Category: CANA News

The US oil and energy giant, ExxonMobil has been granted an environmental clearance from the Environmental Management Authority (EMA) for a major seismic survey off the east coast.

The EMA issued the Certificate of Environmental Clearance (CEC) to ExxonMobil Trinidad and Tobago Deepwater Ltd (ExxonMobil) for the conduct of a three-dimensional seismic survey with a total area of 8,825 square kilometres within Block TTUD-1, located off Trinidad’s east coast.

Energy Minister Dr Roodal Moonilal, third from left, hands over the Certificate of Environmental Clearance (CEC) to local advisor Alex Almandoz, the in-country representative for ExxonMobil on Monday.

‘This approval marks a significant milestone, as it is the first CEC issued for activities related to the exploration for hydrocarbon resources within the ultra-deepwater marine area, and is the second CEC issued for the offshore exploration for oil and gas under the newly appointed board of directors,’ the Ministry of Planning said in a statement.

‘This approval was granted well within the EMA’s statutory timeframe, underscoring the Authority’s commitment to efficient, transparent, and timely decision-making processes,’ it added.

TTUD-1, a combination of seven blocks east of TT, spans beyond TT’s 5,128km surface area at 7,165 square km and is set to cost Exxon US$42.5 million in the first phase.

Per the block’s product-sharing contract, development cost is estimated at between US$16.4 billion and US$21.7 billion, with the potential to bring over US$21.7 billion in investment.

This was attributed to advancements in technology, which have expanded the depths of drilling capabilities with the design of drill ships, semi-submersibles and other high-pressure temperature technologies, addressing many of the issues in deep-water exploration.

ExxonMobil’s agreement covers the drilling of two exploration wells, with one well in each of the optional second and third phases of the exploration period. The company also agreed to administrative charges, minimum payment, training contributions, research and development contributions, technical assistance, equipment bonus as well as scholarships.

The CEC was handed to local advisor Alex Almandoz, the in-country representative for ExxonMobil, and Planning Minister, Kennedy Swaratsingh, told the ceremony on Monday that the ministry was focused on balancing development opportunities with environmental sustainability.

EMA’s deputy chairman Neeala Mongroo said the CEC marked an important milestone for Trinidad and Tobago as it is the first CEC granted for exploration activity in the country’s ultra-deepwater marine environment.

‘The EMA undertook a thorough, science-based and transparent assessment process, supported by inter-agency collaboration and detailed technical review. This decision reflects careful consideration of environmental protection, regulatory compliance, and national development priorities.

‘The EMA remains committed to strong oversight and ongoing monitoring to ensure that all approved activities are conducted in strict accordance with the conditions of the certificate and the laws of Trinidad and Tobago,’ she said, adding ‘advancing sustainable development while safeguarding the nation’s environment remains a central priority of the new board of directors, which is focused on improving the efficiency of regulatory processes’.

Energy Minister Dr Roodal Moonilal, said while ExxonMobil’s return to Trinidad and Tobago could be part of reshaping the country’s economic future, the slow pace of project processes is costing it billions of dollars in revenue.

He told reporters that since ExxonMobil’s return, the Trinidad and Tobago government has worked with other major oil companies, paying particular attention to fast-tracking TTUD-1 development.

‘Data that came to me very early suggested that if we just take decisions faster, we can actually earn, as a country, US$120 million per year.Our ministry works across the board with 16 other state agencies and ministries for licenses for approvals, amendments, legal orders and so on, so there is an enormous amount of co-ordination that we do,’ he said.

‘One of the problems over the years that we have heard of is related to the EMA and the length of time some of these processes take. So, this morning, we are particularly pleased that we can sign a production-sharing contract in August and before the end of December, we can be here to collect our CEC.We have enormous other matters before us that will require fast pace.’

Moonilal said to encourage this, the ministry is developing an energy hub to ease logistical processes in the secto and that with Cabinet approval, the hub will include entities within and outside of the ministry.

‘This will co-ordinate the problems and complaints in real time to sort out some of the problems that we face. The energy sector has a myriad of challenges: it could be a lease operator on land waiting too long for a particular bureaucratic process to take place; it can be an international oil and gas company waiting a long time for legal matters to be sought out.for example, work permits.

‘It will shock you to know that whether you are cooking at a restaurant or you are the president of BP or Shell, you still need to line up and get your permit,’ Moonilal said, adding ‘those things take time, and that creates a problem along the way’.

The Barbados Employers’ Confederation (BEC), saying it supports a ‘fair and balanced’ approach to minimum wage determinations, Tuesday called for all future minimum wage adjustments to go through the Minimum Wage Board MGB).

‘Let the Board do the work it was established to do-so decisions concerning minimum wage are fair, sustainable, and truly serve the best interest of workers, employers and the national economy,’ the BEC said in a statement.

Earlier this month, the Ministry of Labour, Social Security and Third Sector indicated its intention to increase the national minimum wage and the sectoral minimum wage for security guards by two per cent, effective January 21, 2026.

The proposed changes will move the national minimum wage from BDS$10.50 (One BDS$=US$0.50 cents) to BDS$10.71 per hour and raise the minimum for security guards from BDS$11.43 to BDS$11.66 per hour.

Labour Minister Colin Jordan said the increase is intended to ease pressure on the lowest-paid workers without destabilising businesses and that Cabinet had signalled its intention to introduce annual indexation months ago as part of the 2025 Budget framework.

He also disclosed that work is under way through the Minimum Wage Board to assess the impact of the June 2025 increase and to develop a more scientific, Barbados-specific indexation model, with Cabinet ultimately expected to consider the Board’s recommendations.

But in its statement, the BEC said that it supports a fair and balanced approach to minimum wage determinations, one that protects the welfare of workers while safeguarding the viability of businesses across the nation.

‘However, we note with concern the recent Budget announcement of predetermined minimum wage increases scheduled for 2025 and 2026. This decision, made before the Minimum Wage Board has completed its mandated review, departs from the established process of tripartite engagement and pre-empts the Board’s critical role in analysing economic data, consulting stakeholders, and subsequently presenting recommendations for any proposed minimum wage adjustments based on the evidence’.

The BEC said that the importance of respecting this process noting the MWB was created to ensure decisions are informed, inclusive and sustainable.

‘Implementing increases without comprehensive analysis risks significant economic consequences. Minimum wage changes do not occur in isolation-they create ripple effects that raise operating costs, which might put a strain on business sustainability, and, regrettably, threaten job creation – or, in severe cases, result in job losses.

‘We reaffirm our commitment to fair and equitable pay. At the same time, adjustments to the minimum wage must be approached with careful consideration, ensuring they are balanced against broader economic realities and sector-specific factors critical to sustaining growth and employment.’

The BEC said that if the minimum wage is subject to frequent, unreviewed annual increases, ‘it introduces instability and unpredictability into the market, which ultimately risks placing undue pressure on the very businesses and workers the policy is designed to support’.

Police have issued wanted bulletins for two people after a member of the British Royal Navy was left with nursing an injury to her eye and a vehicle riddled with bullets in a kidnapping attempt on Monday.

The police have not commented on the matter besides issuing wanted bulletins for Carrisa ‘Shemika’ Neverson and Jamal McMaster.

But well placed sources told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) that police have since taken into custody, an adult male suspect after he surrendered at the scene in Belair, south of here, where two alleged kidnapping victims were being held in a car in the pre-dawn hours of Monday.

One person fled the scene as police moved in.

The details of the cases are still emerging. However, on Monday, investigators removed a bullet-ridden car, from the scene in Belair as part of their investigations.

The car is said to have been driven there from Arnos Vale, where the two alleged kidnapping victims – a Vincentian woman enlisted in the British Royal Navy – and a male relative who is a minor, were allegedly nabbed. Their identities were not disclosed.

Media reports said that the two were then driven to Belair, but that one of them was able to use a device to send messages to another person, who contacted the police and on their arrival met one of the alleged kidnappers standing near the car.

The adult female who is said to have been kidnapped was taken to the hospital for medical attention, including for an injury to the eye.

Meanwhile, the police have described McMaster as a person of interest in an ongoing investigation into the offences of kidnapping and attempted murder.

‘The offences are alleged to have occurred .December 29, 2025. Investigations are ongoing, and police are actively pursuing all available leads,’ the bulletin said, warning that aster is considered armed and extremely dangerous.

‘Members of the public are strongly advised not to approach this individual under any circumstances. Anyone who sees or knows the whereabouts of Jamal McMaster is asked to contact the nearest police station immediately.’

The police said Neverson is also a person of interest in an ongoing kidnapping investigation and the public are asked not to approach her, but to contact the nearest police station immediately.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister, Dr. Godwin Friday, says that his new administration will move towards settling new debts to local suppliers within 28 days, even as it works to address the payables that form part of the EC$3.1 billion (One EC dollar=US$0.37 cents) national debt.

‘The amount is quite an eye-opener. But we knew that a lot of the businesses have been complaining publicly that they’re not getting paid,’ Friday said.

He told radio listeners that his New Democratic Party (NDP) had always advocated the need to settle the outstanding debts owed to local businesses, noting that by not doing so, the government is taking money out of the economy.

‘. basically, you’re not paying the people, they can’t pay the staff, they can’t pay their suppliers. That holds everything back. All to do what? To serve the interest of government when government should be serving the interest of people.’

He said the NDP had committed since 2020 that ‘that for most contracts – small contractors and so forth, not big contracts like the port or building the airport and so forth, where there’s so much complications in them, but for people who are providing service to government, ordinarily, you would pay within 28 days.

‘That’s the plan. Because your electricity bill comes in every month. Your phone bill coming in every month, you have to pay your workers.

‘So, the idea is that we pay similarly every month – 28 days, you have your work, you complete it, and so forth. It’s satisfactory, you get your money within 28 days, and that will get rid of a lot of this backlog.’

Meanwhile, the government is planning how to pay persons for the work that had been done before it came to office on November 27, Friday said, adding ‘you can’t ignore it.

‘You can’t say that people are being unreasonable when they’re waiting for years to get paid

‘But what I would do is to say that now that I’m aware of the scale of the problem, we are going to set our minds to find ways – and if we have to, do it in increments and so forth – to make sure people get the money. We will get it done. People will get their money,’ Prime Minister Friday said even as he acknowledged that government financing would be ‘difficult’.

‘My job is to take the situation as it is and to work with what we have to make sure that those persons who are entitled, that they’re no longer be, essentially, made to carry the burden themselves.

‘Government owes people money. We should pay them. All I’m asking people to do is to say, give me a little time to get this done. We recognise it as a problem, and we will address it.

‘But going forward, we are going to ensure that this problem doesn’t continue because we will institute our policy of paying for regular contracts, ordinary work that people do within 28 days, so that the p

Health authorities say there is no evidence of an ‘unusual disease outbreak’ at this time in Grenada, noting that the claims made on social media ‘do not reflect the current epidemiological situation based on routine national surveillance data’.

In a statement, the Ministry of Health said it wanted to address and clarify information contained in a published social media post referencing disease trends in Grenada.

‘The ministry advises that the claims made in the post do not reflect the current epidemiological situation based on routine national surveillance data. The ministry continuously monitors public health trends through established surveillance systems. There is no evidence of unusual disease outbreak at this time,’ it said.

The ministry said that surveillance data show a rise in respiratory illnesses, aligning with the usual flu season trends and further influenced by increased population movement during peak tourism activity and the Christmas period.

It said that in Epidemiological Week 42, ending October 18 this year, there had been a spike in Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease, primarily affecting children and involving multiple schools. The ministry said that the positivity rate for the coronavrus (COVIDD-19) remains low, indicating limited transmission.

‘Reports of flu-like illness within the tourism sector were reviewed and found to be consistent with broader seasonal respiratory trends. There is no evidence of COVID-19 clusters.

Additionally, gastroenteritis activity was observed at the intervention threshold, reflecting increased cases without exceeding expected seasonal patterns,’ the ministry said, adding that there has been increased testing to identify circulating pathogens and inform response measures.

The ministry said it wanted to emphasise that public health data are carefully collected, analysed, and interpreted by qualified professionals before being released.

‘Any official updates regarding disease trends or public health risks are communicated through the ministry’s authorised channels to ensure accuracy and prevent unnecessary public concern.

‘The Ministry of Health remains committed to transparency, evidence-based public health action, and the protection of the health and well-being of all Grenadians. Members of the public are encouraged to rely on official ministry communications for accurate information and to continue practicing recommended preventive measures,’ it added.

World champion javelin thrower Keshorn Walcott and sprinter Leah Bertrand capped off an impressive 2025 by capturing the Sportsman of the Year and Sportswoman of the Year awards at the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee’s (TTOC) 31st awards ceremony held over the weekend.

The 32-year-old Walcott, a two-time Olympic medallist, was the overwhelming favourite to win the award following his gold medal winning performance at the World Athletic Championships in Japan, where he hurled the javelin 88.16 metres. He also showed steady form throughout the year, with a series of 80-plus metre throws on the Diamond League circuit in Europe, to go along with an 83.77m throw, which helped him claim top honours yet again at the NAAATT Open Championships.

Among the women, Bertrand reigned supreme for the second consecutive year.

In 2025, Bertrand lowered her personal bests to 10.92 seconds in the 100-metre and 22.54 over 200m, while she defended her 100m title at the National Association of Athletics Administrations (NAAATT) Open Championships in August with a time of 11.04 – firmly positioning herself as the country’s leading female sprinter.

Meanwhile, Jereem Richards, who grabbed silver in the men’s 400 metres at the World Athletics Championships in a national record time of 43.72, was named Sports Personality of the Year.

Following a sterling year on the cycling track, rising sensation Makaira Wallace copped the Junior Sportswoman of the Year award, with Jaden Marchan copping the Junior Sportsman of the Year honour.

The Future is Female award went to Pan Am Junior 100m gold medallist Shaniqua Bascombe, with Joyce Walker-Thomas receiving the Alexander B Chapman award for her 25-plus years of service in a coaching and mentorship capacity across varying sports.

Police say three people have confessed to their involvement in a robbery that resulted in the death of a 61-year-old Chinese businessman and another being wounded in Canje, Region Six (East Berbice- Corentyne) last week Monday.

Police said that Chen Yongping, a businessman from Cumberland Village in East Canje Berbice died as a result of the assault while 32-year-old Cheng Dongrong, who is also a businessman from the same area is receiving medical treatment.

A postmortem examination conducted on December 24 confirmed that Yongping died from shock and hemorrhage caused by multiple stab wounds.

The police said that acting on a tip off, they have detained the three people including a 17-year-old youth and two men aged 29 years-old.

According to the police, during questioning on Monday, the suspects admitted to their involvement in the crime and that they are now in custody as the investigation continues.

The police said that Dongrong and Yongping ran a food business at the site of the attack, where they produce and package various types of chips.

Dongrong told investigators last week that he and Yongping had gone to the market to buy cassava and as they were re-entering their premises, two men suddenly rushed them armed with knives.

Tragically, one of the assailants stabbed Yongping in the abdomen and twice in the inner thigh before attacking Dongrong with a blow to the head.

The Trinidad and Tobago government is exploring the possibility of regional and international partners being involved in the re-start of the state-owned oil refinery that was shut down in 2018 when the former government said the cost of upgrading the refinery would have loaded the company with an unsustainable debt burden estimated at TT$12 billion (One TT dollar=US$0.16 cents) of which TT$5.780 billion is due in August 2019.

Energy and Energy Industries Minister Dr. Roodal Moonilal said the Kamla-Persad Bissessar administration is given serious consideration to the ‘Interim Report of the Refinery Restart Committee’ led by former energy minister Kevin Ramnarine, earlier this month.

‘I can indicate that quite recently I’ve had some dialogue as well with the Minister of Energy of Suriname Mr. Patrick Brunings, and that was a matter discussed as well because, as you know, they operate a smaller refinery in Suriname, and so we’re in discussions with Suriname. We have ongoing contact with Guyana,’ he told the state-owned TTT television.

”There will be an energy conference in India in January, and in Guyana in February. We expect to use those as well to discuss the refinery and to seek support from the international companies and also foreign governments in looking at the refinery,’ Moonilal added.

Earlier this month, Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar said her government will restart the state-owned Petrotrin oil refinery and that the findings of the committee ‘are clear, restarting the Guaracara Refinery is technically, commercially and financially viable even after seven years of closure and neglect’.

She said that she had directed the Ministry of Energy to evaluate the Report and present the best restart options for Cabinet consideration.

‘The Guaracara Refinery is a national asset with enormous potential for economic growth, employment, and energy security. A final feasibility and restart recommendation will be submitted early in 2026,’ she added.

In March this year, the then Keith Rowley administration said that it had accepted the recommendation of an evaluation committee that recommended Oando PLC, one of Africa’s largest integrated energy solutions providers, as the preferred bidder for the lease of the Guaracara refinery.

The government said that the was based mainly on Oando’s strong financial track record, particularly its US$1.5 billion acquisition of ConocoPhillips’ assets in Nigeria.

Trinidad Petroleum Holdings Limited (TPHL) owns Guaracara Refining Company Ltd, which operates the country’s only petroleum refinery. It also owns the Paria Fuel Trading Company subsidiary, which imports refined petroleum products and stores and distributes them domestically.

When the refinery was closed in 2018, the then finance minister Colm Imbert said while Petrotrin continued to incur persistent losses, the gasoline optimisation programme saw its cost rise from TT$2.45 billion in 2005 to TT$12.6 billion when it was completed in 2013, the cost of the unfinished gas-to-liquids plant rose from TT$1.55 billion to TT$3.15 billion and that the cost of the ultra-low sulphur diesel complex rose from TT$791 million to $2.89 billion.

As Trinidad and Tobago get ready to usher in the new year, the police are warning all citizens to refrain from the improper, unlawful, or unsafe use of fireworks in contravention of the legislation governing the use of these products.

Trinidad and Tobago recently implemented new, stricter fireworks regulations requiring permits for use, setting specific hours and banning fireworks near sensitive areas like hospitals, zoos, and airports.

In addition, the legislation makes violations ticketable offences, with the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) warning that the legislation is now in force.

‘The TTPS urges all citizens to refrain from the improper, unlawful, or unsafe use of fireworks in contravention of the Act and its accompanying regulations. The rules have changed – our responsibility must change too.

‘The irresponsible discharge of fireworks endangers lives and property, creates public alarm, and disrupts communities-particularly impacting children, senior citizens, vulnerable persons, and animals, including household pets,’ the TTPS said in a statement.

It furter advised that individuals found in breach of the law ‘will be subject to firm and decisive action’ and that while officers will issue warnings where appropriate, members of the public are reminded that the issuance of a warning does not preclude prosecution.

‘Officers of the TTPS will maintain heightened, intelligence-led, and targeted patrols to ensure public safety and compliance with the law. Citizens are also reminded that all offences detected or reported will be investigated and may lead to prosecution,,’ the TTPS added.

As a result of the new legislation and regulations, fireworks may only be discharged with a permit issued by the Commissioner of Police, except on public holidays between 8.00 pm and 9.00 pm, and on December 31 between 11.30 pm and 12.30 am January 1.’.

Attorney General John Jeremie, who had piloted the legislation in Parliament, said studies by the Environmental Management Authority (EMA) had found that while creating colourful light displays for people to enjoy, fireworks also create destructive blast waves that harm the health of humans, animals and the environment.

A 26-year-old man is due to return to court on March 26 next year, charged with raping a 14-year-old girl whom he met online.

The man, Latrell Rolle, faces three counts of unlawful sexual intercourse when he appeared before Senior Magistrate Shaka Serville.

Rolle was not required to enter pleas to the charges and was denied bail with the prosecition alleging that the incidents took place on December 16, 17, and 19.

The matter has been adjourned to March 26 for the presentation of a voluntary bill of indictment.