at the pump or revisit the long-promised liberalisation of the liquid petroleum fuels market first announced in 2021, by the last administration. During that budget presentation, then minister of finance, Colm Imbert, highlighted the policy shift aimed to bring T&T in line with international practice by allowing market forces to determine retail fuel prices. Under the framework that was proposed by Imbert, fixed retail margins for all liquid petroleum products would have been removed, allowing gas station operators and fuel dealers to set their own margins. While wholesale margins were to remain temporarily fixed, the last administration indicated that a modest tax would be introduced to offset any surplus profits arising from low global oil prices. Read more here
Mixed views on new board
Some shareholders of the First Citizens Group Financial Holdings Ltd expressed mixed views following yesterday’s special meeting which saw the installation of a new board led by attorney and Urban Development Corporation of Trinidad and Tobago (UDeCOTT) chairman, Shankar Bidaisie. Speaking at the meeting held at the National Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA) in Port of Spain, one shareholder said he believed the change in the board was politically motivated. When asked if this concerned him, he replied, “A little bit.” Read more here
REGIONAL
Guyana being positioned ahead of global competitors
Signalling the People’s Progressive Party/Civic Administration’s unwavering commitment to leveraging the country’s growing energy resources to drive economic transformation and adapting newer technologies in digitisation and artificial intelligence (AI), President Dr. Irfaan Ali has said, it must translate into tangible advantages that place the nation at the forefront of regional and global development. “When you look at global leadership on different issues, AI is disrupting the way and nature in which things are being done. Digitisation is disrupting the norm. And if you can’t adapt to these things, then you will not be able to be competitive. That is why we’ll be building out an AI and digital, digitised infrastructure, not only for Guyana, but for the region that will be second to none,” President Ali said during a recent broadcast interview. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
'Momentous opportunity': World reacts to first stage of Gaza peace deal
World leaders have welcomed the news that Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of a Gaza peace plan. The deal paves the way for the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza and the entry of aid into Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the agreement "a great day for Israel". "I thank from the bottom of my heart President Trump and his team for their dedication to this sacred mission of freeing our hostages," he said. "With God's help, together we will continue to achieve all our goals and expand peace with our neighbours." Read more here
9th October 2025