“[…] Since the government has spoken publicly about my 6 May conversation with Minister [Stuart] Young, though, I wish to affirm that I expressed concern to the Minister in that conversation about the consistency of Delcy Rodriguez’s visit to Port of Spain with Trinidad and Tobago’s obligations as a party …
Read More »Water more than flour; Le Hunte quit as minister after Cabinet row over WASA
Robert Le Hunte’s shock resignation as minister of public utilities allegedly followed a row with Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley over a proposal for major restructuring at WASA. Although, according to informed sources, the quarrel was one-way traffic. Le Hunte, who is also deputy chair of Rowley’s post-Covid-19 economy recovery team, …
Read More »T&T in a groove: Phase two starts early, fuel grant for taxis and Chin’s ‘humanitarian’ gesture explained
Trinidad and Tobago will enter phase two, on the road towards the full re-opening of its economy, on Thursday 21 May—some four days ahead of schedule—and it will be bigger than initially suggested. Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley said today that the country’s promising health figures satisfied chief medical officer …
Read More »Demming: Methinks thou doth protest too much! Three reasons to doubt Venezuela explanations
After managing the Covid-19 pandemic so well, why did Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley score this own goal with the high-power Venezuela meeting? His team was doing well. Couldn’t his handlers advise him to duck this one and move on to the good news of opening up the country? Instead, …
Read More »Rowley announces phased re-opening of economy; fast food first out of the blocks!
Trinidad and Tobago will start the gradual re-opening of its economy from 11 May with KFC, Wendy’s, doubles and other itinerant and non-itinerant restaurants being first out of the blocks. They will operate until 8pm with no in-house dining. “Food establishments and restaurants would be allowed to open and provide …
Read More »Kamla: Rowley must come clean on Venezuela meeting; Rowley: ‘You are a traitor lady!’
On 27 March 2020, the Trinidad and Tobago government temporarily re-opened its borders for a meeting with a seven-member delegation from Venezuela, headed by vice-president Delcy Rodríguez, which—according to a press release—‘focused on the strategy being deployed in both countries to combat Covid-19’. However, Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar suggested, in …
Read More »Demming: Dreaming of tomorrow, how recovery team can help T&T’s ease of business
There is always a gap between perception and reality. Communicators have to operate within that space trying to narrow the gap and strengthen their intended message. The government opted to use moral suasion to get citizens to stay at home, but a drive or walk through neighbourhoods, towns and cities …
Read More »Rowley: Trinidad is not a real place; Griffith: TTPS ‘doesn’t operate on emotion’—Cambridge Analytica probe called off
Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley appeared to respond with sarcasm as Commissioner of Police Gary Griffith declared today that the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) has closed investigations into the Cambridge Analytica scandal. Cambridge Analytica, a controversial now bankrupt British consultancy firm, were accused—by former employee turned whistleblower, Christopher …
Read More »An ‘exceptionally difficult’ year! Imbert on salary grants, public aid and ‘recalibrated’ budget
“[…] Trinidad and Tobago is not only impacted by the economic consequences of Covid-19; but as an oil-and-gas exporting country, the economic, financial and social consequences have been further compounded by the dramatic drop in oil and gas prices. The worldwide demand for crude oil has crashed in the context …
Read More »Daly Bread: Road map to where? Why PM’s committee will struggle to change status quo
One thing is certain in this time of greatest uncertainty: It will not be possible to return the Trinidad and Tobago economy to the model by which it was previously operated. The country does not have the money to do so. Dr Terrence Farrell recently comprehensively explained the economic facts …
Read More »Rowley: Two more weeks of lockdown, with four days off for good behaviour; re-opening within sight
Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley has asked Trinidad and Tobago to accept another 14 days of economic restrictions and floated the possibility of a lift within 10 days if all goes well. Rowley, accompanied by chief medical officer Dr Roshan Parasram and epidemiologist Dr Avery Hinds, confirmed that the twin …
Read More »Rowley: Time to chart T&T’s new course; the framework for post-pandemic road map
“Trinidad and Tobago must now plan for its post peak Covid-19 future within the confines of the ‘new normal’, at least until such time that a vaccine is developed and tested—which could take between 12-18 months. “[…] An important first step in developing the Recovery Road Map must be to …
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