By Antonio Dey | HGP Nightly News
Trinidad & Tobago
The People’s National Movement (PNM) has blasted the Trinidad and Tobago government for its support of the US military deployment in the Caribbean to fight drug cartels, calling the move “unfortunate, reckless, and sinister.”
Former Foreign Affairs Minister Dr. Amery Browne expressed concern that Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s remarks—suggesting member states act independently without CARICOM consultation—undermine regional solidarity. Browne insisted that CARICOM must present a united front on regional security, warning that the government’s approach risks weakening cooperation.
He further criticized Trinidad’s Ambassador to CARICOM, Ralph Maraj, for making statements about “regime change in Venezuela,” arguing that such remarks conflict with CARICOM’s long-standing commitment to diplomacy and non-intervention.
The Bahamas
The political landscape in the Bahamas is heating up as the ruling Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) and the opposition Free National Movement (FNM) clash over crime strategies ahead of the next general election, expected before September 2026.
The PLP defended its five-pillar crime plan, which it says has already reduced major crimes and boosted gun seizures. But FNM leader Michael Pintard dismissed the plan as recycled, launching his party’s 10-point crime strategy that includes:
- Hiring more police officers based on a manpower audit
- Strengthening community policing
- Expanding rehabilitation programs
- Modernizing forensic labs and digitizing case management
- Expanding virtual hearings to reduce court delays
Pintard called the plan “tough, balanced, and achievable,” pledging to deliver real change if elected. Police Commissioner Clayton Fernander recently reported a 14% overall drop in crime and a 26% decline in murders so far in 2025 compared to last year, but both parties insist more must be done.
Australia
In international news, a major manhunt is underway in Australia after two police officers were shot dead and one injured in an ambush in the rural town of Port Punka, Victoria, about 300 kilometers northeast of Melbourne.
Police say the heavily armed suspect opened fire as ten officers arrived at his property to serve an arrest warrant related to historic sex offenses. The suspect fled into nearby bushland and remains at large. Authorities are also searching for his wife and children.
Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Mike Bush described the situation as an “active and extremely dangerous incident,” with hundreds of personnel deployed in the search.
