People are saying Trinidad and Tobago walks into its 64th Independence Day on Monday, August 31, with plenty to talk about.
There is the continuing state of emergency, the Met Service’s warning about drier conditions, changes to employment arrangements in Tobago, school starting next week and, of course, the Opposition doing what political parties sometimes do best arguing among themselves.
People are saying that is simply the rhythm of the country right now: a little politics, a little controversy, a little cricket, a little athletics and, somewhere in between, something to make us smile.
Sixty-Four and the Emergency Is Still Running
People are saying the Independence flag will go up over a country that has experienced several states of emergency since December 2024.
The current state of emergency began on March 3, 2026, and Parliament voted 28 to 12 in June to extend it for a further three months.
People are saying there are two sides to the conversation.
Murders fell to 369 in 2025, the lowest annual figure since 2014, while police have also reported reductions in several categories of serious crime.
That is certainly encouraging.
But after spending so much time under emergency measures, people are naturally asking what happens when they end.
People are saying September will therefore bring another important conversation: how does the country maintain the progress made against crime while returning fully to normal policing and the ordinary operation of the law?
It is a reasonable question—and one worth answering calmly.
People are also saying that Independence is a good time to remember that national progress is rarely measured by one number. It is measured by whether people feel safer, more confident and more hopeful about where the country is heading.
Balisier House Airing Its Business in the Road
People are saying the People’s National Movement has certainly given the public something to talk about.
San Fernando East MP Brian Manning publicly raised serious concerns about what he described as a “corrupt and criminal element” within the party. The PNM has rejected the suggestion that the matter was ignored and has maintained that its internal processes should be allowed to run their course.
It is important to remember that allegations are allegations, not findings of fact.
People are saying Deputy Political Leader Sanjiv Boodhu has explained that an internal committee examined the complaints and required evidence, documents and witnesses to be presented.
Meanwhile, the San Fernando East constituency executive has resigned and former senator Joel Primus has left the party after more than 25 years.
People are saying politics is sometimes a little like family life: everybody may love the same house, but not everybody agrees on how the furniture should be arranged.
The latest twist is the possible return of Hazel Manning to the constituency leadership. The former education minister and senator has offered herself for the chairmanship, saying she wants to help restore peace.
Her son, Brian, appears confident about her chances.
People are saying that, whatever happens, the PNM’s immediate challenge is to settle its differences and get back to the business of Opposition politics.
There is nothing unusual about political parties having disagreements.
The real test is how quickly and maturely they can resolve them.
Chief Secretary of Tobago
A Thousand Letters in Tobago, Two Weeks Before School
People are saying Tobago has been having a serious conversation about jobs.
Chief Secretary Farley Augustine has confirmed the termination of more than 1,000 contracts under the ten-on, ten-off employment programme in the Division of Infrastructure.
The programme had been extended to August, but its eventual end was always going to affect families who depended on the income.
People are saying the timing is particularly difficult with school reopening on September 7.
For parents, August is already one of those months when money seems to disappear faster than it arrives. Add schoolbooks, uniforms, shoes, transportation and all the other necessities, and the household calculator gets quite a workout.
People are saying the THA has indicated that approximately 700 permanent vacancies are expected to become available in the Division of Public Infrastructure and that displaced workers can apply.
That could provide an important opportunity, although there will understandably be concern among those who are not successful.
People are also saying Augustine has acknowledged that the ten-on, ten-off programme put money directly into Tobago’s economy.
That is an important part of the discussion.
The challenge now is to move from temporary employment arrangements to more sustainable employment opportunities without leaving families struggling in the transition.
And perhaps Tobago’s experience can remind everyone that government employment programmes are not simply numbers on a spreadsheet.
Behind every contract is a household, a mortgage, a grocery bill and, quite often, children preparing for school.
The Grant Comes on the Second. School Opens on the Seventh.
People are saying parents are counting the days.
The Ministry of Education has completed its initial review of 45,953 applications for the 2026 School Supplies and Book Grant, with payments expected to begin on September 2.
School reopens on September 7.
That gives successful applicants five days to turn grant money into books, shoes, uniforms and everything else required for the new school year.
People are saying five days can feel very short when you have three children and three different school lists.
Still, the grant will provide welcome assistance to thousands of families.
People are also saying that the condition of school buildings remains an important part of the back-to-school conversation.
Teachers’ representatives have raised concerns about the pace of repairs, while Tobago officials have also acknowledged delays.
The good news is that work is taking place.
The better news would be to have more of it completed before students walk through the gates.
People are saying September should be about new books, new uniforms and new beginnings—not about wondering whether the classroom roof will behave itself.
Drought Watch in September, and a Very Awkward Question
People are saying the weather has been reminding everybody that we cannot take water for granted.
The Meteorological Service has warned of increasingly dry conditions, with drought-watch conditions in Trinidad and drought-warning conditions expected in Tobago later in the year.
The dry spell has already been noticeable.
People are saying Tobago received just eight millimetres of rain in May, compared with an average of 86 millimetres.
That is enough to make anybody look suspiciously at the sky.
The THA has been expanding its free water-tank programme for vulnerable households, while the wider country continues to keep a close eye on WASA and the reliability of the water supply.
Then there is the debate over water-intensive development.
Opposition MP Marvin Gonzales has criticised increases in certain WASA fees, while Public Utilities Minister Barry Padarath has defended the revised charges and said they followed a review of outdated rates.
People are saying this is one of those issues where the public would probably prefer less political heat and more information.
The same applies to the proposed hyperscale data centres.
The Government has signed memoranda of understanding involving proposed facilities of 300 megawatts and 150 megawatts, with the latter potentially expanding to 500 megawatts.
The projects could bring significant investment and employment opportunities.
They also raise perfectly reasonable questions about electricity, water, environmental impact and infrastructure.
People are saying there is nothing wrong with asking those questions.
In fact, asking them early is probably the sensible thing to do.
If Trinidad and Tobago is going to become an artificial-intelligence and data-centre hub, people want to know that the infrastructure can support it.
People are saying: show us the plans, show us the assessments and then let’s have the conversation.
Eighteen Years to Hear Two Words
People are saying one of the week’s most sobering stories was the conclusion of a criminal case that had been before the courts for almost two decades.
A former soldier and national footballer was acquitted after facing serious allegations arising from an incident nearly 18 years ago.
Whatever one’s personal reaction to the case, the length of time is difficult to ignore.
Eighteen years is a very long time.
For a complainant, it means years of waiting for a matter to be resolved. For an accused person, it means years of living with serious allegations that had not yet been determined by a court.
People are saying justice works best when it is both fair and timely.
The courts also faced an unusual disruption when the Scarborough Magistrates’ Court was evacuated following a bomb threat. No one was hurt and the court subsequently reopened.
People are saying even the courts sometimes have to deal with the unexpected.
But the larger issue remains the need for a justice system that can resolve cases efficiently while protecting the rights of everyone involved.
Three Draws a Week
People are saying the National Lotteries Control Board may be considering a third weekly Lotto draw.
Not everybody selling the tickets appears convinced.
Allen Campbelle, president of the Electronic Lotto Agents Association, has argued that sales depend more on the size of the jackpot than on the number of draws.
He has also suggested that greater attention should be paid to illegal gambling operations.
People are saying that sounds like the beginning of an interesting Budget conversation.
The NLCB will naturally be interested in revenue.
Agents will be interested in sales.
Players will be interested in jackpots.
And the rest of us will probably be interested in the winning numbers.
People are saying there may be a simple test for the third draw: will people actually buy more tickets, or will they simply divide the same spending among more draws?
That is one for the number crunchers.
A Javelin, a Century and a Wrecker
People are saying Keshorn Walcott may not have stood on the podium in Zurich, but fourth place with an 83.02-metre throw is hardly a reason to forget what he has achieved.
Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage won with a magnificent 92.07 metres.
People are saying Trinidad and Tobago has become accustomed to expecting big things from Walcott.
That is what happens when someone wins Olympic gold at 19.
Fourteen years later, the expectations remain high.
People are saying the Trinbago Knight Riders are also keeping their supporters on their toes.
Saint Lucia Kings’ Tim Seifert produced a magnificent unbeaten 105 from 61 balls at Queen’s Park Oval, helping his team defeat the defending champions by 36 runs.
It was the sort of innings that makes cricket supporters shake their heads and say, “Boy, this man could bat!”
Some supporters also raised concerns about traffic and parking arrangements around CPL matches, including reports of vehicle damage in the vicinity of the venue.
People are saying nobody wants to spend an evening watching cricket only to discover that the biggest damage occurred outside the stadium.
But thankfully, sport provided plenty of reasons for celebration as well.
Michelle Sturge won gold in the women’s 100 metres in the 55-and-over category at the 2026 World Masters Athletics Championships in Daegu, while other Trinidad and Tobago athletes also performed strongly.
And Kees Dieffenthaller and Buju Banton have been named Honorary Grand Marshals for New York’s Caribbean Carnival.
People are saying that is the wonderful thing about Trinidad and Tobago.
We complain, we debate, we argue about politics, we worry about water and we sometimes wonder what on earth is going on.
Then an athlete wins a medal, a batsman scores a century, a musician takes the Caribbean to the world—and suddenly everybody is smiling again.
At 64, Trinidad and Tobago is certainly not perfect.
But then, which country is?
People are saying we have plenty to fix, plenty to improve and plenty to celebrate.
And on Independence Day, perhaps the celebration deserves the last word.
People are saying Happy 64th Independence, Trinidad and Tobago.
And yes—let us hope for some rain too.
