NEWS
Bandits steal ice cream, popcorn from Carenage preschool
The Ark Preschool, located in Amowsville, Carenage, was broken into over the weekend and bandits made of with a 32-inch flat-screen television, a bucket of strawberry cheesecake sundae ice cream valued at $50, and a pack of microwave butter popcorn worth $6. According to reports, the school’s 57-year-old principal visited the Carenage Police Station around 9.30 am on June 30 to report the break-in. She told police she secured the building, locking all doors and windows, around 12.45 pm on June 29 before leaving for the weekend. Read more here
Online scammers steal millions from CIBC T&T
Scammers have conned the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) Caribbean’s T&T operations of millions of dollars, police confirmed yesterday. Police revealed that in June, the managing director of CIBC Caribbean reported that he was authorised to transfer $14,811,094.06 from the bank’s suspense processing account to other external accounts. A suspense processing account is described as a temporary holding area for cash that cannot be classified or properly understood by a bank’s accounting system. The managing director reportedly received authorisation from the bank’s CEO via WhatsApp and emails, prompting him to fulfil the transactions. However, further enquiries—after the transaction was completed—later revealed that the CEO was unaware of the transactions. Read more here
POLITICS
Baptiste wants a ‘national living wage’
Labour Minister Leroy Baptiste would like to go further than workers enjoying merely a minimum wage to have them become entitled to a “national living wage”, he proposed in the Senate debate on the Mid Year Review on July 1. He promised a workers agenda that would include reform of labour laws such as the Industrial Relations Act and the Retrenchment and Severance Benefits Act. “We are also committed to the creation of a national living wage.” Pointing to the opposition bench whose senators had boasted that the former PNM government had thrice raised the minimum wage, Baptiste promised to go one better. Read more here
Stuart’s security pulled: Govt halts Special Branch detail after axing PM’s pension
Twenty-four hours after Government passed legislation to pull former prime minister Stuart Young’s prime ministerial pension, the Cabinet also pulled his personal security detail. Guardian Media understands that Young was in a meeting in his constituency when officers of the T&T Police Service’s (TTPS) Special Branch received the call indicating that they were no longer assigned to Young’s detail. The security reportedly gave Young a ride home first before wrapping up their operations with him. “Yes, this happened suddenly today,” Young said yesterday when contacted by Guardian Media. “I received a call informing me that Cabinet took a decision to pull all security extended to me as a former PM. I was told that the current Cabinet has decided to immediately end what was being provided to both me and former PM (Keith) Rowley. I received the notification whilst I was seeing constituents at my constituency office on office day.” Read more here
BUSINESS
Moonilal: New Heritage board to focus on ramping up production
Once appointed, the new board of directors at Heritage Petroleum Company Ltd will be instructed to ramp up production according to Energy Minister Dr Roodal Moonilal. Delivering welcome remarks at the Society of Petroleum Engineers' Mature Basins Symposium at Cara Suites Hotel, Claxton Bay on July 1, Moonilal lamented the country's oil production had fallen since Petrotrin was shut down. Comparing the figures, he said onshore and offshore production went from 21,387 barrels per day (bpd) and 21,468 bpd in 2015, respectively, to 9,667 bpd and 17,226 bpd in 2025. Read more here
Pharmacy Board rejects Chamber’s call for 90-day grace period
The Pharmacy Board of Trinidad and Tobago has rejected a request from the T&T Chamber of Industry and Commerce to allow pharmaceutical distributors 90 days to “explore compliance options”, following the board’s issuance of cease-and-desist letters to distributors accused of illegally selling medication to patients. The Chamber, in a letter dated June 26, expressed concern on behalf of its pharmaceutical sector members, urging a patient-focused approach. Read more here
REGIONAL
U.S.-sanctioned Mohamed a threat to Guyana’s security, partnership with key ally –President Ali says
PRESIDENT, Dr. Irfaan Ali has said that U.S.-sanctioned businessman Azruddin Mohamed poses a direct threat to Guyana’s national defence, sovereignty, and diplomatic relations. The Head of State made these remarks in a public statement, where he dismantled what he described as a false narrative being pushed by the businessman and his handlers who claim that the government has played a role in the sanctions against him. “Let me be pellucidly clear. Azruddin Mohamed was sanctioned by the United States government after they would have found evidence, strong enough to have OFAC sanctioning him. OFAC sanctions are not ordinary sanctions. They are sanctions that seek specific measures,” President Ali stated. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Trump says Israel has agreed to conditions for 60-day Gaza ceasefire
Israel has agreed to the "necessary conditions" to finalise a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza, US President Donald Trump has said. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said that during the proposed ceasefire the US would "work with all parties to end the War". He did not provide details on what the ceasefire would entail. "The Qataris and Egyptians, who have worked very hard to help bring Peace, will deliver this final proposal. I hope... that Hamas takes this Deal, because it will not get better — IT WILL ONLY GET WORSE," Trump wrote. Israel has not confirmed it agreed to the conditions of a deal. A Hamas official told the BBC the group is "ready and serious" to reach an agreement if it ends the war. Read more here
2nd July 2025