Relief turns to shock as Hadeeds kept in prison

Blue Waters chairman Dominic Hadeed and his wife Genevieve remain in prison after a Court of Appeal panel overturned an earlier decision that would have freed them to house arrest. The ruling has stirred relief and then shock among company staff and business leaders, who say the case highlights due process and confidence in Trinidad and Tobago’s legal system.

By Andrea Perez-Sobers

Retrieved about 1 hour ago

TEMA begins relief drive for Venezuela

Tobago Emergency Management Agency is urging Tobagonians to donate at least 1,000 relief items today for earthquake-hit Venezuela, with collection points including the Lowlands Mosque. TEMA director Allan Stewart said the drive aims to fill a three-tonne truck and send aid to Trinidad by Monday, while also highlighting the need for stronger Caribbean disaster risk management.

By Guardian

Retrieved about 1 hour ago

Businessman loses $1.3M after alleged online banking hack

A Chaguanas businessman in Trinidad and Tobago lost more than $1.3 million after his commercial bank account was allegedly hacked, though some funds were recovered and the case is under investigation. The theft has intensified concerns among business leaders about online banking fraud, with calls for stronger cyber security and a coordinated response from the Central Bank and commercial banks.

By Guardian

Retrieved about 1 hour ago

OWTU: Nestlé sale entering next phase

More than 200 Nestlé Trinidad and Tobago workers face six to nine months of uncertainty as the company’s sale process begins, with a Swiss firm set to manage the transaction. The OWTU says it is still waiting for final job figures and details on how workers and the local dairy industry will be affected, with concerns set to be discussed again on July 29.

By Guardian

Retrieved about 1 hour ago

Phillip Alexander in verbal clashes with HDC tenants

Housing Minister Phillip Alexander’s visit to Maloney Gardens turned contentious as HDC residents complained about worsening conditions, poor maintenance and broken infrastructure, while he blamed the former PNM administration and HDC inefficiencies. Residents rejected the blame game, saying they want action on long-running problems, including leaking homes, overgrown grass and faulty equipment.

By KAY-MARIE FLETCHER

Retrieved about 1 hour ago

Prison officers sound alarm over conditions affecting system

The Prison Officers’ Association has called for urgent upgrades across Trinidad and Tobago’s prison system, citing staffing shortages, poor working conditions, outdated equipment and needed repairs at several facilities. It also wants improved training, wellness support and prison reform consultations, underscoring long-running problems that affect security, operations and officer morale.

By Guardian

Retrieved about 1 hour ago

Attorneys ask PolSC, DPP to probe alleged SSA reporting failures

Lawyers for inmates Earl Richards and Rajaee Ali, and YouTuber Christopher “Christ Must List” Hughes, have accused Trinidad and Tobago’s security authorities of failing to meet mandatory reporting and accountability rules under the Strategic Services Agency and interception laws. They are seeking clarification from Police Service Commission head Dr Wendell Wallace and DPP Roger Gaspard, and want an independent review of compliance and spending.

By Anna-Lisa Paul

Retrieved about 1 hour ago

Brother killed in Siparia gun attack weeks after sibling’s murder

Akiel Packette, 40, was shot and killed outside Packette’s Delight on Quinam Road, Siparia, on Thursday night when two gunmen fired more than 30 rounds; a woman beside him was wounded while her five-year-old daughter escaped harm. The killing came less than a month after his brother was murdered, deepening concerns over a suspected drug-related violence spree in the area.

By Guardian

Retrieved about 1 hour ago

PDO issued for woman linked to guns stolen from police station

Three people, including Kristal Lewis, have been placed under Preventive Detention Orders under the Emergency Powers Regulations, 2026, over alleged links to organised crime and firearms offences. Lewis is tied in the order to the theft and attempted sale of guns from the San Fernando Municipal Police Station, while Devon Shawn Ross and Rahim “Guns” Fitzworme are alleged gang members facing detention at correctional facilities.

By Guardian

Retrieved about 1 hour ago

Attorney: Appeal Court only reviewed whether Hadeeds should stay in detention during their PDO challenge

Attorney Fareed Ali said the Court of Appeal’s ruling ordering Dominic and Genevieve Hadeed’s release was about whether they should remain in custody during their constitutional challenge, not whether the allegations against them are true. The State has since stayed the order and taken the case to the Privy Council, where the issue of detention will be heard separately from the underlying national security allegations.

By Guardian

Retrieved about 1 hour ago

NTA leader criticises Court of Appeal’s stay in Hadeed matter

NTA leader Norman Dindial said the Court of Appeal’s stay in the Hadeed case raises concerns about separation of powers and the use of preventive detention orders during the State of Emergency. He urged the government to either charge the detainees or release them, warning that keeping them in custody without charges could weaken public confidence in Trinidad and Tobago’s courts and law-enforcement institutions.

By KAY-MARIE FLETCHER

Retrieved about 1 hour ago

Tobago’s history comes alive at Heritage Festival opening

Shaw Park Complex opened the 39th Tobago Heritage Festival with a stage production themed “She Becomes Whole,” highlighting slavery, African identity and the role of folklore and tradition in Tobago’s culture. The show paid tribute to festival pioneer George Stanley Beard, who died two months ago, and featured many young first-time performers as organisers look ahead to the festival’s 40th “homecoming” next year.

By Guardian

Retrieved about 1 hour ago

Privy Council to decide Hadeeds’ fate

Trinidad and Tobago’s Court of Appeal last night stayed an order that would have released businessman Dominic Hadeed and his wife Genevieve from preventive detention and placed them under house arrest, keeping them in custody while the State pursues a Privy Council appeal. The case matters because it tests the government’s use of emergency powers, national security claims and the couple’s challenge over alleged lack of evidence and health concerns.

By Guardian

Retrieved about 1 hour ago

Analyst: Warner deserves his victory

Political analyst Dr Shane Mohammed said the High Court’s permanent stay of Jack Warner’s extradition case should prompt Trinidad and Tobago to review its constitutional and judicial systems. He argued the decade-long battle, which reached the Privy Council, exposed delays in delivering justice and showed the need for faster, clearer reform.

By Guardian

Retrieved about 1 hour ago

Heartbreak for Hadeeds: To remain in prison pending Privy Council appeal

Dominic and Genevieve Hadeed will remain in prison after the Court of Appeal upheld an interim stay while the State appeals to the Privy Council. The couple has been detained since June 24 under preventive detention orders over an alleged plot to assassinate Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, Attorney General John Jeremie and others, despite not being charged.

By Rickie Ramdass

Retrieved about 5 hours ago

Tobago Heritage Fair Recreates Family Days of the Past

The Tobago Heritage Festival continued on Friday with a Heritage Fair at the Scarborough Esplanade, recreating a traditional family day from years past. The event featured local food, games and cultural displays showing island life, highlighting Tobago’s efforts to preserve and share its heritage.

By Kandace Jackson

Retrieved about 6 hours ago

2026 Tobago Heritage Festival Opens With Theatrical Gala

The 2026 Tobago Heritage Festival opened Thursday night at the Shaw Park Cultural Complex with a theatrical gala titled “She Becomes Whole.” The production encouraged Tobagonians to reflect on the stories and experiences that shaped their identity, setting the tone for the island’s annual celebration of heritage.

By Kandace Jackson

Retrieved about 6 hours ago

Minister Phillip Alexander Calls For Transparency On Financing Of Balisier House

Minister in the Ministry of Housing Phillip Alexander said the public deserves transparency on how the People’s National Movement financed its Balisier House headquarters, which he noted rose from a party in debt to a $100 million building. He said the court case gives the PNM a chance to prove the project was funded legally and without corruption.

By Faith Cheruiyot

Retrieved about 6 hours ago

Freedom hangs in balance: Judges considering release

The Court of Appeal is deciding whether Dominic and Genevieve Hadeed should stay in prison while the State appeals their release order to the Privy Council. The State says they must remain detained because of alleged threats against Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and other officials, while their lawyers argue the evidence is too weak and Dominic Hadeed’s health is worsening.

By Rickie Ramdass

Retrieved about 7 hours ago

Housing Ministry Moves To Address Neglect At Maloney Gardens

The Housing Ministry says it will begin fixing long-standing problems at Maloney Gardens, including unfinished contract issues, overdue rent collection and neglected maintenance. Minister Phillip Alexander said investigations are under way into HDC contract management, while residents wait for repairs that the ministry says will start next week.

By Faith Cheruiyot

Retrieved about 7 hours ago