Wednesday, May 13, 2026 | News for the diaspora Subscribe
USD = GYD 209.19 JMD 158.00 TTD 6.77 BBD 2.00 Updated May 13

What’s happening back home — and what it means for you.

The Tradewinds Brief. Mon / Wed / Fri · 3-min read · Free.

OPR Freezes $3.4B HDC Housing Programme After Whistleblower Names Insider

The Office of Procurement Regulation suspended Trinidad and Tobago's $3.4 billion HDC public-private partnership housing programme after a whistleblower alleged an HDC official colluded with two contractors. PM Persad-Bissessar opens National Prosthetics Centre with India's Jaishankar.

The Office of Procurement Regulation has suspended the $3.4 billion Housing Development Corporation public-private partnership programme pending a full procurement review. The trigger was a whistleblower submission alleging that an HDC official with close personal ties to two contractors colluded in awarding millions of dollars in contracts under the controversial scheme. The freeze is the largest procurement action under the Persad-Bissessar government to date.

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar opened the National Prosthetics Centre in Penal alongside India’s External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, pitching T&T as a regional rehabilitation hub within CARICOM. The handover included 2,000 laptops gifted by New Delhi for distribution across seven school districts, alongside several memoranda of understanding.

Kes the Band’s NPR Tiny Desk debut continues to land internationally — soca’s most visible global moment on that platform to date.

The 103rd annual Police Sports and Family Day at the St James Barracks delivered the Port-of-Spain Division as overall champions. Homeland Security Minister Roger Alexander used the sidelines to sidestep direct questions about Commissioner Allister Guevarro’s performance.

Tradewinds Brief Newsroom.

Share: WhatsApp Email X