The US military has killed three people in its latest airstrike in the Caribbean as it continues what it said is its war on “narcoterrorism/narcotrafficking” on November 6.
Posting a video of the strike to X on Thursday night, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said, “As we’ve said before, vessel strikes on narco-terrorists will continue until their the poisoning of the American people stops.”
“Today, at the direction of President Trump, the Department of War carried out a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization. The vessel was trafficking narcotics in the Caribbean and was struck in international waters. No U.S. forces were harmed in the strike, and three male narco-terrorists — who were aboard the vessel — were killed.”
His post ended with a stern warning to all narco-terrorists who he said were threatening the homeland, “If you want to stay alive, stop trafficking drugs. If you keep trafficking deadly drugs — we will kill you.”
It’s the tenth attack in the Caribbean since September, which has now claimed some 44 lives. Two Trinidad-born men, Chad Joseph and Rishi Samaroo, were feared to have been among those killed on October 14.
Two people survived the October 26 strike and were repatriated to Colombia and Ecuador. TT’s Kamla Persad-Bissessar-led government has endorsed the attacks since they began in early September, citing the country’s struggle with narcotics and firearm smuggling from Venezuela.
There have been about five similar attacks in the Eastern Pacific since October, killing some 26 people.
Thursday’s action came as a motion in the US Senate to block President Donald Trump from attacking Venezuela failed.
The motion sponsored by Democrats Tim Kaine of Virginia and Adam Schiff of California, and Republican Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, was brought amidst fears that Trump’s actions in the Southern Caribbean could lead to an attack on Venezuela.
Despite building pressure on the South American country through the accumulation of military assets since August and authorising covert CIA operations in Venezuela, Trump earlier this week said he had no intention of going to war with the country.
“I doubt it. I don’t think so. But they’ve been treating us very badly, not only on drugs– they’ve dumped hundreds of thousands of people into our country that we didn’t want, people from prisons– they emptied their prisons into our…country,” he told CBC’ 60-minutes host Norah O’Donnell.
However, he did suggest that Nicholas Maduro’s, Venezuela’s president, days were numbered.
The family of missing Las Cuevas fisherman Chad Joseph, 26, suspected to have been one of the two Trinidadians killed in a United States military strike operation in the Caribbean in October, has reported him missing to the police.
According to a police report, Joseph’s relative reported him missing on November 1 at the Maracas Bay police station.
Joseph, of Salvary Lane, St. Michael’s Village, Las Cuevas, has been missing since April 25. He and Rishi Samaroo are believed to have been killed in the October 14 strike as part of a US-led operation targeting narcotics trafficking.
The relative reported to officers that she last spoke to Joseph on the morning of April 25. He said he was going fishing and never returned. The relative told investigators she last saw him at her Las Cuevas home.
At a post-Cabinet media briefing on October 30, Foreign and Caricom Affairs Minister Sean Sobers said there was no evidence to suggest the men were killed in a strike.
“When the Government says there is no evidence to suggest that these persons were killed by a strike pursuant to military intervention, we say that because it is a fact,” he said. “There is no evidence to suggest that they were killed by a military strike.”
Sobers said investigations into the incident are ongoing and confirmed that the strike occurred beyond the country’s national waters.
He also said he intended to personally contact the Minister of Homeland Security and the Commissioner of Police to assist Samaroo’s relatives, who reported difficulty filing a missing person’s report at the Barataria Police Station.
Sobers said the strikes were part of a US military operation taking place in international waters.
“If the strikes occurred within national waters, then the US would have to share information with Trinidad and Tobago. These are not strikes that are occurring within our territorial waters, nor are they strikes that are occurring within our EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone).”
FURNESS Shipping & Marketing Limited, the food distribution arm of the Furness Trinidad Group, has loaded much needed canned food items comprising corn, peas, peas and carrots, red beans and chick peas to be sent to Jamaica which was devastated by monster Category 5 Hurricane on October 28.
A release said this assistance was being given as the Group recognised the complete disaster Melissa wrought on Jamaica and her people.
Group chairman and CEO William A Ferreira, expressed solidarity with “our Jamaican brothers and sisters” and his profound sorrow over the loss of life and destruction left in Melissa’s wake.
WITH LOVE: Disaster relief items from the Furness Group are seen in a truck. The items were destined for Jamaica which was struck by Category 5 Hurricane Melissa on October 28. – Photo courtesy Furness Group
He declared that Jamaica is stronger than any hurricane and this was just a chapter and not the entire story. Ferreira reminded all that after every storm, the sun must and will shine again, “and so will the beautiful people of Jamaica.”
He continued, “There’s an old saying that new beginnings are often disguised as painful endings, which means that in moments of uncertainty and despair, like this unfortunate and destructive hurricane, the people of Jamaica can be a catalyst for new growth, energy, and possibilities.”
Ferreira thanked his team at the Furness group and the various warehouse and delivery staff who worked tirelessly to make this venture happen especially given the very tight shipping schedule established.
Furness Group Chairman and CEO William A Ferreira. – File Photo
Hurricane Melissa was described as the “storm of the century” as she was the strongest storm since records began being kept to make landfall in Jamaica.
The storm slammed into the southwestern coast of Jamaica at midday on October 28 at a maximum Category 5 storm before hitting Cuba, the Bahamas and later, Bermuda.
As of October 30, the scale of devastation left by Melissa was becoming clear after the record-setting storm tore through Jamaica, Haiti and Cuba, leaving at least 34 people dead.
This is the strongest storm to strike in the Caribbean in modern history, with sustained winds of 298km/h (185 mph) at its peak – stronger than Hurricane Katrina which devastated New Orleans in 2005, killing 1,392 people.
EIGHT local organisations will host a vigil for peace at Woodford Square, Port of Spain, from 5 pm, on November 9, amid escalating tensions between US and Venezuela, which TT has become embroiled in.
In a media release on October 29, organisers say there is “growing concern among citizens” about the presence of US military assets in the southern Caribbean.
“With the very real possibility of a war taking place on our doorstep, more and more citizens have been speaking out. Many are calling for us to do something. They know that silence is not an option. Their common concern is that we, the people, must stand up for peace,” organisers said.
Among those supporting the vigil are: Concerned Muslims of TT; the Emancipation Support Committee; Fishermen and Friends of the Sea; Movement for Social Justice; Network of NGOs for the Advancement of Women; Trinidad and Tobago Scrap Iron Dealers Association; Trinbago for Palestine; and the Warao Community of San Fernando.
Organisers said, “We have all seen on our televisions and on social media what war looks like. There is the loss of human lives including women and children; widespread destruction of homes, other buildings and infrastructure; the termination of public services that provide basic needs such as water, electricity and communications; and tremendous social dislocation and trauma that can take years for people, especially children to overcome.”
They said any military conflict that breaks out in Venezuela will result in mass migration to TT and other neighbouring countries, affecting the local business environment, investor confidence and trade.
“Economic and business activity are disrupted if not halted with a consequent loss of employment and incomes for working people. This is not what we would wish on anyone. This is not what anyone who cares about humanity would wish for any country or its people. This is not about whether we agree with the leaders of a country or its politics or its system of governance. This is about humanity…
“Tourism can be down as people decide not to travel for carnival. Our fisherfolk who have already been forced to fish closer to shore because of the threats of boat strikes will see their livelihoods affected even more. To think that a war that takes place so close to us won’t have consequences for us is wishful thinking. This is why we insist that the Caribbean remain a Zone of Peace.”
Organisers noted the military deployment by the US started just over two months ago with a number of destroyers with guided missile capabilities, a nuclear submarine, several amphibious landing craft and some 4,000 military personnel.
“Since then these very substantial military assets have been increased. B52 Bombers and F35 Jet Fighter planes were sent to Puerto Rico. And now, the largest naval warship – an aircraft carrier with close to 100 fighter jets on board – and its accompanying flotilla of several destroyers and possibly a submarine was ordered to the southern Caribbean. There will likely be more than 10,000 military personnel located now in our region.”
Organisers said the rhetoric surrounding the operations are clear.
“They have sent in covert operatives into Venezuela and have stated that since they have ‘secured the sea they will now go on land and kill them (alleged narco-traffickers) all.’ One senior US lawmaker said on television that the plan is to ‘kill Maduro’ and that he has spoken with the President about this.”
They noted that a military attack against Venezuela seems on the cards and the Nicolas Maduro government has also responded and began its preparations for war.
“These range from military exercises to the receipt of 5,000 anti-aircraft missiles obtained from Russia. This may or may not be the tip of their iceberg. Millions of ordinary Venezuelans have signed up to be members of the militia.”
Organisers say the vigil is not a political initiative and called on like-minded individuals and groups to join them.
WHEN PURSUING foreign policy, the US seeks co-operation in the way that a bandit breaks into your house, puts a gun to your head, and tells you that you have a choice. So Trinidad and Tobago found itself in the middle of global geopolitics today.
At the time of writing on Tuesday, October 28, 9 am, Venezuela has announced it will suspend and withdraw from gas agreements with TT. Except for Guyana, from which it aspires to annex the oil-rich Essequibo region, it has a history of generous relations with the Caribbean. Rightly, it has accused the TT government of “a hostile stance motivated by a desire to seize Venezuelan oil and gas resources.”
Few understand what Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar is thinking. This is because the UNC, now in government, has failed to develop a professional and timely communication modus operandi attuned to public sentiment. A PNM-biased rumour mill also escalated since the election, filling this gap, and fomenting racialised distrust of, in columnist Tony Fraser’s words, “Indo-Trinidad taking over.”
In allowing panic to develop in the absence of official explanation, the Prime Minister has lost her unifying connection with and leadership of a divided nation. Indeed, declaring that we do not need Venezuelan gas seems a loss of reality, like other right-wing statements for which the PM bears personal responsibility.
The world has seen President Trump impose tariffs and other punishments overnight, raining blows like thieves about to ransack your house. The latest are the threats of 25 per cent and 50 per cent tariffs, and sanctions, aid withdrawal, and visa revocations and bans nearly imposed on Colombia because President Gustavo Petro stood up to the US regarding deportations. He didn’t say Colombia wouldn’t receive returnees, just that they should be returned “with dignity and respect.” He has also been publicly critical of Trump, US support for Israel’s genocide of Palestinians, and US propaganda regarding “narco-terrorism” – calling the obliteration of 14 small boats, allegedly with drug traffickers onboard, war crimes.
Could TT withstand such blows? One imagines that the TT Prime Minister was also promised access to Venezuela’s resources under a US-backed Maria Machado regime, and multifaceted US support for reducing drug- and gang-related crime – revitalising the country’s tanked economy and reducing Trinidad’s runaway murder rate. Both would have been political wins. But it’s been a gamble in which we have no aces, problematic principles, and questionable strategy.
The TT PM began by backing US defence of Guyana (well, Exxon) in its territorial dispute with Venezuela, but then lost some of the plot when, whether to show ideological loyalty or out of public sentiment miscalculation, she approved of the US military killing all traffickers “violently,” supporting extra-judicial murder and unilateral violation of international law. The public became increasingly worried and incensed over these killings.
The region is rightly hostile to militarisation of our sea, including with the largest warship in the world representing the menace of “gunboat diplomacy.” We have fearlessly identified the US agenda for Venezuela as violent colonisation, akin to Columbus’ invasion 500 years ago and resting on the 1823 Monroe Doctrine which established a policy of Yankee imperialism over Latin America and the Caribbean – with disastrous consequences for Haiti, Guyana, Cuba, Chile, Grenada, Nicaragua, and more.
Caribbean countries have long-standing security co-operation with US agencies, so the Pentagon’s agenda is constantly being rolled out with Caricom support. This full-scale military confrontation, however, is unprecedented.
Citing TT’s security challenges which prevent realisation of this ideal, the PM broke ranks with Caricom leaders calling for the region to remain a zone of peace. This is a politically, historically, and emotionally compelling aspiration, introduced by revolutionary Grenada, and adopted by the General Assembly of the Organization of American States on October 31, 1979.
Venezuela’s resources, exports, and location make it a strategic ally for China. This grab is part of a hemispheric and global strategy of Chinese containment. Despite repeated assurances that TT does not support any attempt by the US to destabilise Venezuela or seek regime change, and maintains peaceful relations, this simply does not ring true.
We are the Caribbean base for unprovoked warmongering to secure absentee ownership of a sovereign nation, and an escalated assembling of the Americas around US supremacy – with Haiti and Cuba on the radar.
Peace is critical to our region. Every day Caribbean people’s dream of everlasting peace remains a foundation for all that is right and just. Where we have a choice to defend it from threat, however we can, we must.
THE Catholic Bishops of the Antilles Episcopal Conference (AEC) have issued a strong appeal for peace and dialogue amid growing military activity in the Southern Caribbean, warning that the escalation could threaten the region’s stability and the well-being of its people.
In a statement issued on October 25, following their annual conference, the bishops said they viewed “with grave concern the recent build-up of naval and other military assets in the Southern Caribbean waters, and the potential implications this poses for the socio-economic, political and humanitarian well-being of our region and its people.”
Their appeal comes as a US warship, the USS Gravely, docked in Port of Spain on October 26 with the 22nd US Marine Expeditionary Unit aboard. Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has defended the vessel’s presence, saying there were benefits to be derived, including technical and IT assistance as well as humanitarian efforts.
The vessel’s visit forms part of a broader US naval deployment to the Caribbean – initiated under the Donald Trump administration – aimed at countering drug trafficking operations.
It also aligns with a recent declaration by former Caricom heads from Antigua & Barbuda, Belize, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica and St Lucia, and former TT prime minister Dr Keith Rowley, urging restraint and neutrality amid heightened US/Venezuela tensions, reaffirming the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace.
International relations experts and regional commentators have warned that the presence of US military assets so close to Venezuela could have deeper geopolitical motives, including renewed pressure on the government of President Nicolas Maduro.
Since September 2, the US military has reported killing 43 people in ten strikes against alleged drug-smuggling vessels in the Caribbean Sea and two in the eastern Pacific, allegedly including two TT nationals identified as suspected traffickers.
Archbishop Jason Gordon of Port of Spain, who serves as president of the AEC, said the bishops were calling for urgent “dialogue and co-operation” to ease mounting tensions and to foster “lasting hope.”
Quoting Pope Leo XIII, the bishops reminded the faithful that, “We must never become accustomed to war.” They also invoked the words of Pope Saint John XXIII, noting that “true peace can be born only from a heart disarmed of anxiety and the fear of war.”
The bishops said while the narcotics trade remains a grave crisis for the Church and Caribbean families, “the arbitrary and unwarranted taking of life cannot be justified as a means of resolution,” and the disregard for the sovereignty of independent nations “cannot be accepted as a reasonable measure in the name of border security.”
“War or the threat of war is never the right solution,” the statement said, warning that the presence of warships and the disruption of marine livelihoods represent “real and immediate threats” to regional stability.
The bishops reaffirmed the Church’s solidarity with all Caribbean peoples, especially those most affected by geopolitical tensions, and urged regional leaders to “de-escalate militarisation” and recommit to dialogue and unity.
“As peoples united by a shared heritage and collective identity, we must continue to reject aggression and intimidation as means of resolving conflict or ideological differences,” the statement said.
They also appealed to the faithful to anchor their hope in prayer and reconciliation. “Acts of reconciliation, the faithful observance of the sacraments, and the family rosary remain powerful expressions of hope – expressions that move heaven and can change the hearts of humankind.”
The bishops said the Church remains steadfast in its mission to protect the vulnerable and uphold human dignity.
“Together, we place our hope, trust and prayers in the pursuit of a peaceful and just resolution that upholds human dignity, national sovereignty and the common good of all.”
THE arrival of the USS Gravely at the port of Port of Spain on October 26 increases the potential for Trinidad and Tobago’s involvement in the simmering conflict between the US and Venezuela as it quite literally, comes ashore.
The Gravely, a US Navy guided-missile destroyer is officially visiting for four days with the 22nd US Marine Expeditionary Unit to conduct joint training with the TT Defence Force.
War games in the current environment of constant threat might mean that the Defence Force will benefit from training with troops described as the US military’s “tip of the spear.”
It could also mean that these marines will benefit from ground training on territory that’s geographically similar to nearby Venezuela’s terrain.
In September, the 22nd engaged in training exercises in Puerto Rico, experiencing tropical conditions and terrain.
The government has dismissed opposition concerns as “fearmongering,” and works minister Jearlean John described the mission as one of goodwill, “helping out schools and helping our military.”
However, ten former Caricom leaders, including TT’s Dr Keith Rowley, have issued statements calling for “a pullback” from military buildup.
Dismissing legitimate concerns about clear military action on TT’s doorstep in an environment in which ten vessels have been summarily destroyed and dozens of people murdered, two believed to be TT nationals, on the presumption that they were trafficking drugs is being excessively hopeful.
To date, the US has offered no evidence to legitimise any of these extra-judicial attacks.
The US military buildup in the Caribbean is real and troubling, underlined by the most recent escalation, the decision to deploy the largest US marine asset, the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R Ford, to the region.
A visit by a warship is not the same as an ocean-going medical ship or a floating library.
The US government’s proclaimed mission in the Caribbean is to act against drug traffickers and has declared the government of Venezuela guilty of drug trafficking.
The deployment of a warship with 5,000 sailors and at least 75 war-tasked aircraft is dramatic overkill to meet the challenge of the occasional speeding “drug” boat.
How long will it take this unilateral policing action to move from international waters to sovereign soil? President Donald Trump must also be aware that his perceived enemy is also making plans.
On October 23, President Nicolas Maduro announced that his government had strategically deployed 5,000 Russian Igla-S anti-aircraft missiles and mobilised “millions” of volunteer reservists to respond to ground-based attacks.
Both Russia and China have significant investments and trade agreements with Venezuela and view the country as a geopolitical asset.
TT is a minor player in this military chess game, in which the US seems set to keep raising the stakes, hoping that Maduro will step down and allow regime change. This country doesn’t have the chips to play at this table.
About 20 people held a peaceful demonstration across from the US Embassy on October 24 at the Queen’s Park Savannah, Port of Spain, denouncing what they described as US aggression in the Caribbean.
Participants including activists and representatives of civil society organisations, called for the protection of regional sovereignty and preservation of the Caribbean as a “zone of peace”.
Radio/television host and new mother Abeo Jackson, standing in the heat, said she felt compelled to act in response to what she called a grave violation of Caribbean sovereignty.
“As a new mother, I’m very concerned about the space I’ve brought my child into and what will be her inheritance,” she said.
Jackson condemned what she described as the extrajudicial killing of 43 men by US forces in the region, in what the US called an attack on narco-trafficking. She called it a violent desecration of regional sovereignty and criticised the government’s “silence on the matter.”
“Let us be clear, this is not about drugs. It is about natural resources. It is about oil. It is about power. Allegiance to empire is not leadership; it is capitulation,” she said.
Jackson said the killings were carried out without due process, transparency or accountability, calling it a chilling reminder of “imperial arrogance” that has long treated Caribbean lives as expendable in the name of security.
“This is not protection. This is recolonisation,” she said.
She argued TT’s alignment with US military objectives represented “a catastrophic betrayal of the Caribbean consensus – our region must remain a zone of peace.” Jackson accused the government of trading the dignity of its people for the optics of proximity to empire.
She stressed Caribbean sovereignty is not for sale and Caribbean lives are not collateral damage.
“Silence in moments such as these is complicity.”
When the floor was opened to others, young protester Shan-Nia Lewis delivered an impassioned address linking global conflicts to regional vulnerability.
“I am literally watching war crimes and genocides being livestreamed to us and feeling absolutely helpless. We have become desensitised to violence and murder. And I refuse to let it reach our shores,” she said.
Lewis questioned the government’s silence following the deaths of two TT nationals allegedly killed in recent US airstrikes.
“Our government has sold us out. There is no deal worth putting people’s lives in danger. Two citizens were murdered in cold blood, bombed and not even questioned.”
She warned young people they would bear the greatest burden if tensions in the region escalated.
“Do you think the people who treat our lives like chess pieces will stay here when war reaches our doorstep?” she asked. “They have the resources to leave. It will be us who suffer.”
Chairman of the Emancipation Support Committee (ESC) Zakiya Uzoma Wadada also condemned US military operations in regional waters, describing them as a threat to peace and sovereignty.
Wadada said the ESC “strongly condemns recent acts of aggression and provocation” by the US and its intensified military buildup off Venezuela’s coast.
“As we strengthen our advocacy for decolonisation, it is intolerable to witness efforts by the United States to threaten the sovereignty of Caribbean states by reasserting the principles of the Monroe Doctrine,” she said.
She said the US campaign against “so-called narco-terrorism” was “a smokescreen” for broader geopolitical objectives and possible regime change in Venezuela. Wadada urged Caribbean unity.
“War in our region will affect us all for generations,” she said, noting TT’s proximity to Venezuela meant it “will inevitably be caught in the crossfire” if conflict breaks out.
Movement for Social Justice (MSJ) political leader David Abdulah also attended the demonstration. He said regional activism has forced Caricom to take a stronger stance after weeks of silence.
Abdulah commended former Caricom heads of government who recently issued a joint statement rejecting military intervention and reaffirming the region as a “zone of peace.”
He also condemned the recent docking of a US destroyer off Trinidad’s coast, calling it “an abomination.”
“This is not a humanitarian ship. This is a warship anchored just miles from Venezuela at a time of escalating threats. The government should never have allowed it to dock here.”
He warned any attempt at regime change in Venezuela would destabilise the entire region.
“If war breaks out or any form of regime change is attempted, the people of Trinidad and Tobago will have to come out in large numbers to stand against it,” he said. “We say no to war and no to military intervention.”
SAGICOR Financial Company Ltd announced that global credit rating agency Fitch Ratings (Fitch) upgraded Sagicor’s long-term issuer default rating to BBB from BBB-.
Sagicor’s senior unsecured debt was also upgraded to BBB- from BB+.
Fitch gave Sagicor a “stable” rating outlook.
In assigning these ratings, Fitch cited Sagicor’s strengthened core profitability and two years of consolidated contributions from ivari – a Canadian life insurance company.
Fitch added that this was complemented by lower debt financing costs and a strong capitalisation profile.
It also affirmed the issuer’s financial strength rating of ivari at A-, with a stable outlook.
Sagicor’s president and CEO, Andre Mousseau, said, “We are pleased with this upgrade, which provides a unanimous view from our credit rating agencies that Sagicor’s senior unsecured debt is investment grade.
“This is further validation of Sagicor’s strong capitalisation as we pursue stable and profitable growth.
“This upgrade will provide Sagicor with enhanced access to capital as well as execute our strategy.”
Sagicor is a financial services provider with over 180 years of history in the Caribbean.
With its headquarters in Barbados and operations across the Caribbean, including Trinidad and Tobago, Sagicor offers a wide range of products and services, including life, health and general insurance, banking, pensions, annuities, investment management and real estate.
Imagine leaving home with a single document that lets you live and work in another Caribbean country without a work permit.
That is the reality for hundreds of Caricom nationals who have used the CSME Skills Certificate – formally the Certificate of Recognition of Caricom Skills Qualification – to pursue careers, start businesses and settle abroad while keeping family unity intact.
A practical passport for skilled movement
The skills certificate is central to the Caricom Single Market and Economy’s free movement regime.
It recognises qualifications and allows eligible nationals in an approved category to travel to a participating member state, obtain an initial six-month entry stamp, begin work immediately, and then secure an indefinite stay stamp once the receiving state’s competent authority verifies the certificate.
Spouses and dependants enjoy the same rights to live and work with the certificate holder.
Who qualifies?
Twelve categories of skilled nationals are eligible, including:
· University graduates; nurses; teachers; holders of associate degrees;
· Artistes; musicians; media workers; sportsmen; artisans;
Holders may live and work indefinitely in Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname and TT.
How TT nationals apply
Applications in TT are processed by the Ministry of Foreign and Caricom Affairs, CSME Unit, through the fully digitalised e-application portal at https://csme.foreign.gov.tt/.
Applicants must register and complete the online form and provide the following:
· Valid passport (bio-data page);
· Birth certificate (and marriage certificate, if applicable);
· One passport photo (white background);
· Proof of qualifications (degree, certificate, licence, NVQ or CVQ, etc.);
· Police certificate of character (no older than six months).
Category-specific document requirements are listed on the CSME Unit pages on the ministry website.
Applicants who need help can book telephone, virtual or in-person consultations via the e-appointment portal at appointments.gov.tt.
What to expect after submission
Processing typically takes four to six weeks. After this period, the applicant schedules a collection appointment through the e-appointment portal to collect the skills certificate. On arrival in the receiving state, the holder presents the certificate to immigration and receives an automatic six-month stamp; the holder must then present the certificate to the receiving state’s competent authority for verification.
The holder may work while verification is underway, and once validated, the indefinite stay stamp is issued.
For employers needing interim assurance, the CSME Unit can issue a Letter of Comfort to confirm that an application is in progress.
Applicants can also monitor progress through the portal’s time bar.
Approved applicants receive a guidance letter detailing immigration arrival steps and rights as a Skills Certificate holder.
Real lives changed
“The process was straightforward and seamless,” says Sabrina Looking, a licensed cosmetologist from TT who used her certificate to relocate to Belize and establish a business there.
“From applying in Trinidad to settling in Belize, everything flowed smoothly. The authorities here were also very supportive in helping me establish my business.”
For medical professionals, the certificate has been transformative.
Dr Earl Brathwaite, an obstetrician and gynaecologist from Barbados, has worked in TT for 18 years after receiving his certificate in 2006.
“Thanks to the CSME, I’ve been able to work freely within the TT health sector,” he explains. “Trinidad acts as a hub; close to home, with easy access to the wider Caribbean.”
For community leaders, it has unlocked purpose.
Joel Gibbons from TT moved to Montserrat after receiving his certificate and now works as a community development coach for the Montserrat Football Association.
“This opportunity has allowed me to pursue personal growth and broaden my horizons outside of TT,” he says. “It is like working in paradise, peaceful, serene and beautiful. The CSME has made this possible.”
Why the scheme matters
Beyond permitting movement, the CSME Skills Certificate supports regional integration, job creation and shared economic growth.
Certificate holders are protected against restrictions on freedom of movement, discrimination in hiring, limits on property access for residence and barriers preventing spouses and immediate dependants from accompanying the holder.
The scheme promotes cultural exchange, professional development and a stronger, more unified Caribbean economic space.
Next steps and contacts
Prospective applicants in TT should register and complete their application and consult the CSME Unit’s resources on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website for detailed category requirements.
This guest column was submitted by the Ministry of Foreign and Caricom Affairs.
PRIME MINISTER of St Vincent and the Grenadines Dr Ralph Gonsalves has questioned Caricom’s ability to co-ordinate its foreign policy, saying the bloc cannot even agree on what constitutes a “zone of peace”.
Speaking at the University of the West Indies (UWI) Vice Chancellor’s Forum on October 21, Gonsalves criticised Trinidad and Tobago’s position on Caribbean and Latin America as a zone of peace, calling it a “misguided notion” that requires urgent rethinking.
The hybrid forum, titled Promises, Passports and Possibilities: Free Movement, the CSME and the Caribbean Regionalisation Project, was streamed live on UWI TV and attended both in person and online.
“A zone of peace refers to state actors agreeing not to intervene in or threaten one another. It’s a matter of international law,” Gonsalves said. He emphasised the term does not apply to drug traffickers, arms dealers or human traffickers.
His remarks followed comments by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, who told the 80th United Nations General Assembly in New York on September 26, the Caribbean could no longer be described as a zone of peace due to the growing threat of transnational crime.
“The reality is stark – no such peace exists today,” she said.
Gonsalves said the confusion around the definition was evident in Caricom’s inconsistent response to tensions between the US and Venezuela.
Gonsalves warned if any external force moves toward regime change in Venezuela, there will be serious consequences for the Caribbean, which includes mass migration and security concerns.
“When there is war or conflict, it is not only good people who flee, but bad actors also, people who exploit the chaos.”
Drawing comparisons with Europe’s ongoing migration crisis, he said Venezuelan refugees would continue to flow to TT, Grenada and St Vincent, potentially turning a manageable difficulty into a full-blown crisis. Guyana, he added, would also be directly affected.
“We are in difficult and troubling times. We need calm, patience and maturity in our judgments. We must return to first principles and approach these matters as practical statesmen and stateswomen,” Gonsalves urged.
Calls for deeper Caricom integration
Turning to the forum’s main theme, Gonsalves reiterated the importance of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) in its original jurisdiction as the sole authoritative supranational body for interpreting Caricom law. He said it remains essential to the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME).
Freedom of movement, he said, must come with a “bundle of contingent rights”, including access to education and healthcare. He noted St Vincent and the Grenadines already provides these services to migrants and has gone “beyond the minimum requirements”.
He lamented Caricom’s agreement on only a limited set of rights for holders of the Caricom Skills National Certificate, despite the start of full free movement between Barbados, Belize, Dominica, and St Vincent and the Grenadines from October 1.
Gonsalves criticised other member states for failing to implement the full range of rights, saying it undermines regional integration.
“Countries trying to limit freedom of movement are making a mistake. They fail to understand we all face demographic challenges, a lack of skills and even general labour.”
He acknowledged recent reservations by Antigua and Barbuda on full freedom of movement, saying its concerns were understandable given nearly half its population is already non-Antiguan.
On the right of establishment, Gonsalves said the system “works reasonably well” but noted St Vincent requires land licences for foreign nationals due to its limited land space. However, he said it does not prevent business operations.
Trade, currency and airspace disputes
Gonsalves also cited the lack of deeper regional trade integration and ongoing currency and payment challenges as major barriers to progress. He highlighted difficulties in trade with TT, where St Vincent imports over US$80 million in goods annually but faces significant challenges in obtaining US dollars for agricultural exports in return.
“At one point, we exported up to US$20 million in agricultural goods to Trinidad. Now it’s under US$4 million. We are expected to accept TT dollars, which are useless to us unless we spend them back in Trinidad. It’s a nightmare.”
He questioned how foreign exchange could be available for luxury goods or foreign entertainers but not for regional agricultural imports.
“There’s no foreign exchange for yams, dasheen, or sweet potatoes. But you can get it for Camembert cheese or to pay Vybz Kartel US$900,000 to perform. It’s absolutely ridiculous.”
Gonsalves also pointed to energy-price disparities, particularly TT’s access to cheaper energy, which he said undermines fair competition in Caricom manufacturing. Only Guyana, he noted, has similar energy advantages.
Referencing Chapter Seven of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, he called for more focus on special and differential treatment for disadvantaged countries and sectors. Gonsalves said the Caricom Development Fund remains underfunded and suffers from non-payment by some member states.
Another point of contention is the Piarco Flight Information Region (FIR), which is under TT’s control.
“Trinidad manages that airspace, from Port of Spain to St Kitts, and collects all the revenue. We have no representation in its management. That airspace is our collective property. We need to address that properly.”
He concluded by warning unless these unresolved issues are addressed, regional tensions will deepen and Caricom integration efforts will continue to stall.
Though oceans and continents may separate them, the light of Divali shines just as brightly wherever Caribbean and South Asian communities have settled around the world. From the bustling streets of New York to the calm shores of the Turks and Caicos and from the vibrant neighbourhoods of Guyana to the distant villages in Suriname and The Gambia – the diaspora finds creative ways to keep the flame of Divali alive – blending tradition with modern life in foreign lands.
Toronto
Forty-five-year-old Devin Latchmana, born and raised in Canada to TT and Guyanese parents, said that in Toronto, his family celebrates Divali as grand as they can. Reflecting on his childhood, he explained that growing up in a Hindu home in Canada was quite different from today, as the festival was not as widely recognised or celebrated. “When I was growing up, it sometimes felt like we had to hide our religion and culture outside of our small community,” he said. “Today, things are so different. You can find Divali decorations, food and clothing at big stores like Walmart and Shoppers Drug Mart. The school boards and most government workplaces now recognise Divali as a holiday” he noted. “In Toronto, I am proud to say, that we have come a long way and are proud to celebrate Divali publicly.”
The Latchmana family – Left to right – Anita, Dhira, Avni, Anaaya and Devin celebrate Divali in Toronto with good food, fun arts and crafts, beautifully decorated homes, bhajans and puja. –
Now, Latchmana and his wife – also a Canadian-born, West Indian Hindu – celebrate all five days of Divali with friends, neighbours and their children. “We celebrate with good food, fun arts and crafts, beautifully decorated homes, we dress in Indian wear, sing bhajans and do puja.”
Still, he admits there’s something special about the Caribbean experience. “I’ve visited Trinidad on numerous occasions during the Divali season and it’s magical. The celebrations leading up to the day, the decorations, lights, food… you just feel Divali in the air.”
Turks and Caicos Islands
In the Turks and Caicos Islands, 51-year-old Shivani Kamble who is from Mumbai, India, continues to celebrate with joy and purpose.
Shivani Kamble who is from Mumbai, India, continues to celebrate with joy and purpose in the Turks and Caicos. Divali she says is a celebration of unity and the human spirit – values that transcend borders and cultures. –
“We host an annual Divali party where members of the Indian community come together to enjoy the festival” she related. “…It helps keep the spirit of Divali alive, even far from home.”
For Kamble, celebrating Divali abroad is less about identity and more about togetherness. It reminds her of “the joy of coming together with loved ones, sharing traditions and creating a sense of belonging.” To her, Divali is a celebration of unity and the human spirit – values that transcend borders and cultures.
Living abroad has deepened her appreciation for the festival. “I’ve come to see Divali not just as a religious observance but as a celebration of unity and gratitude,” she said. “Even though the scale is smaller here, the warmth of community makes it just as meaningful. I am truly grateful that, while living here, the people of this country have welcomed us with open arms and embraced our celebrations as their own.”
In Turks and Caicos, she celebrates by lighting deyas, making sweets and inviting friends to share in the joy. “I invite my neighbours and friends to experience the warmth of Divali so they can understand its beauty beyond religion,” she said emphasising that the celebration is about togetherness and making the most of what we have around us. She added, “Even when living abroad, I focus on creating that spirit of joy, warmth and unity rather than worrying about minor differences.”
Washington DC
For 52-year-old Bhisham Persad, an architect and pundit who moved to Washington DC from Trinidad 36 years ago, Divali is as much a spiritual experience as it is cultural.
“Divali is not just a celebration – lighting deyas, cooking delicious food and spending time with family and friends,” he explained. “It is a celebration of our dharma…a spiritual opportunity to connect, or reconnect, with our inner aatma (soul) and a reflection of our lives.”
Bhisham Persad, an architect and pundit who lives Washington DC says Divali is as much a spiritual experience as it is cultural. –
Persad explained, “The soil and location may differ, but no matter where it is celebrated, Divali is fundamentally the same. We celebrate Sri Rama’s return to Ayodhya, worship Maa Lakshmi and welcome prosperity, purity and light into our hearts and homes.”
He added that celebrations in the US tend to be smaller and more private. “In major cities like New York and Florida, it’s grand and communal – there are Divali Melas (fairs) and motorcades. But since it’s not a national holiday, many celebrations are often done after work or on weekends, which makes it feel a bit more condensed.”
Yet, Persad has hope for the future. “Recently, the states of California and New York have declared Divali to be a holiday. This is the beginning of changes in North America which more States will follow” he said.
Still, for him, Divali in Trinidad remains unmatched. “It’s much larger, more communal, more immersive. Everyone, whether or not they are Hindu, participates in the national holiday.” Persad misses bamboo bending and the bursting of bamboo and carbide.
In Washington DC, he celebrates Divali with his family and close friends by lighting deyas, cooking traditional Indo-TT dishes and visiting temples and cultural programmes.
Asked to share his Divali message, the pundit said, “Soon the sun will set for the night, soon the lights of Divali will sparkle. We stand together looking out across the very ocean seas on which your fathers sailed either as indentured labourers or as travellers. May peace and light be with you all and may you and your nearest and dearest enjoy a Happy Divalii. I hope that the lights of Divali shine over our whole nation.”
New York
For Trinidadian Narda Mohammed, 41, who now resides in New York, Divali has become an inner journey.
“It’s no comparison to celebrating it in Trinidad” she shared noting the prime challenge in her new home is community. “Growing up in Rio Claro, most of the neighbourhood was always well lit with deyas, the Divali havan scent filled the air but in the US it is very rare to see homes in clusters celebrating unless it’s a heavy Indo-community.”
For Trinidadian Narda Mohammed, 41, who now resides in New York, Divali has become an inner journey. –
Still, she has found beauty in solitude. She reflected. “Living abroad, my understanding has taken on a more spiritual appreciation – almost as though what I lack in community and environment, I have made up for it as a soulful resonance within.”
Mohammed keeps her traditions alive through food. “I prepare a traditional Divali spread or indulge in a traditional Divali meal – and even when it’s not the season, I share Trini food wherever I go,” she said. “I always joke that I’m an ambassador for Trini culture and should be sponsored.”
The Gambia
A Trini light is also shining in The Gambia through Catherine Andrews who is from Piparo. She shares the flavours and flair of Trinidad with her new community. Though not Hindu herself, Andrews has embraced the opportunity to share TT’s Divali traditions with the people of The Gambia, where she has made her home for the past year.
Catherine Andrews shares the flavours and flair of Trinidad with her new community. Though not Hindu herself, Andrews has embraced the opportunity to share TT’s Divali traditions with the people of The Gambia, where she has made her home for the past year. –
“I adapt to the environment,” she explained. “So last year, I made makeshift deyas from small bottles filled with oil and wicks because there’s no clay soil here – sand is everywhere. This year, I ordered real deyas – the children will love them.”
She cooks TT vegetarian food. “The Hindus from India cook different food here” she noted. “I introduced paratha, curried channa, mango anchar, pumpkin, kurma, parsad and barfi. “I try to showcase what we do in Trinidad,” she said. “Our culture is unique and beautiful.”
She sent out this message to TT “Shubh Divali to my countrymen and countrywomen. May the light of the Divine Mother Lakshmi shine on our blessed nation.”
Guyana
In La Grange, West Bank Demerara, Guyana, Lakhram Bhagirat believes Divali is about family. “I start my day by offering prayers to Bhagwan (God), then go about preparing my sweet meats – because, let’s face it, the food is as important as the deyas,” he laughed.
Bhagirat decorates his home with fairy lights and intricate rangolis. “In the evening, we do our Lakshmi puja and light deyas to decorate the yard,” he shared. “The rest of the evening is spent entertaining family and friends, because for us, Divali is about community.”
Lakhram Bhagirat who lives in West Bank Demerara,Guyana says his family’s most cherished traditions is the making of clay deyas by hand. –
Among his family’s most cherished traditions is the making of clay deyas by hand – a craft passed down from his late grandmother who made hundreds. Additionally, Bhagirat and his family make a wide array of sweets like gulab jamoon, barfi and sweet rice and prepare the popular Guyanese seven curry dish.
Suriname
For Rudy Soeroedjlall Ardjoen, 60, of Paramaribo, Suriname, Divali is a unifying national holiday celebrated by people of every ethnicity and faith.
“A day before Divali which is a public holiday, we have cultural events in every district, with a large deya lighting at the Independence Square near the Presidential Palaces,” he said. “The president and the people of Suriname who are interested, fill it with ghee, while the deya lights.” Additionally, a procession of lights with cultural and religious music is done especially in areas where Hindus live.
For Rudy Soeroedjlall Ardjoen, 60, of Paramaribo, Suriname, Divali is a unifying national holiday celebrated by people of every ethnicity and faith. –
At his home, Ardjoen and his family prepare vegetarian dishes like roti, rice with pumpkin, dhal, karhi, channa, phulourie and sweets before praying to Mother Lakshmi and lighting deyas. “In Suriname, all people are involved,” he said proudly. “We live as brothers with the Javanese, Chinese, Indians, Creole, Bushland Creoles and nowadays with a lot of Brazilians, Cubans and Venezuelans – everyone joins in.”
Ardjoen, who has long been active in community work, often includes others in his celebrations. “I used to run a youth shelter, and I would bring the children home for Divali so they could celebrate with us,” he recalled. “The togetherness makes the bond stronger.”
His message this Divali is to “Let Divali light the hearts of all people with love, happiness, peace and health – without war, hatred, or religious violence.”
AT A WEBINAR on October 2, a group of fintech professionals discussed cryptocurrency regulation in the Caribbean, exploring a wide range of concerns, some of them triggered by TT’s recent tabling of a bill banning the use of virtual assets.
The Caribbean Digital Finance Alliance (CDFA), which will be formally launched in November by fintech minds from across the archipelago, hosted the event.
Moderator Dennis Augustine from Dominica noted, “Our purpose today is not to analyse a particular bill, but rather to use the broader regional and global experience to explore the fundamental policy question.
“In our Caribbean context, is it the more prudent posture to pause and prohibit virtual assets, or is it to proceed with caution under proportionate and risk-based approaches?”
For TT’s Mark Pereira of ZLabs, the issue is foreign exchange (forex) constraints.
“One key point in TT to understand is the managed float introduced in 1993,” Pereira said.
“The Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago allocates US to banks, and the banks distribute the US dollars to the private sector, economy and individuals. The distribution of that currency has not been transparent and in times like this, it generally favours the more fortunate. On the open market, individuals are finding creative ways to purchase US dollars.”
One of those ways has been the use of cryptocurrency, which Pereira sees as a way to improve forex accessibility with effective regulation and the use of stablecoins based on US currency.
He believes existing virtual asset providers in TT operating under the FintechTT umbrella are already doing what’s required of any financial institution in TT, including required Know Your Customer onboarding and other customer identification checks.
Annie Bertrand, financial inclusion advocate of the CDFA, noted the impact of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) in the region through its mutual evaluation reviews of each Caribbean country’s financial compliance money laundering and terrorism financing regulations, which evaluate existing laws and regulations and their effectiveness.
Non-compliance can reduce investments, increase the cost of capital and threaten correspondent banking relationships.
But the FATF has noted a tendency to over-compliance with its standards, particularly in developing countries, with “unintended consequences.”
The FATF requires that virtual asset service providers (VASPs) be licensed or registered with risk assessments and risk-based supervision active.
Since 2021, jurisdictions can prohibit or limit virtual asset activities and 20 per cent of them, 33 nation states, have chosen to do so.
The FATF acknowledges that full prohibition is both difficult and expensive.
Only one of the 33 has met the requirements of Recommendation 15, which outlines regulation and customer due diligence requirements for VASPs.
According to Prof Louis De Koker, an expert on anti-money-laundering law and pragmatic regulatory frameworks, both pausing and banning are problematic.
In a pause with a defined timeline, operators may move outside the jurisdiction or take government to court and hope it drags on (a very real possibility in TT).
Bans require informed and expensive enforcement and policing, making fintech a cost, not an opportunity. Passing a bill is easy, but acting on it is costly, particularly for smaller countries.
Meanwhile, “criminals are gonna criminal.” Illegal trading continues using peer-to-peer transfers or unhosted wallets, where most of the movement in criminal money happens today.
Pereira would like to see a TT public-private partnership framework, with the government engaging in strategic regulation and private sector fintech players offering expertise on innovation and changing technologies.
A regulatory sandbox would allow the Central Bank to see if its systems and procedures are properly protected and prepared to manage fintech operations in practice.
“Criminals are our enemy too,” he said.
“The Virtual Asset Working Group (would sit with) the Minister of Finance and members of the SEC and FIU to engage on amending the bill. There’s maybe two or three simple additions that could allow the sandbox and already existing financial institutions to engage in the regulatory frameworks that they’re already adhering to, to move into a sandbox with the other players. The Central Bank gains insight from (industry practitioners) and implements a progressive virtual asset bill.”
“(The private sector) knows the market,” De Koker explains.
“They speak with their customers; they know about other options. That’s a tremendous source of information that can be provided to government that lessens the burden on government and provides it with high-grade information, with the market playing a role in ensuring that the right information is provided to the regulator.”
“The crypto market is now around $4 trillion US dollars. It is now part of the mainstream financial system. All countries need to respond to that.”
Mark Lyndersay is the editor of technewstt.com. An expanded version of this column can be found there
“What is missing from the notion of Caribbeanness, is…the need to transcend the intellectual pretensions dominated by the learned elite and to be grounded in collective affirmation, supported by the activism of the people.”
– Edouard Glissant, Caribbean Discourse
OVER THE decades, the writings, creative output and critical thinking of Caribbean authors, creatives and intellectuals encouraged us to question our role as citizens of this region. Their passion and commitment to liberation, conscientisation, decolonisation and building a strong region were essential in guiding us. As external powers bring their fights into our home once again, there is a growing conversation about the Caribbean civilisation. What are the next steps in building this civilisation and why is this idea so important now?
Civilisation is described as “a complex human society that may have certain characteristics of cultural and technological development.” Indigenous peoples established complex cultures across the Caribbean, developing practices around areas such as gender relations, division of labour, child rearing, spirituality, leadership and social order. They worked out how to shelter themselves and feed their families. They documented their experiences with petroglyphs (drawings in stone), created rituals and belief systems in reverence for the environment and mysteries of the universe.
These practices were shattered by enslavement, indentureship and colonialisation. Kwame Ture describes us as “a people of dispersal.” But he goes on to explain that “dispersal only begins the process, it does not end it. There is another key word – survival…” It is true that we survived, but that is because the people who were either forcibly brought or were enticed to come, walked with the memories of their own well-developed African, Indian and other civilisations.
At the recently concluded Carifesta, Mia Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados, spoke about the significance of this coming together of traditions for the advancement of our own Caribbean civilisation. While it is necessary to put this concept into the public domain, I worry that as a region we are still too far away from the cohesiveness and single-mindedness of purpose needed to achieve a united force against external aggression.
During the various civil rights and independence movements, internal self-awareness was identified as a critical first step towards regional unity. In TT, new voices are emerging across the spectrum of spoken word, literature, Tobago Heritage, jamoo, chutney soca, Best Village or film. They are challenging imposed notions of who we are, defining instead who we want to be. I also see internal exploration happening across the wider English and non-English speaking Caribbean.
But it is not enough. Freedom of movement for work is still not as accessible as it needs to be. Our region struggles with a consistent loss of both young and experienced professionals, the very people needed to help build the Caribbean civilisation that we envisage. After independence, we adopted the food, economic approaches and media of other societies. This slowed down our growth and validated external forces whose aim was the extraction of wealth, knowledge and resources for their own benefit. And our people still suffer the backlash of political ideologies that promote colonial agendas of division, rather than leadership driven by empathy.
As we grapple with these challenges, we must also come to terms with the fact that we may not be able to compete with the advances in robotics, artificial intelligence or the battle for space. However, what we do have is our resilience and capacity for survival, as pointed out by Ture and others. These are engendered by the deeply rooted ancestral values that fuel our creative and performing arts, literature, spirituality and food traditions today.
The celebration of our culture is important, but we must become intentional with documenting it, ensuring that it is in a digital space where all Caribbean citizens have access. We need to focus on unity through language, to help eliminate the artificial barriers that were imposed on us. And we must reclaim our resilience and resistance through food. What we put into our bodies is unhealthy and continues to move us away from the traditions that kept us safe and whole.
The notion of a Caribbean civilisation is appealing because together we are stronger. But to achieve it, as Glissant wrote, we need to move away from the pretensions of the elite and return to the force that best understands what it takes to create a civilisation – the people.
Dara E Healy is a performing artist and founder of the Idakeda Group, a cultural organisation dedicated to empowering communities through the arts
“COME GET me, come get me, please mama,” the child called. His mother found him on the ground, his leg and arm blown off. He died by the time she got him to hospital. This is why we call for the Caribbean to be recognised as a zone of peace. We don’t want war. We do not want drones whizzing over the heads of our children.
No deal that can be offered to get our economy out of its present crisis can be worth living in a war zone. If that is the bargaining chip, we will take peace. We don’t want to be in a place where lives are worthless and blind killing machines are turned loose overhead. We have seen enough of such action broadcast live from Gaza.
The Network of NGOs for the Advancement of Women is convinced that the impact of war is gravest to women and children. News out of Haiti, reported by The Associated Press on September 24, noted that explosive drones targeting a suspected gang leader killed at least eight children inside Cité Soleil, just outside of Haiti’s capital, and seriously wounded six others. Relatives and activists blamed the police for the attack.
Haiti’s National Human Rights Defense Network accused police of launching two exploding drones in the Simon Pelé community of Cité Soleil as suspected gang leader Albert Steevenson, known as Djouma, prepared to celebrate his birthday. He remains unharmed.
Are we really in support of the US/Panama-led initiative to create a gang suppression force to combat criminal gangs in Haiti? A force that is charged with “securing territory,” meaning occupy Haiti? Have we not stomached enough of occupation and seen enough of what occupation has made of Gaza? There must be greater efforts at negotiation and social transformation.
Every time our political leadership defines our country in terms of “gangs” and “narco-terrorists,” do they think that they are putting fear into our population, and somehow this fear will lead them to support any erosion of citizens’ rights? What is really happening? We are endangering our population, from the reckless war machinery of Western powers and exposing our children to the fate of those children in Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan and Haiti.
The US military presence in the region, acting to combat narco-trafficking, has not had a good record. By their own estimates, the war on drugs in Colombia resulted in the deaths of 220,000 people between 1958 and 2013. Some 80 per cent or 177,307 of them were civilians. This effort resulted in the world’s second largest population of internally displaced people when more than five million civilians in Colombia were forced from their homes within the same period.
In 1985, Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega, who was an American intelligence operative, offered to help the US by allowing Panama as a staging ground for operations against the FSLN (the Sandinista National Liberation Front) and offered to train Contras (those fighting against the Sandinistas in Nicaragua) in Panama.
Eventually, US co-intel-pro documents would expose how drugs, guns and money, zigzagged across continents, ending with drugs in African American communities used to destabilise the civil rights movement and American guns in Iran. Where did Noriega end up? Charged and convicted for drug smuggling and money laundering in an American jail. The whole ugly affair did not end well.
And somehow we are willing to go back to square one.
The Network of Non-Governmental Organisations of TT for the Advancement of Women calls on all responsible parties and sensible right-thinking women and men to stop this mindless drift towards war and violence. It is important for every citizen to be engaged at this time. There is still room for negotiations and diplomacy. We warn that those who don’t remember the past are condemned to repeat it. Let this region be a zone of peace.
More than 100 university students from across the region will partake in the TCL Group’s Cemex Campus programme, the group said in a media release on September 29.
The Cemex Campus is a programme that offers a blend of theoretical knowledge and practical experience in the construction materials and manufacturing sector to emerging professionals and university students.
Through the programme, TCL Group and Cemex foster work readiness among Caribbean students.
“Students are taught the significance of health and safety and are exposed to different areas of the supply chain,” TCL Group said.
It added that the initiative has given hundreds of final-year tertiary students the chance to get a first-hand look into the inner workings of a multinational corporation as well as hands-on experience across different disciplines, including supply chain management, social impact, finance, operations, sales, distribution, planning and human resource management.
Speaking during the hybrid launch of this year’s programme, TCL Group managing director Francisco Aguilera said the campus serves as a platform for sharing and cultivating a passion for the cement industry.
He expressed the group’s dedication to empowering future leaders through several initiatives.
“We look forward to mentoring these young individuals over the coming weeks, imparting decades of experience and global expertise to help advance the sector,” he said.
Group chairman David Inglefield said the initiative was a vital one for the transformation and sustainability of the industry.
“Together we are creating pathways for young talent to excel, contribute meaningfully and assume leadership roles capable of meeting the demands of an ever-changing world.”
The National Council of Indian Culture (NCIC) has announced the staging of its 38th annual Divali Nagar – a premier nine-day cultural festival, to be held from October 11-19 at the NCIC Divali Nagar in Chaguanas.
In a release on September 29, NCIC said Divali Nagar has grown into one of the largest cultural festivals in the Caribbean, attracting thousands of visitors annually.
“It serves as a beacon of cultural pride, education and entertainment, while fostering unity amongst diverse communities,” NCIC said.
This year’s festival will be celebrated under the inspiring theme Loka Sangraha (Welfare of the World), highlighting unity, cultural preservation and the collective upliftment of society.
Some of the major highlights of Divali Nagar 2025 include: Yuva Manch – A dynamic platform dedicated to young and upcoming artists, allowing them to showcase their creativity and talent.
The main stage performances will include a vibrant lineup of music, dance and song, featuring both established and emerging local artists.
On the seventh night (October 17), a special night of emerging stars event will take place, spotlighting the next generation of cultural icons.
NCIC said the chief guest for Divali Nagar 2025 is Davendranath Tancoo, Minister of Finance, who will attend the opening night.
The Divali Nagar will include several commercial booths, offering a range of products, services and cultural displays.
Additionally, patrons will also have the opportunity to explore a wide variety of local vegetarian cuisine.
PRIME Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar was the people’s choice of Caribbean Global Leader at this year’s Caribbean Global Awards.
She topped the list which included Barbados’ Mia Mottley, St Vincent and the Grenadines’ Ralph Gonsalves, Jamaica’s Andrew Holness and Guyana’s Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali.
The award was determined by people’s votes.
Gonsalves placed second while Mottley placed third. Holness and Ali placed fourth and fifth respectively.
Persad-Bissessar was not on hand to receive the award because she was attending the UN General Assembly in New York.
The award ceremony for the event was held at Cumberland Hotel, London.
In a shared address she thanked its organisers, distinguished guests, and Caribbean family across Africa, Latin America, Europe and the diaspora.
She apologised for not being there in person, saying, “My duties at the UN General Assembly have called me to New York, where I carry the voice of Trinidad and Tobago and of small island nations, speaking for resilience, fairness, and the dignity and future of our people, especially our children.”
She added, “Yet, even as I stand on that world stage, my heart is here with you, because this award belongs not to me alone, but to all of us who believe that unity is our greatest strength.”
Persad-Bissessar said the award was particularly meaningful as it came from the people.
In her speech, she recounted her humble beginnings and some of the achievements of her first term in office.
She said the award was a reminder that “recognition must serve a purpose.”
“Even when progress feels like two steps forward and one back, we must keep faith, choosing evidence over noise, dignity over cynicism, inclusion over indifference, and truth over silence.” She asked the organisers and the event’s attendees to, each, lift up a vulnerable child.
“Show them they can lead. Open the doors of your classrooms, your workplaces, your creative spaces and let them see what is possible.
“Share with them the struggles of past generations so they know resilience is our inheritance. Our ancestors forged democracies from broken colonial fragments, from stolen lives, from stolen dignity, from stolen heritage. And still, they endured so that we could rise.”
In lifting the most vulnerable, societies transformed talent into leadership, hope into history and ensured the promise of the region’s countries and the survival of generations to come, she stressed.
Persad-Bissessar also congratulated the other honorees, saying their achievements proved that when courage met collaboration, together they shone brighter.
CHRONIC non-communicable diseases (NCDs) account for about 75 per cent of deaths in the Caribbean, yet people still do not see them as a real danger.
That is the reality highlighted by Dr Horace Cox, director of the Surveillance, Disease Prevention and Control Unit at the Caribbean Public Health Agency (Carpha), as the region observed Caribbean Wellness Day 2025 on September 13 under the theme Engage, Empower, Elevate.
Newsday spoke to Cox during an interview at Carpha, Federation Park, Port of Spain, on September 17.
He explained because NCDs account for the majority of deaths in the region, policy-makers came together to create the 2007 Declaration of Port of Spain, advancing efforts to arrest NCDs as a public health problem.
But Cox said one of the main challenges has been convincing people that NCDs pose an immediate threat.
“The issue is that, because it takes a while to get installed and then cause the death to the person, more often than not, it doesn’t resonate with people that it’s an immediate threat.
Annalise Mitchell, four, joins in on the fun at Ministry of Health’s Caribbean Wellness Day Walk/Run and Wellness Fair at the Queen’s Park Savannah, Port of Spain, on September 20. The region celebrated Caribbean Wellness Day on September 13. – Photo by Faith Ayoung
“And by that, I mean that they often don’t understand they need to make immediate changes in order to prevent dying from it. Because people think, ‘Well, hypertension, diabetes, I can live years with this,’ to the extent that people aren’t always compliant with the medication and making modifications to their lifestyle.”
He noted that generally, people are more afraid of infectious diseases because the risk feels more immediate. The challenge with NCDs, such as diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease, is that their long-term effects often go unrecognised until it is too late.
One of the mandates of the 2007 declaration was to have an annual day to increase awareness of NCDs. Caribbean Wellness Day is now commemorated on the second Saturday of September across the region.
Cox explained that, this year, Carpha is reaching out to stakeholders to build awareness, sharing accurate information with the population to empower them to make informed choices and increasing people’s appreciation that NCDs are a real problem.
“The hope is that this, in part, influences actions and right behaviours, so that it will contribute to reducing the burden of chronic NCDs, and ultimately to reducing the number of persons dying.”
Fighting misinformation
Carpha shared materials with member states, allowing their ministries of health to adjust them to fit their local commemorations.
Cox pointed out that there was a lot of disinformation and misinformation available, especially on social media, as well as appealing advertisements that encourage people to engage in behaviour that are NCD risks like high alcohol consumption, smoking and overeating, so sharing accurate information is important.
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Carpha has also been engaging at the community level and focussing on My Caribbean Plate, a campaign launched in 2023, to show some of the simple actions that can be taken to improve diets and lifestyle.
It encourages things like physical activity, engaging with local markets and supporting local farmers, planting your own food if possible, reading the nutrition labels on packaged foods and eating balanced meals.
“The idea is that the Caribbean plate offers not only was traditional to us with our flavours and so on. It also looks at the balance, ensuring that we don’t overwhelm it (the plate) with a particular food group, but that we have, as a general prescription, 50 per cent in terms of vegetables, 25 per cent in terms of staples, we recommend ground provision as far as practical, and also 25 per cent in terms of like protein from animal sources or plant sources.”
Still, he acknowledged that healthier choices are not always the most accessible.
“A household’s proximity to a fast food restaurant may be much closer than a market, and the number of fast food places were significantly higher to the number of markets in a community. Such factors could determine the choices people make.”
Internally, Carpha’s Wellness Committee also hosted activities including Latin dancing, yoga, snack and paint, and a table tennis competition.
He said such activities were designed not only to mark the occasion, but to encourage behaviour change in a practical way.
Complicated relationships with food
Cox admitted that many countries had ageing populations, and those individuals face a “significantly higher” risk of developing NCDs. In addition, hereditary factors also play a role.
He said another reason changing people’s behaviour is difficult is because people’s relationship with food is very complicated, and each individual’s habits and choices influence the result.
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Access to fresh produce versus fast food, the way children are introduced to certain foods, and people’s emotional associations with food all play a role. In many cases, dietary practices also reflect socio-economic status.
He added that funding is also limited. Organisations do not invest in chronic NCDs as much as other diseases because the returns on the investment are not immediately obvious.
“But Carpha is well positioned because Carpha has access to the policy makers as a public health institution with a mandate for the Caribbean. For example, Carpha is positioned to advocate and to be able to work with stakeholders to get non-communicable diseases on the policy agenda, share accurate information out there, strengthen the surveillance system and monitor the data that’s available to see if there is any impact, and make proposals as to how we can re-calibrate efforts in terms of addressing this problem.”
Cox stressed that Carpha’s main interest is to increase the level of awareness, because individuals interacting with each other is the main way change can take place.
“So our main interest, especially for this year, is to ensure that we elevate the level of awareness and that people are empowered to make the right choices, for them to be aware of the things that influence the choices and to try their best to mitigate by modifying some lifestyle measures that they have.”
But he emphasised that NCDs are not just an individual problem.
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NCDs reduce productivity as people become ill or disabled, and they also impose psychological and financial burdens on families. For governments, the cost of screening services, medication and treatment such as dialysis increases as NCD cases rise.
For this reason, Cox encouraged people to get screened at their health facilities, manage their risk factors and listen to medical advice.
The hope is that by engaging communities, empowering individuals with accurate information, and elevating awareness, Caribbean Wellness Day 2025 will push the region one step closer to reducing the deadly but often underestimated impact of chronic NCDs.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro believes that Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has “lost her mind” over her comments in support of US military presence in the southern Caribbean.
Speaking at a press conference in Caracas on September 15, Maduro responded to a question about recent statements made by Venezuelan Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino López.
“I do not know what substances she is on,” he said in a sharp rebuke that signals rising diplomatic tension.
Despite the criticism, Maduro also appeared to extend an olive branch, calling for bilateral relations “based on respect.”
Maduro said never before has any TT government taken such a stance against Venezuela, their close neighbour.
His comments come after López issued a stern warning to both TT and Guyana, as military and political tensions in the region escalate.
Venezuela has accused the US of plotting regime change under the guise of fighting narco-trafficking.
The Venezuelan government has specifically warned TT that it would retaliate if US forces used the country’s territory to launch attacks against Venezuela.
Maduro also referred to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio as the “lord of death and war,” saying wherever he goes, he causes havoc.
