- 3 months ago
Public concern grew in the wake of a US security advisory
The government presented what it termed, "A Budget for the People"
and another life was lost due to an exploding LPG tank
The government presented what it termed, "A Budget for the People"
and another life was lost due to an exploding LPG tank
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NewsTranscript
00:00Thanks for staying with us.
00:05Newly elected Tuta President Crystal Ashey, after winning by a landslide last week,
00:10plans to lobby the government to renegotiate the 2020-2023 bargaining period,
00:16which Tuta settled on on the eve of this country's general election.
00:20He's asking for negotiations to start at the same 10% as the other public servants,
00:25particularly as the settlement was not auctioned.
00:28The Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers Association has a new leader,
00:34Mr. Crystal Ashey, a seasoned educator with more than three decades of experience.
00:40He has assumed the presidency, promising significant changes for the nation's teachers.
00:45So I was an OJT, went on to be teacher, went on to be head of the department,
00:49went on to be principal for 11 years and now a school supervisor.
00:53And actually, I'm the first supervisor to assume the leadership of Tuta.
00:58It has never been done in HV. I didn't mention that to anybody else, but that is a fact.
01:03There's never been a situation where a supervisor has been the president or any other national officer of Tuta.
01:09So you are a ministry employee in that case? Well, I mean, just like teachers, but...
01:13Yeah, yeah, just like teachers, all of us here.
01:16From starting as an on-the-job trainee, Ash worked his way up through teaching ranks to become a principal and now a school supervisor.
01:24In 2019, school supervisors like him were officially recognized as members of Tuta,
01:30opening the door to leadership roles previously unavailable.
01:34Now, as the first ever school supervisor to lead Tuta, Ash emphasizes the value of experience and advocacy for educators across the country.
01:55I was approached by Mr. Arish Dohaka, who is the present first vice president of Tuta.
02:01He is the incumbent. He has been there for three years and he went up to this election unopposed.
02:06So there was nobody opposing his position.
02:08So Mr. Dohaka reached out to me and said, listen, because he knew of me from other persons and so on.
02:12He said, Mr. Ash, I'm looking for somebody. I want to form a team.
02:16I'm not satisfied with the leadership of Tuta at this point in time and what is going on.
02:19And I would need people with a particular mindset in terms of goals and terms of work ethics.
02:23And he's a very hard worker. That is why he's unopposed.
02:26So he identified me as a candidate of choice.
02:29And that's the end of the story.
02:31I spoke about it with my friends and my family, prayed about it and so on.
02:36And after a week, I gave him a decision.
02:38And he was very satisfied with the decision.
02:41I am also elated that I would have taken up the opportunity to serve our nation's teachers.
02:45His candidacy came at a time when change was welcomed, leading to his resounding win with 3,546 of the 6,739 votes cast for that position.
03:00That's more than half of the electorate in Tuta.
03:03There were six candidates vying for the position of president, right?
03:07And if you add the total of the five of five other candidates besides myself, it's not good to add up to what I would have made.
03:15I would still be in front of them at least about 350.
03:17So I surpassed all of the votes that they would have received.
03:23So the membership, it shows clearly that the membership, one, they wanted change.
03:28And two, they believed in me and they had a level of confidence in me.
03:31His win was decisive.
03:34Members clearly signaled a desire for change and placed their trust in his leadership.
03:39In schools, you have persons acting and performing duties in administrative positions and so on.
03:44And if a school doesn't have a good foundation or is not rooted in a good foundation, then you will have issues.
03:51You will have the school not being functioning as how it's supposed to be.
03:54So we need these principles to get, you need to appoint permanent principles.
03:58You can't simply have schools and people acting for 10, 15 years and so on.
04:02And that is what is happening and people are not aware.
04:04Ash tells TV6 his immediate priorities include improving school leadership stability, ensuring adequate resources and addressing gaps in teaching conditions.
04:14In the budget presentation just days ago, the finance minister, Davindranath Tanku, announced that government will be ratifying negotiations settled in April, that is, on the eve of the general election.
04:27Those negotiations include the teaching service, which settled on the 5% wage increase offer for the 2020 to 2023 bargaining period.
04:37So I would have heard the Honourable Minister of Finance, his authorities and so on in Parliament, and I know that he would have said that the Prime Minister said that she wants to ensure them to return to the negotiating table in terms of these things, right?
04:53So I am willing, with my comrades and tutors, to return once we are given the opportunity.
04:59And we will see that opportunity. We're not simply waiting on them. We will be writing them to ensure that we are given the opportunity.
05:05Ash said it's a matter of equity for everyone.
05:08All we are simply asking to do is to be given a fair wage. We are willing to go because teachers go above and beyond.
05:14And fun fact, when Ash isn't on the education front, you'd never believe where you'd find him.
05:22To be honest with you, right now, I'm looking to go and see about my pigs on my farm. I have a family farm, a pig farm, where we have pigs and so on, so I'm going to feed them and wash pen and so on.
05:33Arvishay Tamwari, Ruknarain, TV6 News.
05:36Meantime, a 28-year-old Pinal man became the country's latest gas tank victim. TV6 met with the family while he was still hospitalized.
05:46There was no report of the smell of gas and no obvious trigger.
05:50But somehow, the downstairs room of this home along Sunrise Road, Pinal, ignited on Monday afternoon, seriously injuring one.
06:00According to homeowner Brian Joseph, around 3.15 p.m., he left his 28-year-old son Bevan Joseph at home to get a haircut, but soon after received the horrifying call.
06:12And the back, quite in the back there, called me, I said, but a big explosion, right?
06:18I said, wait, you see me back by you? I said, no, can I remind me? Where I was now?
06:25The boss man, they called me, say, that's my you, you know?
06:28I mean, when I reached home here, about half past three, I was shocked.
06:32Because here's what going on. I said, like, somebody threw a bomb inside there.
06:35He said, you got a lighter cigarette, you didn't get a lighter, and that was it.
06:38Reports suggest the son caught fire, was severely burned, and then taken to hospital, where he remains in ICU in a critical condition.
06:48Relatives say he has burns to 80% of his body.
06:52The father says they were told a gas tank could have been leaking for some time before the explosion,
06:58and complained that these incidents are becoming too frequent.
07:02Just a few weeks ago, a Pinal woman died following a gas tank explosion at her home.
07:08So I don't know whether, I don't know if it's sealed, they're putting on the tank, it's properly sealed.
07:13I never knew that thing so powerful. What did I think push that wall in there?
07:15And for years of it, watch me, I put a steel down in the back there, a new brand steel,
07:21the other thing pelt out outside there, and pelt out the government up there, you know?
07:25My brother actually lied on the inside there, so he said, he said, he said, he said, he said, he said, he said, he said, he said.
07:29Joseph says he intends to take legal action against those found responsible to assist in paying for his son's medical needs and for damages to his home.
07:40He believes manufacturers need to pay closer attention to the products they sell before another person loses their life.
07:48Cindy Raguba, Tika Singh, TV6 News.
07:52Sports is up next. Keep it here.
07:54In sport, the Windy's fell to a 74-run defeat to Bangladesh in the opening match of their three-match ODI series.
08:09Set 208 for victory, the Windy's made a strong start before ending on 133.
08:14The Windy's decision to feel first paid early dividends as Bangladesh were short of two wickets with Romario Shepard and Jaden Seals both striking.
08:26With only eight runs on the ball, the next pair would look to consolidate.
08:30They would compile 71 runs but painstakingly off 20 overs.
08:35The Windy's bowlers were frugal, in particular, Carrie Pierre, who finished with one for 19 off his 10 overs.
08:40Tawheed Hridoi and Maidul Islam Ancon combined for the most productive partnership with 97.
08:49But the Windy's would continue making inroads.
08:51Justin Greaves getting Hridoi on 51 for his first of two wickets.
08:56And Ruston Chase struck twice himself, also getting Ancon on 46.
09:01Jaden Seals would polish off the rest of the batting, finishing with three scalps,
09:05as Bangladesh stumbled to 207 in 49.4 overs.
09:09But with the wicket taking spin, it was left to be seen how the Windy's would fare.
09:14And surprisingly, they looked comfortable as Brandon King and Alec Athanese made a half-century opening stand.
09:21Even when Athanese departed on 27, Casey Carty and King would chip in with 28 more.
09:27But in typical West Indies style, they would implode with the next five wickets falling for only 21 runs.
09:33Rashad Hussain would expose the West Indies' fragility to spin.
09:38The Googly bowler grabbed six wickets, as the visitors lost nine wickets for 54 runs,
09:44to be dismissed cheaply at 133 in 39 overs, to give Bangladesh victory by 74 runs and a 1-0 series lead.
09:52And that's a wrap on the past seven days on six.
09:58I am Renessa Cutting.
10:00If you didn't catch this segment in its entirety, you can find it on our website, www.tv6tnt.com.
10:08And you can find all these stories and more on the TV6 mobile app.
10:12Thanks for choosing TV6, and you do have a great evening.
10:16Thanks for choosing TV6, and you can find it on our website, www.tv6t.com.
10:46Good evening and welcome to the past seven days on six.
10:51I am Renessa Cutting.
10:52Here's what made the news this past week.
10:55Public concern grew in the wake of a U.S. security advisory.
11:00The government presented what it termed a budget for the people.
11:04And another life was lost due to an exploding LPG tank.
11:08As per usual, if it was happening, it was on six.
11:12Let's get right into it.
11:13An advisory issued by the United States Embassy on Saturday triggered widespread concern in the public domain,
11:21sparking a number of conspiracy theories.
11:23The opposition called on the government to come clean with the nation and provide clarity on what is taking place.
11:31Chairman of the People's National Movement, Marvin Gonzalez,
11:33calls the new advisory issued by the United States Embassy and the surrounding uncertainty a concerning matter.
11:40We are taking note of a lot of the information on this issue that are already in the public domain.
11:47The issue by the U.S. Embassy, we are hearing, you know, talk of persons being in safe houses and what have you.
11:53So people are concerned. Citizens are rightly concerned.
11:59What I am also very concerned about is the vacuum of absence or silence from the government on this particular issue.
12:06Gonzalez states that the government is bound to be aware of the information released by the U.S. Embassy,
12:11as well as the surrounding discourse.
12:14But the government, through its spokespersons, the Minister of Defense, the Minister of Homeland Security,
12:21the Prime Minister, the Attorney General, they must speak to the population on these very important things.
12:28They cannot stay quiet.
12:31And the more you stay quiet, it is going to cause more unease in the national population.
12:36So that is where I take issue.
12:37And his call to the government?
12:40If you can't speak, please speak to the population urgently.
12:46Meanwhile, MP Fadiggo Martin Northeast, Colm Inbert, believes the information would become distorted
12:51without hearing from those in authority.
12:53He says, as far as he is aware, there is only one U.S. facility in the country.
12:58Now, what are U.S. government officials, facilities, the embassy?
13:02I can't think of many more U.S. government facilities.
13:05That's the only one I know.
13:07So I'm not sure what this means.
13:09But what happens when something like this is issued?
13:12It spawns all sorts of rumors and conspiracy theories.
13:16He says it is the government, through their respective ministers, to shed light on what is taking place.
13:21And most importantly, ask the Prime Minister.
13:25We haven't seen her since when?
13:29About a week.
13:30Yeah, about a week.
13:32We haven't seen the Prime Minister for a week.
13:33We expected her to see her yesterday.
13:35We didn't see her.
13:36So I would respectfully request the media to ask us.
13:42We might know.
13:43But in this case, we don't know.
13:45The PNM notes that it's happening at a time when there is a state of emergency,
13:49and where the substantive commissioner of police, Alistair Guevara, is in the United States,
13:55having been granted approval to attend a conference.
13:58These are not normal times.
14:01And we need the heads of our national security to be on the job to protect the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago.
14:09Alistair Guevara, TV6 News.
14:13Meantime, the TDP has sought to allay any fears.
14:17The advisory issued by the United States Embassy on Saturday
14:20urges U.S. citizens to stay away from all U.S. facilities in Trinidad and Tobago over the Diwali holiday weekend.
14:27The embassy said it was due to a heightened state of alert,
14:30further cautioning U.S. citizens to pay close attention to their surroundings
14:34and to monitor reputable media sources.
14:37It didn't say what the nature of the threat was.
14:39Following that, allegations that safe houses were being prepared for the Prime Minister
14:43and the Attorney General, suffice on social media.
14:47TV6 News reached out to acting top cop Junior Benjamin concerning the developments.
14:52In relation to the news out there about the safe houses and so forth,
14:57let me just say there is absolutely no truth to that.
15:00From the investigation done and the information receiving me,
15:05there is absolutely no truth to those stories.
15:07So we want to ask citizens to be very careful what you are saying out there
15:12and even the information that you receive.
15:16For credible information, he points to the corporate communications of both the TTPs and the government.
15:22As for the nature of what has spawned the heightened state of security from the side of the TTPs,
15:27Is this an issue related to what is happening with the U.S. and Venezuela or is this strictly a local internal issue?
15:35Well, I would want to say at this point in time, I would not want to go into any further information in relation to the issue itself.
15:43Benjamin says based on the intelligence the Homeland Security Ministry received by way of the advisory
15:49and also given the state of emergency, there was a meeting with Minister Roger Alexander and subsequently with police officers.
15:56I can tell you at this point in time that the Chiantiligo Police Service, we are on heightened alert,
16:02especially with our operational and tactical units to ensure safety and security of all our citizens,
16:07as well as also all foreign nationals that are here as well, because we want to ensure safety and security for all.
16:15The acting top cop says they have also met with municipal corporations and so far everything has been normal.
16:22We don't see a need for any panic, but nevertheless, as the police service,
16:26it is important for us to have a proactive approach in this situation and therefore we have ensured that our officers are on their list
16:34and we are going to, again, be visiting, doing regular pursuers, ensuring safety and security around our borders and everything.
16:42You know, all persons thus far and all the areas thus far that must be secured are secured at this time
16:48and safety and security is our priority, at least over the long weekend.
16:53While there is no advisory in effect for Trinidad and Tobago nationals,
16:57the TDPS is asking the public to cooperate with law enforcement over the long weekend.
17:02Alessia Boucher, TV6 News.
17:05Also happening this past week, Homeland Security Minister Roger Alexander addressed claims that two Trinidadians had been killed in one of the U.S. airstrikes.
17:16There are some stranger things that seem to be taken place because normally you know when persons travel,
17:24the amount of souls on a plane, they are able to be identified if something was to happen,
17:29fills up a ship, the passenger manifest and all of that.
17:32The boats registered to leave from one port to another.
17:36And none of this seems to have a fair or an urgent in any way with respect to this situation.
17:43All we have is family making statements and some strange and unusual statements, I must say,
17:50that he was making runs but India never asked what kind of runs that he was making.
17:54He said, as there is no evidence of the men being killed, relatives should file a missing persons report
18:06and work together with the police to chart the way forward.
18:10So what I would have suggested is that the family make a missing persons report.
18:14That's the first thing they should have done.
18:16So while we're waiting and asking questions about the family members,
18:21there are a number of other things that have been unlimited.
18:24But we would love for the family to come, bring documents and sit with the police
18:29and give them a comprehensive report so the police know exactly what to work with.
18:35Well, U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed that Venezuela had made many generous offers
18:40in an attempt to ease tensions between the two countries
18:43and used very coarse language to explain why.
18:47How do you authorize the CIA operations in Venezuela?
18:51Well, I wouldn't say that, but some interesting things are happening around the world, I'll say that.
18:57The president has been reported that Maduro offered everything in his country, all the natural resources.
19:05He even recorded a message to you in English recently offering mediation.
19:09What should we do in order to stop that?
19:11He has offered everything. He's offered everything. You're right.
19:15You know why? Because he doesn't want to f*** around with the United States.
19:19The U.S. President was also asked what is to become of the survivors captured in the airstrike.
19:25On Venezuela, there are survivors from your latest boat strike. What happens to those survivors?
19:31Well, I'll ask Marco to discuss that possibly.
19:34Yeah, it's well known there's an ongoing narco-terrorist operation the United States has been conducting.
19:41As far as details of any recent strikes, we're not prepared here to announce all those details,
19:46but you'll get that information here very shortly.
19:47And how are there survivors when these are meant to be lethal attacks?
19:51Yeah, again, I mean, we're undertaking these operations against narco-terrorists.
19:54That's what these are. These are terrorists. Let's be clear.
19:57But as far as the details of any recent operations, when we are prepared to announce those,
20:03we will, as the president has consistently done.
20:05So you may get something on that later today.
20:08Let me ask you, that was in a submarine, right?
20:11We attacked a submarine, and that was a drug-carrying submarine built specifically for the transportation of massive amounts of drugs,
20:24just so you understand. This was not an innocent group of people.
20:27We're at a break. We'll have more news when we return.
20:37A budget for the people is how both Prime Minister Kamala Passat-Bassassar
20:42and Finance Minister Devendra Nath-Tanku described the budget before it was read on Monday afternoon.
20:48A national budget with an even smaller deficit was announced by Finance Minister Devendra Nath-Tanku
20:56during his maiden fiscal presentation on Monday afternoon.
21:00We expect total revenue of $55.367 billion.
21:08Total expenditure of $59.232 billion with a fiscal deficit of $3.865 billion.
21:18The budget, he says, was based on an oil price assumption of U.S. $73.25 per barrel
21:27and natural gas assumption of U.S. $4.25 per mm BTU,
21:32with oil revenue estimated to be $11.254 billion,
21:37non-oil revenue $43.4 billion,
21:41and capital revenue at $0.711 billion.
21:46Allocations are $8.8 billion on education and training,
21:51$8.2 billion on health,
21:54$6.4 billion on national security,
21:57public utilities gets $3.4 billion,
22:00infrastructure $1.9 billion,
22:03Rural development and local government $1.8 billion,
22:07transport $1.8 billion,
22:09agriculture $1.1 billion and housing $0.7 billion.
22:16But what exactly do these figures and allocations mean
22:20and how will they impact or improve our daily lives?
22:23It's the first budget for the six-month-old UNC government
22:28and expectations will high in the lead-up to Monday,
22:32given their big election campaign promises.
22:36So did they deliver?
22:37The Honourable Kamala Prasad-Bissar has instructed
22:40that effective immediately.
22:43The price of super gasoline at the gas station pump
22:46will be reduced by $1 per litre.
22:50Public servants were told a 10% wage increase
22:56is on the table as promised.
22:59The Honourable Prime Minister has instructed me
23:02to advise the Chief Personal Officer
23:05to submit a revised offer of 10%.
23:10Mr. Speaker, promise made, promise kept.
23:17The recurrent cost of implementing these agreements
23:22is estimated at $214 million annually,
23:27with a raise of $730 million as of December 2025.
23:34Minister Tanku says they will be getting rid of CPEP
23:37and URP programs and will now provide full-time jobs
23:41to the most vulnerable.
23:42This government is committed to ending the state
23:46of funding of criminal gangs
23:48by eliminating the CPEP and URP
23:52and replacing them with provided full-time,
23:56better-paid jobs.
23:59To this end, I have established an employment fund
24:03in the Ministry of Finance with $475 million,
24:08which will be utilised with the $310 million
24:12in the unemployment fund for job creation.
24:17But where will the money come from?
24:19More than 20 fiscal measures were announced.
24:22Among them...
24:23The increase in customs duties on rum, spirits,
24:27beer and cigarettes will take immediate effect.
24:31And while there was no mention of property tax,
24:36there was the announcement of a landlord business surcharge.
24:40This measure requires all landlords to register
24:44with the Board of Inland Revenue
24:46and pay a one-time registration fee of $2,500.
24:53As for utility rates,
24:55the introduction of an electricity surcharge
24:58of $0.05 per kilowatt will be applied to some.
25:01This surcharge is applicable to commercial customers
25:07and industrial customers
25:09and not residential customers.
25:14Cindy Raguba Tika Singh, TV6 News.
25:18But the budget debate came to an unexpected halt
25:21early Saturday morning
25:23after the opposition failed to rise
25:25for its next contribution.
25:28I just want to congratulate the member for Claxton Bay
25:31on his maiden contribution.
25:35Minister Finance.
25:50Mr. Speaker.
25:52Mr. Speaker.
25:54Mr. Speaker.
25:57Mr. Speaker.
25:59Mr. Speaker, one more time.
26:09The members of the PNM in opposition have abdicated their responsibility.
26:16The PNM has fallen.
26:20The PNM has fallen.
26:23We've gone very well.
26:25Well, the finance minister blamed the opposition for the collapse of the debate,
26:36noting that at that time, the opposition leader was not in the chamber.
26:41Mr. Speaker, they all had the opportunity to talk.
26:44They all had the opportunity to talk and several of them chose not to.
26:48And the leader of the opposition, she vacated the chamber.
26:53She has gone. She has abdicated her responsibility again, Mr. Speaker.
27:01Mr. Speaker, and they run.
27:06And they run.
27:08The most important is, you see, Mr. Speaker, they have nothing to say
27:14because they have no choice but to acknowledge that this is an excellent budget.
27:21The Prime Minister was not present for the debate.
27:26Meantime, the opposition leader is set to go before the Privileges Committee of the House of Representatives.
27:32Can I please ask all members that we do not, we endeavor our best not to have a repeat
27:43of the glorified shouting match that took place last week Friday.
27:49I'm please asking everyone to exercise a measure of restraint.
27:55Speaker of the House, Jaglio Singh, referring to the House of Representatives sitting last week,
28:02during which there was a walkout by the opposition.
28:05And while the Speaker spoke at the start of the Doha House's debate
28:08of the government's budget for fiscal 2026 on Friday,
28:12it was Deputy Speaker Dr. Ayana Ali who later announced that
28:16Coover South MP and Public Utilities Minister Barry Padra raised a matter of privilege
28:22against opposition leader and Arima MP Penelope Beckles.
28:26Member for Coover South submitted that under the letterhead of the leader of the opposition
28:30on 10th October 2025, the following public statement was issued, and I quote,
28:37After months of enduring biased and prejudicial behavior from the presiding officer of the lower house,
28:44all members of parliament on the opposition bench were left with no choice but to leave today's sitting.
28:51The pattern of unfair treatment and rulings has continued unchecked and unaddressed.
28:57It is now beyond question to unbiased observers that the current Speaker of the House
29:02has failed in his duty to act impartially and to uphold the constitution and the standing orders of parliament.
29:10The Minister's concern was then highlighted.
29:13The Member of Parliament for Coover South has raised the matter of privilege based on the submission
29:19that the Member for Arima attempted to bring into disrepute the independent democratic work
29:26of the House of Representatives in the eyes of the public for political gain
29:30by questioning the independence of the presiding officer.
29:34The Member for Coover South submitted that this was an act of, and I quote,
29:39constructive contempt against the House of Representatives.
29:43The Deputy Speaker said there has been a precedent of past parliaments, quote,
29:47to never bring the presiding officer into the realm of political attacks or aspersions, end quote.
29:54Erkstein Mayer's parliamentary practice on page 138 speaks to constructive contempt
29:59as it states, and I quote,
30:02Indignities offered to the House by words spoken or writings published reflecting on its character
30:08or proceedings have been published by both the Lords and the Commons upon the principle
30:13and that such act of abuse tend to obstruct the Houses in the performance of their functions
30:20by diminishing the respect due to them, end quote.
30:24Deputy Speaker Ali said she had undertaken research on the analysis.
30:29In deciding whether a prima facie case of contempt has been made out,
30:34the Chair must carefully consider the facts alleged and all the information placed before her.
30:40I have done just that and find that a prima facie case of contempt has indeed been made out.
30:47I so rule and refer this matter
30:53I so rule and refer this matter to the Committee of Privileges for consideration and report.
31:00According to the Parliament's website,
31:07the Parliament's current Privileges Committee is chaired by Speaker Singh,
31:12with other members being Minister Padarath, Land Minister Saddam Hussein,
31:16Justice Minister Devish Maraj, Opposition MP Keith Scotland and Opposition MP Stuart Young.
31:24Jewel Brown, TV6 News.
31:27This is the Past, Seven Days on Six. We'll be right back.
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