- 6 hours ago
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:03Thanks for staying with us.
00:05A man who went on a rant against the Prime Minister and the Hindu faith
00:09had to be warded at hospital under police guard.
00:13Yoan Hari, an active supporter of the 19 bullets and 19 protests campaign,
00:18was admitted to the Port of Spain General Hospital last week
00:22after developing undisclosed medical issues
00:26after being arrested on a preventive detention order.
00:30Earlier in the week, Hari had posted to social media
00:33indicating that police were searching for him due to the comments he had made.
00:38Oh my gosh, and they're trying to make sure they grab me
00:40before it is I get home to the march on Piccadilly Street.
00:45Because if it is, they had a brain, they would have just wait until it is I reached down in
00:49the march
00:49and pick me up in the march.
00:51Some are coming from me, but they don't want me in the march.
00:54They don't want me in the march.
00:55That is why it is the side that they go in with my gal this morning
00:57to try to lock me up at a time.
01:03Meantime, one woman was arrested as a handful of persons were not allowed to assemble by police
01:08when they turned up for a peace walk last week.
01:18It was supposed to be a walk for peace.
01:21Instead, it turned into a quick to and through for a handful of East Port of Spain and environment residents
01:28who had heeded the call to gather on Piccadilly Street to march in support of unity and an end to
01:35gun violence.
01:35As police officers welcome the initiative for peace amongst all factions, it is something that we are supportive of.
01:43However, as I said, there are ways to go about getting approval to do what you want to do.
01:50You will find that if they had applied and it approved that a lot of police would have been out
01:57here
01:57ensuring that everything goes up in a peaceful and democratic manner.
02:02But because all the persons were advised about the correct way to go about doing it and that was not
02:08done,
02:08then we have to come out to ensure the safety and security of everyone in general.
02:14And that is the reason for the strength to have an opinion that this is an overkill.
02:20Well, they entitled it an opinion, but we are doing our own work.
02:23With a few persons still coming out, however, a directive to disperse quickly turned into a physical altercation
02:30between officers and one woman, resulting in her arrest.
02:49Fouad Aboubaka
02:55Fouad Aboubaka
02:58Unfortunate is how social and political activist Fouad Aboubaka
03:02sees the premature conclusion of the event.
03:06And as I saw young people coming from St. Paul Street, you know, coming up
03:12and I saw people coming across some Nelson Street and other places as well
03:16to meet together.
03:19That is the spirit of what this effort is supposed to be about.
03:24People in our capital who traditionally have had community conflicts, if you want to call it that,
03:31breaking those barriers and even coming closer together.
03:35He laments that the police opted to shut down the event, calling it a missed opportunity.
03:41I am someone who has always advocated for police reform and for us to just lift our standards of service
03:51in general.
03:53A lot of issues in our society can be diffused without force.
03:59It is counterproductive sometimes to be so heavy and so forceful with your people.
04:09You know, five, five, five, five.
04:11Meantime, a member of Peace Foundation TT explains that the work was conceptualized following the two fatal shootings
04:19which claimed the lives of young innocent children.
04:22The two incident that occurred is with the children who passed away, right?
04:29And, you know, since the different community, you know, see that what was going on, you know,
04:34they decided to, you know, to come together for betterment for the different communities
04:39and to stop all the violence and stuff.
04:42You know, you have a lot of sharpness, what's going on, you know, with the different numbers
04:45and stopping the different numbers, you know, they decided to come together, you know,
04:50for betterment, for united, you know, for unity.
04:55You know, that's what we placed at peace.
04:58The organizers had hoped the event would have drawn large crowds.
05:02However, they said the heavy police and army presence was a major deterrent.
05:08Well, to tell you, you know, you have a lot of officers right now
05:11and what they're saying is that, you know, it's still under SOE.
05:15You know, and they could get whole.
05:18So I feel it's just how the officers and enemies are around, that people ain't coming around us, yes.
05:25Meantime, the People's National Movement said it is prepared to challenge any extension of the SOE in the courts.
05:33Party officials indicated that a legal team has already been assembled.
05:39Chairman of the PNM and MP for Aruka Lupino, Marvin Gonzalez,
05:43made the announcement on Wednesday night during a candlelight vigil in the Kwese in San Juan.
05:49Tonight, we wish to serve notice to the government that we have already assembled our team of attorneys
05:58who will be prepared to go to the court and file a constitutional motion to bring an end to this
06:08unlawful and unconstitutional state of emergency in Trinidad and Tobago.
06:15The statement is happening against the backdrop of a week of protest action pertaining to the charges laid against Kaya
06:22Sealy for the Joshua Samaru killing,
06:24which saw the arrests of three protesters and a walk for peace on Wednesday where a woman was also arrested.
06:32Restrictions on places of protest due to the SOE has been a talking point of the government,
06:37but some view it as a curtailing of rights and a silencing of their voices and democratic freedom.
06:44Opposition Senator Sanjeev Boudou challenges the purpose of the SOE,
06:48saying that murders, including that of children, continue across the country and even in broad daylight.
06:55But they are saying to us that crime is down. The only restrictions, true restrictions, that this SOE has introduced
07:04are restrictions on the activities and lives of us law-abiding citizens. Don't speak. Do protest. If you protest, do
07:15protest in certain places.
07:17On another note, Boudou questions why the government waited for maxi-taxis across the country to go on strike
07:23instead of meeting with them to avert the strike. His conclusion is political experimentation in a bid to distract and
07:32control.
07:33This government is experimenting on us, the people of Trinidad and Tobago. This government has come up with the idea
07:39that a starving man does not fight for freedom. A starving man fights for bread.
07:48A starving man does not fight for democracy. A starving man fights to feed his family. And that, my ladies
07:59and gentlemen, is what tyrants do.
08:02Meanwhile, Gonzalez says the government is in for a fight.
08:06We will march on the bus routes. We will march on the highways. We will march on the byways. We
08:13will go to every community and we will prosecute you.
08:16We are not afraid of you because power belongs to the people of Trinidad and Tobago.
08:22Alicia Bushi, TV6 News.
08:26And members of the joint trade union movement called on the government to reconsider the implementation of the recently established
08:34no protest zones, citing suppression of civil rights and freedoms.
08:38Our union makes us strong.
08:45For our union makes us strong.
09:03So you are tying our hands behind our backs. We were planning, we were planning, and it was well known
09:11to the government, if they did not address healthcare workers in this media budget review,
09:17we were already going to head to the parliament, to the seat of democracy.
09:23And ironically, the very seat has blocked us from coming to them. The very seat of democracy.
09:44If we look at the 15 identified zones, as Comrade Ash would have indicated earlier, and you are to do
09:54a 500 meter separation from each zone,
09:59it means that protest spinners are no protest, no demonstration, no picket zone.
10:07And we are saying as trade unionists, protest, march, demonstration, peaceful picket, all these actions which are peaceful are acts
10:18that are normally done as part of our tool and trade.
10:33We are in a state of emergency, so trade unions have to be very careful. We are in very peculiar
10:39times. We are in times where if it is that you say something that offends a leader, you could find
10:44yourself the next day behind bars, you know.
10:47You ain't getting an opportunity to answer any questions, your family crying, snatting the nose, all kind of thing. But
10:53the reality is this. You have to do what you have to do.
10:57You know why we have to do it? To preserve democracy in Trinidad and Tobago.
11:14And this is a clear message to the government of the day. We didn't vote for this. Citizens didn't vote
11:20for this. Trade unions, we don't deserve this.
11:23Dissent is not disloyalty. Constructive criticism is not criminality. And accountability is not above the rule of law. Democracy is
11:36not organized or is not negotiated. This is ours and this is our right.
11:42And what we are saying as the progressive trade union movement to the government, a word to the wise is
11:49sufficient. Thank you.
11:50This is the past seven days on six. We'll be right back.
12:00Welcome back. Scores of commuters across the country were left in the lurch last Monday.
12:06As a majority of maxi taxi operators stayed true to their word and failed to come out to work that
12:14morning.
12:16From Curep to Chuguanas, Sandy Grandi to Port of Spain, it was pain for early morning commuters who were faced
12:25with empty maxi stands at peak period.
12:33A few hours later, the situation was much the same.
12:37Meantime, things remain very slow here in Arima. It's just about 1 p.m. and I'm on the corner of
12:44Broadway and St Joseph's streets where usually there would be a long line of maxis here awaiting the end of
12:50school.
12:50But as you can see, not a single maxi inside.
12:54For which later, I wanted to maxi working on manuals. So let's see. When he buss through Russia.
13:00So you all don't have any like taxi service? No, no, we don't.
13:05No alternatives whatsoever? No.
13:08So you're prepared to wait? How long? Yes, you have a baby strapped to you. You have an umbrella, you
13:12have a bag. How long are you prepared to wait?
13:14I don't mind waiting.
13:18In a 30 minute period, roughly three maxis came by the Arima stand. In Curep, however, the situation was quite
13:26the opposite.
13:27Some here the Curep to Chuguanas maxi taxi stand and despite the planned strike action by maxi taxi operators, as
13:36you can see there are several green band maxi taxis behind me and they are in fact flying the route.
13:42TV6 News attempted to speak with drivers, but they declined to comment. However, one Calita St. Helena taxi driver who
13:51operates from Curep Junction told TV6, while there was some reduction in the flow of passengers today, the impact was
13:59negligible.
14:00Most people who came, they come from, they take maxi from either Arima, San Juan or Tinapuna. But the flow
14:10is constant. It's a normal day right now.
14:16However, the strike action was evident along the PBR in Curep, which is usually thronging with maxi taxis. Still, there
14:24were a few drivers who decided to work the route.
14:27TV6 News also observed three buses in the space of about 20 minutes.
14:33We are seeing a PTSC bus here. This is that Curep Junction. The bus just came down. The bus route
14:39heading west. Full to capacity. Completely full. Persons are standing. All of the seats are filled and the centre aisle
14:52is completely filled at this time with passengers.
14:56So what we are seeing as the day progresses is that more and more maxi taxi operators are in fact
15:02coming out and servicing their respective routes.
15:06Meantime, PTSC tells TV6 News that it did in fact move to put contingency measures in place in anticipation of
15:14the planned strike action.
15:16We added about at least six to seven buses. We had a total this morning of roughly around 100 buses
15:26in the system. That is all throughout Trinidad and Tabibu.
15:31Again, the main concentration of persons that we see affected today was the along the PBR. So we have been
15:39operating since half three, four o'clock this morning.
15:42Most of our services, regular services are running out as per schedule. Over the weekend, we would have worked on
15:51a number of buses, ran through our buses and got some back into service to ensure that we had as
15:59much vehicles
16:00available as possible. Of course, we are limited by resources in managing the entire situation. But what we have been
16:07doing is redirecting resources where we have large pockets of persons.
16:12And I have been utilizing buses from other depots, particularly along the east west corridor.
16:20While TV6 News questioned why the measures which were taken today are not par for the course at the corporation,
16:27this was the general manager's response.
16:31Why wait until now?
16:33Well, buses need to rest. They need to be checked. They need to be serviced in order to have reliability.
16:40So while we will do this in this emergency circumstance, it is not recommended to do this for a period
16:48of time.
16:49Maxi taxi operators are calling for the government to give attention to the following.
16:53An increase in the highway speed limit for maxi taxis from 65 km an hour to 80 km an hour.
17:02A crackdown on illegal ph-taxi operations.
17:06Solutions to escalating crime affecting operators and passengers.
17:11And payment of outstanding monies owed to drivers for transporting school children, among other issues.
17:17The associations met with the Minister of Works late this evening.
17:22Sport is up next. Keep it here.
17:31In sport, the West Indies lost to Sri Lanka by 41 runs last week in the first ODI in Jamaica.
17:39We take a look back at how it all went down.
17:43West Indies won the toss and put Sri Lanka into bat in the first one-day international at Sabina Park.
17:49After a catch was dropped of the first ball, the visitors finally lost their first wicket at 22,
17:54with Kamindu Mendes falling to Jaden Seals for 12.
17:58Then Patum Nisankar and captain Kusal Mendes had a solid partnership of 136.
18:04Mendes made 72 and Nisankar 79.
18:06Entices him to come down the pitch.
18:10And it just has enough.
18:12Ruston Chase was among the wickets, taking 2 for 47 from his 10 overs.
18:15In there, feel the circles, settles and takes the catch.
18:20When Janet Leonage joined Cherith Asalanka, the two put on a useful partnership of 64.
18:25Asalanka made 45, while Leonage scored and had beaten 44.
18:32For the home side, Matthew Ford and Jaden Seals grabbed two scalps, but the Trinidadian was expensive.
18:39Sri Lanka eventually closed on what was a healthy 303 for 7 from their 50 overs.
18:45When the Caribbean men responded, John Campbell and Justin Graves were the ones to open the innings.
18:52The two made a rollicking start with a partnership with 50 from 6.1 overs.
18:57But Campbell was run out for 17 and Graves went for 45 which made it 73 for 2 in the
19:0310th over.
19:04Captain Shea Hope joined KC Corte and they did some repair work with a partnership of 52.
19:09Korte was out for 27, while Hope's dismissal for 56 made it 167 for 5.
19:16Ruston Chase and Gudakesh Moti then put on 47 runs.
19:21Moti fell for 22, giving Mahesh Thikshana his second scalp.
19:28Then Dushmanta Chamira removed Chase for 33 and Al Zari Joseph for a duck.
19:33The tail hung around a bit with Shammar Joseph making an inconsequential 23 not out.
19:40Dushmanta Chamira was to pick up the bowlers with 4 scalps.
19:44Charith Asalanka took the last one as the Windies were all out for 262 in the final over and lost
19:49by 41 runs.
19:50The hosts must win the next two to clinch the series.
19:53A new era.
19:54Vinod Nawani T64.
19:55A new captain.
19:56And that's a wrap on the past 7 days on 6.
20:00I am Renessa Cutting.
20:01If you didn't catch this segment in its entirety, you can find it on our website www.tv6tnt.com
20:10and you can find all these stories and more on the TV6 mobile app.
20:15Thanks for choosing TV6 and do have a great evening.
20:45Thanks for choosing TV6 and do have a great evening.
20:50Good evening and welcome to the past seven days on six.
20:55I am Renessa Cutting.
20:56Here's what made the news this past week.
20:59Government said it will see close to $3 billion in the upcoming mid-year budget review.
21:06One man was arrested for comments made about the prime minister and Hinduism.
21:11And a planned three-day maxi-taxi strike came to a premature halt.
21:16As per usual, if it was happening, it was on six.
21:20Let's get right into it.
21:23$2.93 billion.
21:25That's how much government is seeking in supplementary allocation for the mid-year review of the budget in the parliament.
21:32And the vast majority of that supplementation is for paying increases in public sector salaries.
21:40Here's more.
21:42That supplementary bill that will be coming is to ask for more money.
21:47$2.93 billion in supplementation to meet the bills of Trinidad and Tobago in this fiscal year, 2526.
21:57Prime Minister Kamla Pasal beses his announcement in the House of Representatives
22:01as the nation had been waiting on any details about the mid-year review of the government's budget by the
22:07parliament.
22:08Out of that $2.93 billion that we're asking for, $2.83 billion is recurrent.
22:16And it will apply to the new wages and salaries that we have been paying.
22:21I already told you, over 60,000 persons are getting increased salaries.
22:24And so we have to find the money.
22:28Find the money.
22:32For these increased salaries.
22:34The Prime Minister provided those details as she made reference to collective agreements
22:39settled between the Chief Personnel Officer and the trade unions in the public sector,
22:44as well as the CPO and the Defence Force.
22:46They are, Mr. Speaker, PSA, about 18,000 workers.
22:54NUGFW, 20,000 workers.
22:57Teachers, 15,000 workers.
23:00TT Defence Force, 6,000.
23:04Amalgamated contractors' union, I think, amalgamated, 1,500 workers.
23:10Contractors' workers' union, 900.
23:13We got 850.
23:14Under my government, the UNC government, I repeat,
23:18today, 62,050 workers about are receiving higher salaries.
23:27The Prime Minister made her announcements as she delivered a statement
23:30at the beginning of the second session of the 13th Parliament.
23:34Next week, sorry, we will return to this House
23:37to present the mid-year review and supplementary appropriation.
23:41So this House will return, Mr. Speaker, subject to the standing orders.
23:47We will return next Wednesday, when the Finance Bill 2026 will be debated.
23:55That bill is to give effect to measures that were announced in the 2025-26 budget.
24:01Prime Minister Pussel Besasa then said that thereafter,
24:04the Parliament's Standing Finance Committee will be convened next Friday.
24:08So Wednesday 1st for the Finance Bill, and that will be convened at about 10.30 a.m.
24:16And then on Friday for the standing Finance Committee at 1.30 p.m.
24:21And thereafter, in the following week, we'll debate on the supplementary appropriation bill,
24:25variation and supplementation.
24:27Leader of the House, Barry Padrath, the Minister of Public Utilities,
24:31later spoke on the matter.
24:32Mr. Speaker, Mr. Speaker, for the avoidance of doubt and for clarity,
24:37I will just refer to the dates once more.
24:42Wednesday 10th June, at 10.30 a.m., the House will sit to pursue the Finance Bill
24:50and other matters.
24:53On Friday, June 12th, at 1.30 p.m., the Standing Finance Committee of the Parliament will meet.
25:00And on Monday, June 15th, at 10.30 a.m., the mid-year review will be conducted.
25:08In a statement, the Finance Ministry said the 2026 Finance Bill continues to address
25:15a number of significant areas of government policy,
25:18including amendments to the landlord business surcharge.
25:22And the ministry said that additionally,
25:25in keeping with the government's fight against crime,
25:28the bill also seeks to strengthen criminal penalties
25:31across a wide cross-section of offenses.
25:35Jewel Brown, TV6 News.
25:38Prime Minister Kamla Pasal-Bissessa also rolled out her government's parliamentary agenda,
25:43announcing higher age limits for ganja and alcohol use.
25:49During her statement at the beginning of the second session of the 13th Parliament,
25:53Prime Minister Kamla Pasal-Bissessa first spoke about the first session,
25:57which began after last year's general election.
26:01In the last session, in that one year,
26:03my government laid 33 bills,
26:06and we were able to have 28 of them passed and enacted into law.
26:14I think we achieved, what was perhaps a record level of success in that agenda.
26:19The Prime Minister then outlined her administration's agenda
26:22for the new session of Parliament.
26:24In this new session, we plan to advance legislation for, amongst other things,
26:31a medical malpractice court,
26:34a no-fault compensation system,
26:38regulatory frameworks for cannabis and agricultural diversification.
26:42That was not the only time the issue of cannabis was mentioned,
26:46as the Prime Minister spoke about key campaign promises
26:49and other legislative objectives of her administration.
26:53Development of a parental responsibility framework to address school violence.
27:05Increases in the age limits for use of ganja, alcohol, and gambling,
27:10the Victims' Rights Act,
27:12Chancellor for the Judiciary,
27:14Amendments to the Firearms Act,
27:17legislation regarding gated communities,
27:20social media regulation for children under 12,
27:24local government reform of construction,
27:26and building approvals, as I say in Taylor,
27:29amongst many other pieces of legislation.
27:31They are also to include amendments to modernize the Education Act.
27:36So as we begin this new session, Mr. Speaker,
27:39I want to assure the people of Trinidad and Tobago
27:42that I hear you,
27:43I see you,
27:45and I remain attuned to realities facing our nation every day.
27:52And the Prime Minister appeared to respond to criticisms
27:55from the opposition and other critics
27:57who say her administration's management of the war on crime
28:00is only focused on the implementation of states of emergency.
28:05When we assumed office,
28:06the nation had recorded more than 625 murders in the preceding year,
28:12the highest level in the history of Trinidad and Tobago.
28:15My government is doing what is necessary
28:18and will continue to be guided
28:20by the National Security Council's advice on the way forward.
28:30The murder rate dropped by 42% in 2025.
28:35Thus far in 2026,
28:38serious crimes have dropped by 30%
28:40compared to the same period last year.
28:43A second to three months of the state of emergency
28:45that began in March
28:46can be approved in the House of Representatives
28:49via the government's majority.
28:51The Office of the Attorney General
28:53said in a statement on Wednesday
28:54that the first extension of the SOE
28:57ends at midnight on June 17, 2026.
29:01Jewel Brown, TV6 News.
29:04We'll have more news when we return.
29:06Keep it here.
29:07Keep it here.
29:07Keep it here.
29:08Keep it here.
29:10Keep it here.
Comments