NEWS
Trini UWI students in Jamaica eye return to normalcy
The vice president of the Trinidad and Tobago Student Association at the UWI Mona Campus, Jamaica, has commended the High Commission's assistance following the passage of Hurricane Melissa. Jaden Paris said the support provided was vastly different from what was received prior to the catastrophic storm, which left many dead and damaged infrastructure. In a video posted on Facebook days before the category-five storm hit, students had complained they only received a few items including canned sausages, crackers, peanut butter, and tea to share amongst themselves as they bunkered down. But in an interview with Newsday on November 3, Paris said care packages sent by the High Commission after the storm were enough to share among the TT student population and even to assist a downtrodden Trinidadian woman and her family in Jamaica. Read more here
Cultural procession brings Sando to life with colour
San Fernando came alive with colour, rhythm, and heritage as school children joined cultural groups for a vibrant procession along Harris Promenade yesterday. The event, hosted by the Flambeau Movement, celebrated unity in diversity through culture and history and formed part of City Month celebrations. Along the promenade, booths showcased traditional crafts and educational exhibits highlighting San Fernando’s history and the legacy of the First Peoples and other cultural groups. Suzette Mathura, strategic and project officer, said the event marked the culmination of months of work to restore the promenade and bring the community together to return San Fernando to its glory days. Mathura said, “San Fernando of the past was a beacon for everyone in the country. Read more here
POLITICS
PM to address special THA sitting on November 4
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar is expected to address Tobago’s long-standing call for autonomy and other pressing issues confronting the island during a special sitting of the Assembly Legislature, Scarborough, on November 4. The event, scheduled to begin at 2 pm, marks Persad-Bissessar’s first official address to the THA since the UNC-led coalition won the April 28 general election. The coalition won 26 seats while the PNM got 13 and the Tobago People’s Party, two. It is also her first visit to Tobago since the election. Read more here
PM still backs US strikes as Trump warns Maduro’s days numbered
Hours after US President Donald Trump’s warning to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro that his days in power were numbered, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar maintains that the US military build-up in the region is aimed at combating drug trafficking, not regime change. She also reiterated that no request has been made for Trinidad and Tobago to serve as a base for potential attacks on Venezuelan soil. However, international relations expert Dr Anthony Gonzales believes Trump’s actions make it clear that the objective goes beyond drug interdiction, aiming instead to remove the Maduro regime. He now questions how the Persad-Bissessar Government would respond if land strikes were to begin. Speaking on Sunday evening with CBS journalist Norah O’Donnell during an interview on 60 Minutes, Trump was questioned about the deployment of United States military assets in the Caribbean Sea near Venezuela, including the USS Gerald Ford, the world’s largest warship. Read more here
BUSINESS
Ansa McAL sells Standard Distributors to Term Finance
After decades as one of TT’s best-known retail brands owned by Ansa McAL, the conglomerate has sold the local furniture giant Standard Distributors to Term Finance (TT). The agreement includes Standard’s Barbados subsidiary, Standard Distribution and Sales Barbados. In a statement issued on November 3, Ansa McAL said, “Term Finance will evolve Standard’s operations and brand into a dedicated credit provider and e-commerce platform, leveraging Standard’s 80-year experience and hire-purchase knowledge to offer best-in-class credit products to the market at strategically placed branches to be established across TT.” The deal is expected to be completed by December 31, pending final approvals. Read more here
TOFCO advances Manatee jacket
Trinidad Offshore Fabricators Company LTD (TOFCO) has announced the successful float-off of the Manatee jacket – Row C which occurred on October 1, marking a major milestone in the execution of this offshore project. A post on the T&T Energy Chamber yesterday explained this float-off represents a critical step toward completing the largest jacket ever fabricated at TOFCO, underscoring technical strength, local capacity, and commitment to delivering excellence safely and on schedule. The Manatee Gas Field, located in T&T’s east coast marine area (ECMA), is one of the country’s most significant new gas developments. The Manatee project achieved a final investment decision (FID) in July 2024. The post noted that according to Shell, Manatee would allow the company to competitively grow its integrated gas business by building on development efforts in the ECMA, one of the country’s most prolific gas-producing areas. Read more here
REGIONAL
‘Totally disconnected from the truth’
President Irfaan Ali has strongly rejected claims that the reconvening of Parliament was delayed to facilitate an extradition process of We Invest in Nationhood candidate Azzrudin Mohamed, describing such assertions as “totally disconnected from the truth.” In an interview with local journalist Fareeza Hanif ahead of the convening of the 13th Parliament Monday morning, President Ali maintained that all actions taken were in strict accordance with the Constitution. “The notion that Parliament was delayed for an extradition is totally disconnected from the truth,” the President asserted. In accordance with Article 70 (2) of the Constitution, Proclamation No.1 of 2025, President Ali had officially dissolved the 12th Parliament of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, on July 3. Additionally, he signed a proclamation that dissolved the Regional Democratic Councils, in accordance with Article 73 (2) of the Constitution. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
How Trump is remaking the White House in his own image
Presidents come and go but the White House stands as a constant symbol of American power and tradition - or does it? Last month crews demolished parts of the iconic building that have stood for over 120 years as Donald Trump’s plan to build a new ballroom gets under way. The dramatic images of the East Wing being reduced to rubble were the most visible sign so far of how Trump is seeking to remake the White House in his own image, almost one year after being re-elected as US president. Read more here
4th November 2025