By Jocelle Archibals | HGP Nightly News |

Regional & Global Briefing: Trinidad Weighs SoE Extension, Dominica Concludes US Deportee Program, and Houthis Seize Red Sea Port

GEORGETOWN, GUYANA — Friday evening’s regional and international roundup focused on critical governance and security developments across the Caribbean basin, alongside escalating geopolitical flashpoints affecting global maritime shipping lanes.

Trinidad and Tobago: National Security Council to Decide on State of Emergency

In Port of Spain, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar announced that the National Security Council (NSC) will convene to determine the future of the nationwide State of Emergency (SoE), which is slated to expire on September 17, 2026:

• Constitutional Threshold: The emergency decree initially took effect on March 3, 2026, and has already been extended twice. Any further extension beyond September 17 surpasses the standard cumulative six-month constitutional threshold, legally mandating a special legislative majority across both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
• Security Assessments: Speaking to reporters outside the Hall of Justice in Port of Spain, Persad-Bissessar declined to state whether the administration will seek a parliamentary extension or permit the emergency powers to sunset. While emphasizing that criminal violence remains an active national security priority, she highlighted tangible reductions in serious crime metrics recorded throughout the emergency enforcement window.

Dominica: Skerrit Confirms Repatriation of US Third-Country Deportees

Addressing an executive press conference in Roseau, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit confirmed that the Commonwealth of Dominica has formally concluded its operational obligations under a bilateral third-country deportation agreement with the United States:

• Repatriation Completed: Five Colombian nationals previously transferred to Dominica by US immigration authorities under the third-country nationals framework have been fully processed and returned to Colombia.
• Zero Active Cases: Dominica currently houses no third-country deportees under the arrangement.
• IOM Oversight: The Prime Minister disclosed that Roseau contracted the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to manage the reception, welfare, and logistical repatriation processes on behalf of the state.
• Humanitarian Duty: Defending the bilateral engagement amid wider regional scrutiny over US deportation deals, Skerrit framed the agreement as a moral responsibility:

“Dominica has a duty to humanity, as there are so many Dominicans who live in people’s countries,” Prime Minister Skerrit stated. “So we see it beyond just a third-country national issue and a bilateral arrangement between ourselves and the United States.”

Global Shipping: Houthi Forces Seize Strategic Red Sea Port Town of Mocha

International maritime corridors faced renewed disruption on Thursday after Iran-backed Houthi forces captured key coastal positions along Yemen’s Red Sea shoreline, significantly tightening Tehran’s geopolitical leverage over global supply routes:

• Capture of Mocha: Militants seized the historic coastal town of Mocha (Al-Mukha), situated roughly 50 miles north of the Bab al-Mandab Strait and Perim Island.
• Threat to Global Commerce: Positioned along the critical approach to the Suez Canal connecting Asia and Europe, the seizure represents a major strategic pivot, granting Houthi units land-based operational command over commercial vessel transit.
• Expanding Coastline Push: Following claims of full operational control over Mocha, reports indicate insurgent forces are advancing toward adjacent coastal settlements in a coordinated campaign to dominate Yemen’s western maritime boundary.