Still much to do on SoE, ministerial team redoing CEPEP, URP, RP

They’re currently marking their three-month anniversary in office. But Government frontline ministers—and their leader—were mum yesterday to query on whether, when they took their oath of office in early May, they ever expected that issues of a level requiring a State of Emergency (SoE) would have arisen.

A sole response came from Energy Minister Dr Roodal Moonilal: “These are security matters and best addressed by our Homeland Security Minister.”

Moonilal, at a South function, was among ministers absent from yesterday’s African Emancipation Day celebration outside the Treasury building, which a ministerial delegation graced. Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar later spoke at celebrations at the Queen’s Park Savannah.

Beyond comment, compliment or complaint about the administration’s three-month performance—a mixture of reviewing conditions, retooling to preference and starting to render some promises fulfilled – the turbulence encountered hasn’t been due to the Opposition People’s National Movement (PNM) performance.

Government’s debut year is indelibly marked with the SoE, as is Police Commissioner Allister Guevarro’s, emerging as a CoP for the times. Following the July 18 SoE announcement, two weeks and 6,594 TTPS searches up to Thursday, Guevarro’s baptism of fire has taken the TTPS through its paces on assorted fronts: hundreds of arrests, weapons, ammunition and dangerous drugs confiscation. And enough intel along the way denoting continuing challenges.

Intelligence sources, commenting on the threat averting to date, said there’s “still work to be done”.

If prison systems facilitated gang leaders in building empires “inside,” mega shifts, plus streamlining of authorities’ systems, have to unfold.

The multi-pronged goal of an organised criminal syndicate operating within the prisons and leveraging external help, emerged as grounded in pushback to Government’s bid to dismantle gang control of certain social programmes. In tandem was the targeting of persons involved with ongoing cases, plus distraction attacks camouflaging a planned prison break. Persad-Bissessar spoke up to Tuesday about criminal activity enmeshing social programmes.

An inter-ministerial team appointed soon after the SoE launch is reviewing/restructuring the Community-Based Environmental Protection and Enhancement Programme, Unemployment Relief Programme and the Reafforestation programme.

With the three-month SoE—the second this year—ending in October, its effects on Government’s plans and T&T’s investment profile are ahead. Apart from a Ghana team’s recent visit, Government’s sought hard to fortify its image with positive news daily.

Since an SoE affects international ratings, it’s ahead how it sits with global energy companies who follow security issues closely. This, as Government seeks international energy players, including continuing the previous government’s opening up of talks with Exxon.

The effect on the 2026 Budget is also pending. Whether Government’s fulfilment of promises will balloon it beyond the 2025 Budget of $59.741 billion—supplemented in June by $3 billion—is ahead.

Finance Minister Dave Tancoo’s constituency, in a Budget consultation statement, stated that he faces “a difficult challenge due to low energy prices, collapsed oil/gas production, and resultant high deficits.”

But amid the SoE, Government’s continued offering concessions —“more,” “free,” “increased”—at Cabinet media briefings, improving on PNM provisions, steadying its public footing.

Coy replies from Persad-Bissessar and Tancoo about public servants’ ten per cent increase missed the cue. Recently featured UNC platform speaker, Public Services Association president Felisha Thomas’ admission that members “were asking questions,” was telling of their views.

Negotiations are expected to start soon, it’s confirmed. But some expect post-Budget delivery is also reasonable, following some parameters in the public domain.

The PNM, stamped with blame by Government for allowing gang dominance of social programmes —particularly in its East/West corridor base—has fielded criticism from within on leader Penny Beckles’s choice of deputy leaders. Based on PNM’s—and her own—circumstances, it lacked potential, seeming geared mainly to PNM’s current issues.

Legislative deputy leader Colm Imbert’s political baggage from his ten-year tenure is balanced by institutional memory, which the leader and party need. Sanjeev Boodhu, perhaps to attract young/Indo members and refreshing the PNM’s policy is forthcoming.

It’s also ahead how party/election matters deputy leader Jennifer Baptiste-Primus, whose comments caused rifts with the last leadership, attracts members and rectifies the party’s fallout with trade unions—which occurred during her tenure as labour relations officer—particularly with the PSA, her former affiliate.

“I understand your pain,” she’s said of PSA’s current wait.