A Commonwealth Observer Group (COG) will be in Trinidad and Tobago from April 22-30 to observe and make its findings on the conduct of the April 28 general election.
In a statement on April 17 in London, Commonwealth Secretary General Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey said the COG's deployment to TT is in keeping with the Commonwealth's "commitment to supporting democracy and good governance in our member states."
The team will be led by former Maltese foreign affairs minister Evarist Bartolo who has over 30 years of parliamentary experience.
Other members of the team have expertise in media, law, electoral management and civil society.
The COG will observe all aspects of the elections, offering recommendations to ensure the highest standards of electoral credibility, inclusivity and transparency as they assess the pre-election environment, the voting process, and the post-election period.


The team arrives in TT on April 22.
They will meet key stakeholders, including the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC), political parties, civil society groups, media, the diplomatic community and other regional and citizen observers.
From 26 April, the COG will deploy in small teams to different parts of TT to observe election preparations and meet with local stakeholders in their respective locations.
On April 28, the team will observe the opening, voting, closing, counting and the results management processes.
The COG will then issue an interim statement on its preliminary findings on the election on April 30.
Bartolo was pleased to be leading the COG to observe the election.
"Our team will provide an independent assessment, promoting trust and confidence in the democratic process in line with the country's laws, regional and international standards, as well as Commonwealth values. We'll examine not just election day but also the pre- and post-election periods to ensure a comprehensive evaluation of the entire electoral process."
He said the COG will provide "an independent assessment, promoting trust and confidence in the democratic process in line with the country's laws, regional and international standards, as well as Commonwealth values."
The COG will be supported by a team from the Commonwealth Secretariat, led by Lindiwe Maleleka, political adviser (electoral support section).


In a statement on April 12, the Foreign and Caricom Affairs Ministry said it received letters from Caricom Secretary-General Dr Carla Barnett and then Commonwealth secretary-general Baroness Patricia Scotland confirming the presence of observers from both organisations for the election.
Former prime minister Dr Keith Rowley wrote to Caricom on December 10, 2024, to request the presence of a Caricom electoral observer mission for the election.
Barnett replied on January 13, confirming it was prepared to undertake the necessary administrative arrangements for the Caricom observer mission.
Rowley resigned as prime minister on March 16 and Energy Minister Stuart Young officially succeeded him one day later.
On March 18, Young advised President Christine Kangaloo to dissolve the Parliament and announced April 28 as election day.
On March 19, Young wrote to Scotland to request the presence of a Commonwealth electoral observer mission.
Scotland replied on March 25, that arrangements would be made to deploy a mission.
Young wrote to the Carter Centre on March 25, to invite the group to send an observer mission.
The centre subsequently indicated it was unable to send one.


Young confirmed all of these details at a news conference at Whitehall last month.
He noted previous letters from Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar to Rowley and himself for observers.
Young said the sequence of correspondence to Caricom, the Commonwealth and Carter Centre dispels any claims from the UNC that the election would not be free and fair.
In a statement on April 16, the EBC dismissed claims from the UNC about irregularities in the process for special voters in San Fernando East.
The commission said the situation arose from an "oversight" by the returning officer, who "neglected to immediately affix a seal to the empty ballot box while witnesses for candidates were present."
EBC said the oversight was "quickly identified" and the returning officer contacted representatives from the various political parties, who were present earlier in the day.
"However, despite numerous follow-up calls, the representative for the UNC did not come back to complete the procedure. As a result, the empty ballot box was sealed in the presence of a returning witness, two electors, the returning officer, and the election clerk. All necessary seals were signed and affixed to the ballot box according to the required process."
Members of the Commonwealth Observer Group
Evarist Bartolo: Former Malta foreign affairs minister (chairman).
Nazima Raghubir: Journalist, Guyana
Orrette Tyndale Fisher: Election management expert, Jamaica.
Aiman Rasheed: Deputy program director, International Republican Institute, Maldives
Winnie Anna Kiap: Commonwealth Foundation chair, Papua New Guinea
Kryticous Patrick Nshindano: Public Policy and Electoral Management Expert, Zambia (Source: Newsday, April 17, 2025)

DESPITE the general absence of major issues in past elections, the early request of former prime minister Dr Rowley to Caricom and the Commonwealth to deploy an independent observer presence in the April 28 election was sound and sensible. The opposition had made repeated calls for independent observers.
In all, three requests were made by the sitting government for election observers, with missions from Caricom and the Commonwealth. The Carter Center was unable to deploy a mission.
Both missions have been active since arriving in the country. In its first two days on the ground, the Caricom observer mission had met with the UNC, the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC), the Prime Minister, the PNM, the NTA and civil society groups as an opening act.
The eight-member Caricom team is led by Ian Hughes, the supervisor of elections in Antigua and Barbuda.
The Commonwealth observers are led by Evarist Bartolo, former foreign affairs minister for Malta and includes Guyanese journalist Nazima Raghubir.


The teams began their familiarisation discussions with representatives of political parties and the EBC, as well as the media, soon after their arrival in TT.
Already, a minor hiccup involving a voting box for special voters in San Fernando East caused enough concern that international bodies overseeing the electoral process would provide useful assurances that this country's normal voting process accurately reflects the will of its electorate.
The UNC has taken its running concerns about the EBC to mission observers who have been measured in their responses.
The two observer missions will formulate their own strategies for observing the 12 hours allocated for voting, but they have a lot of ground to cover.
The Aranguez/St Joseph electoral district alone has 19 separate polling stations, and larger, more sparsely populated districts will have polling stations established at some distance from each other.
This is a hotly contested election. While much of the most visible fire has been brought to the campaign by the sitting PNM and opposition UNC, a total of 161 candidates have offered themselves to voters across 17 political parties, though five parties are represented by a single candidate and three are independents.
In this electoral space, there is a brewing storm of disinformation, vandalism, and political dirty tricks, but it is the polling process, the procedures at voting booths, and the tabulation of votes that are paramount on Monday.
Election observer missions normally operate when the electoral process is considered credible and sound. The impact of observers and their eventual report is nuanced and subtle.
Observers cannot see everything, but they will offer a perspective that is unequivocally untainted by party affiliation or loyalty, and their reports will be an important addition to the 2025 election.


The presence of independent observers providing oversight underlines this country's commitment to a fair, transparent democratic process. (Source: Newsday, April 26, 2025)

​Prime Minister Stuart Young SC has addressed the issue of Cuban healthcare workers in Trinidad and Tobago, saying the programme will continue as Trinidad and Tobago is not in violation of any practices that the US has outlined.
Speaking at a post-Cabinet media at Whitehall on Thursday after returning from a meeting in Jamaica with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Young said the topic did not arise during their discussions, however he said Trinidad and Tobago is in adherence with best practices regarding the contractual engagements of Cuban medical workers in the country, and this information will be relayed to the US.
“It did not feature in our bilateral conversation. We had had certain conversations prior to my bilateral meeting with Secretary of State Rubio and just today at Cabinet I instructed the Minister of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs to work along with the Minister of Health to get our position to the United States.
“In the development of the policy, and everyone trying to understand what the United States was referring to, a number of concerns that they had, that certain things, if they were not done, would fulfil what they were describing, human trafficking [and so on], and Trinidad and Tobago has ticked every single box, so I was happy to see that…I’ve asked today…let us send our information to the United States because we certainly don’t fall in the categories of their concern at all.”
In response to questions as to whether the programme would continue, Young responded:
“The answer is yes, we’ll continue with it.”
Regarding allegations made by a former minister that the salaries of Cuban healthcare workers were going back to Cuba instead of directly to them, Young said this may have been the case under the previous government but it is not the case currently.
“That may have happened under his tenure but it certainly isn’t happening under our tenure…we actually help the Cuban medical practitioners that are contracted within Trinidad and Tobago… set up their own personal bank accounts here in Trinidad and Tobago, and that is where the government pays their salaries.
“I also can tell you that we provide passage for them to come and at the end of their contract, to leave, we provide for vacation in between, we don’t have anything to do with their passports, they hold on to their passports, we provide housing. Their terms and conditions are determined by the Chief Personnel Officer under this government.”
Young said based on a briefing document provided to him there are approximately 87 nurses and nine medical doctors.
In February, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a statement announcing the expansion of an existing Cuba-related visa restriction policy “that targets forced labour linked to the Cuban labour export program”, with a focus on Cuba’s overseas medical missions.
CARICOM heads of government spoke out in defence of the programme, emphasising its role in enhancing the delivery of healthcare within the region as well as the fair treatment of Cuban healthcare workers. (source: The Loop, March 27, 2025)

A young Trinidadian doctor’s stellar academic achievement is a source of immense pride for the country as well as his peers and colleagues in the medical profession.
On March 13 Dr Panduranga Dattatreya Seetahal-Maraj, 37, MBBS MRCS, FRCS Neurosurgery, received the prestigious Norman Dott Medal for outstanding performance in the Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons (FRCS) Neurosurgery examinations.
He obtained the highest marks overall in the UK. While the examinations were conducted in 2023, the felicitation ceremony to present the award was held in Belfast, Ireland, earlier this month.
He presented the UK’s first and largest case series on fetoscopic repair of neural tube defects at the event.
Dr Seetahal-Maraj is the first Caribbean doctor to obtain the highest marks in the rigorous FRCS examinations.
He is a neurosurgeon at the San Fernando General Hospital and is employed by the South West Regional Health Authority (SWRHA). He is currently on a leave of absence from SWRHA and is a Senior Clinical Fellow at Kings College Hospital in London, where he is midway through the paediatric neurosurgery fellowship programme.
Dr Seetahal-Maraj is a former national scholarship winner (science),and has published several papers in local, regional and international medical journals.

ANGELO JEDIDIAH

[email protected]

Dance is often described as an art form that transcends boundaries and transforms lives. For Zidane Roopnarine, it did just that—leading him all the way to Beijing, China.

Roopnarine always knew he had a deep love for dance, but it wasn’t taken seriously until his interactions with a teacher at Vishnu Boys’ Hindu College. Despite having no formal dance training, he competed in various competitions, showcasing his natural talent.

Speaking with Guardian Media from Beijing, it was during his secondary school years that he knew what career path he had to pursue.

“With the wisdom my drama teacher imparted on me, I was like, I want to do something that is meaningful and that I am going to enjoy for the rest of my life,” Roopnarine said.

After some research, he decided to pursue a Bachelor in Fine Arts degree with a specialisation in dance at the University of Trinidad and Tobago’s Academy for the Performing Arts.

But upon graduating, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, he explored what more he could undertake to further develop his skills and propel the arts. This led him to submit his application for a scholarship offered by the Dai Ailian Foundation here in T&T. The foundation is named in honour of Chinese-Trinidadian renowned dancer and ballerina Dai Ailian, known universally as the ‘mother of Chinese modern dance’.

Born in Couva, Madame Dai went on to found the prestigious Beijing Dance Academy. Through the foundation, local students with a passion for studying the art form are given the opportunity to receive funding.

Roopnarine said that he was not confident at first applying for the scholarship but kept faith that if it was meant for him, it would come his way.

As you would expect, Roopnarine was granted this scholarship, but travelling to a distant country like China was a daunting experience.

“My family couldn’t process me leaving and going to China, which is like halfway across the world, right? And not speaking the language, looking at funding, you know, all of these different things. And I’m like, It’s going to work itself out.”

Though hesitant, Roopnarine’s family rallied around the aspiring dancer for this new chapter.

Despite an exhausting three-day journey, he knew he had to adapt quickly to the fast-paced environment.

Since September 2024, Roopnarine said his experience in Beijing has been life-changing. Other than the 12-hour time difference, he still had many adjustments to make to fully adjust to his new environment, such as cashless payments or utilising the metro for public transportation.

As expected, communication was a challenge, as his Mandarin-speaking teachers and instructors knew very little English.

Along with his Mandarin lessons, which he continues to take with another Trinbagonian student, he has also developed the habit of interpreting verbal cues to keep up in his classes.

“Sometimes the teachers may not know how to correct you or may not know how to speak, you just navigate that. Also, this may not be the right thing to say or do, but I like to make people laugh and be a clown. And the teachers love it and give me the needed attention based on that,” Roopnarine laughingly said.

Another shock was the discipline and dedication devoted to preserving the cultural arts.

The academy acts as a boarding school, where a great number of the students, as young as the age of ten, live full-time on campus and pursue their formal school education along with formal dance training. This, he said, is a testament to how much China ensures the preservation of their culture.

“The dancers here started at such a young age, and by age 20, they are already looking like professionals. Whereas for me, I started at age 17, unprofessionally. But for me, even being in the same class as them, it is still valuable to me. My leg isn’t at the highest degree, but I work with what I have.”

While Roopnarine has learned various Chinese art forms and classical dance, he remains a proud ambassador of soca music and dance, which he says has been warmly received at the dance academy.

“Music gives a sense of freedom and happiness. So when I was able to expose that reality to my Chinese colleagues and friends, you could see a whole new side of them that they had never uncovered before.|

“The people of China love to ultimately be kind and nice. Some of them would buy me Chinese snacks. Some of them will buy me food, and I’m like, ‘No, no, no.’ But they will be like, ‘Yes, yes,’” Roopnarine said.

When asked which food he misses most from home, Roopnarine’s response was entirely understandable.

“I could use ah double right now. Ah good roti. Ah good pelau!”

Source: Trinidad Guardian, March 23, 2025.

The Prime Minister will step down on March 16.
Dr Rowley was speaking at the commissioning of the O’Meara Road upgrade project at the Ministry of Works and Transport, O’Meara Road, Arima on February 26.
He first announced his intention to step down as Prime Minister at a press conference on January 3.
At that time, he said, “I said to this country, I will not be doing that again, and I meant it, and I have kept it.
“I also said that I have brought into the political arena a number of young people who had served at that time, one term. Many of them are still in government about to complete their second term, experienced, some of them with nine or ten years approximately of service in the government.


“So the government and people of Trinidad and Tobago have a cadre of people, mainly young people, who came into public service, with all its warts and are prepared to take this country forward.”
Rowley, who turns 76 in October, has served 45 years in public life.
On January 6, Rowley named Energy Minister Stuart Young as his successor.
He said Young received the support from the PNM's parliamentary caucus after a retreat in Tobago.
“Once a vacancy arises with respect to the appointment of a prime minister, it falls to the President to respond to that by making an appointment on the person, who, in the President’s view, commands the majority in the House,” Rowley said on January 7.
“So we, as a caucus, as a PNM in the house (of Representatives), we discussed at length and in the end, we came up with a situation where the entire PNM caucus is in support of Member of Parliament Stuart Young, MP for Port of Spain North/St Ann’s West. And we are very pleased to announce that the promise of a smooth transition is going according to plan.”
Rowley said on January 3 he will not be seeking re-election as the PNM's candidate for the Diego Martin West constituency in this year's general election.
On February 17, the PNM's screening committee chose broadcaster Hans Des Vignes to succeed Rowley.
About Dr Keith Rowley


Here are some highlights of Dr Rowley's 45 years in public life:
Enters politics in 1981, unsuccessfully contests Tobago West seat in that year's general election.
Opposition Senator from 1987-1990.
First elected Diego Martin West MP in 1991.
Agriculture Minister – January 13, 1992-Oct 6, 1995.
Planning and Development Minister – December 2001-November 2003.
Housing Minister – November 2003-November 2007.
Accused in 2003 of having material moved from the Scarborough Hospital Project to the Landate private housing development project in Mason Hall, Tobago. Subsequently cleared of all claims and allegations.
Trade and Industry Minister – November 2007-April 2008.

Fired from Cabinet in April 2008, by then prime minister Patrick Manning over concerns about corruption at Udecott and for allegedly engaging in "wajang behaviour."
September 2004 – Accused of being involved in a "teacup" brawl in Parliament's lounge with then UNC MP Chandresh Sharma.
May 2010 – Opposition Leader after PNM's defeat in that year's election. Later elected PNM political leader.
September 2015 – Elected prime minister.
August 2020 – Re-elected prime minister.
January 2025 – Announces retirement from electoral politics.
(Source: Newsday, Feb 26, 2025)

Source: Elizabeth Gonzales Guardian Tobago Correspondent 
On February 7, 2024, Tobago’s coastline was devastated when a barge capsized, spilling thousands of gallons of fuel into the sea. The disaster hit the island hard—environmentally, economically, and socially.
One year later, Tobagonians are reflecting on how the disaster changed the island.
Thick oil covered the shore in a matter of minutes after the Gulfstream barge overturned and crashed just off the coast of Cove, spewing bunker fuel. It was the beginning of months of recovery.
The spill was catastrophic, choking marine life and suffocating the island’s economy, incurring a $76 million bill.
The oil spread quickly, coating Lambeau Bay, lining the Scarborough shoreline, and breaching the protected mangroves.
Containment boons were used at the Scarborough Port and around the wreckage to contain the spill.
The spill didn’t just affect the environment—two schools, Scarborough Secondary and Lambeau Anglican, had to close because of air quality concerns.
The Tobago Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) said it took 196 days to contain 60,000 barrels of oil waste and 23,000 cubic yards of material waste to restore the island. It took 77 days to remove the wreckage.
One year later, fisherman Edwin Ramkissoon said life hasn’t been the same. His vessel, Fishers of Men, was trapped in the oil.
It took days to recover the vessel safely, but it was damaged and covered in fuel. To date, he’s still trying to get back on his feet.
Ramkissoon said: “Up to now, I don’t know what to say. It’s like a nightmare still haunting me.”
He is among a group waiting to process claims through the International Oil Spill Compensation Fund. Until that happens, he is surviving on handouts and favors.
He said he feels forgotten.
“My boat needs repairs. My engine—I have to get a new one because it’s not working so well. I need to paint over my boat as well because it still has oil stains and cracks from when they were bringing it up,” he said.
Chief Secretary Farley Augustine said the disaster proves Tobago can go through hell and come out strong.
At a press conference two weeks ago, Augustine gave a breakdown of the spill’s expenses.
“For me, the biggest takeaway from the crisis is that Tobago has the ability to go through hell and come out with a slice of heaven,” he said.
Augustine said the THA is working to capature Tobago’s response to the disaster in a special documentary.
Just days before the anniversary, hydrocarbons resurfaced but were quickly contained. TEMA director Allan Stewart said this might continue throughout the year.
“It is factual that there is sunken oil and as a result, it may resurface from time to time. When it resurfaces, we just have to do what we have to do in terms of mopping up.”
Marine expert Alvin Douglas predicts a full recovery of Tobago’s marine life—particularly the damage done to a reef during the crash—could take a lifetime.

A design for the new coat of arms has been chosen – it depicts a golden tenor pan and two sticks.
The final version was chosen from among several submissions by artist Gillian Bishop.
On January 13, Parliament approved the National Emblems of Trinidad and Tobago (Regulation) (Amendment) Bill, 2025, to give legal effect for the change.
The redesign will remove the depiction of the three ships – Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria – used by Italian explorer Christopher Columbus at the base of the coat of arms. ”
Pan Trinbago president Beverley Ramsey-Moore said the type of pan used on the coat of arms is a tenor pan with two pan sticks.


In a release, Ramsey-Moore hailed the decision as a monumental moment in TT's history.
“The inclusion of the steelpan on the national coat of arms is a defining moment for our nation. It symbolises the resilience, ingenuity and unity of our people. Born from struggle, the steelpan has become a beacon of TT’s cultural legacy and innovation. This is a moment for every citizen to stand tall and proud.”
During the debate, Tourism, Culture and the Arts Minister Randall Mitchell said the old coat of arms can be used until January 1, 2026, once the act is assented to and proclaimed by the President. Mitchell said the change was made because of public calls to decolonise the symbols of TT. Mitchell said the proposal for the change was formalised by the Cabinet in August 2024. Local jeweller and artist Bishop was asked to develop the new design.
“After a thorough review and thoughtful consideration of all designs, the Pan Trinbago team is pleased to express our enthusiastic agreement with design number seven. We are particularly heartened that this design features the steelpan alongside its iconic two-pan sticks. This inclusion celebrates the steelpan’s role as the national musical instrument of TT, symbolising the creativity and indomitable spirit of our people,” Mitchell said, quoting from a Pan Trinbago letter.
Mitchell said the transitional period will be until January 1, 2026, which meant there would be no great or disruptive urgency to change the old coat of arms.
“There will be no mad scramble. There will be no need for citizens to desperately line up at government offices to replace the old coat of arms. In a case where the coat of arms is in digital forms and online, it can be replaced in documents such as official correspondence and other paraphernalia with immediate effect, easily and at minimal cost."
“Where the coat of arms is in the form of physical installations, eg on government buildings, the bill provides for a period of transition, where all government agencies can now plan and budget in the upcoming appropriation bill, in the upcoming months, for changes that will need to be put in place by January 1, 2026.”
Moruga/Tableland MP Michelle Benjamin said the opposition was only informed about the bill at 2.40 pm on January 10, and told that it would be added to the Order Paper on January 13. The Opposition was only given additional information about the bill at 4 pm on January 13.
“I apologise to the members of Pan Trinbago present in the gallery as the members on this side were invested in the state of emergency debate. I apologise that pan is not being treated in the way it should be treated,” she said, noting the unpreparedness of the Opposition for the debate.
"How does the issue before us today improve the lives of our people? How does it address the struggles of our pan players who continue to fight for survival in a system that overlooks their existence? Symbolism cannot replace substance.
“Pan players are only celebrated during the Carnival season. The government could have come here today and itemised how they intend to improve the lack of institutional support.”
Benjamin asked for a definitive cost of changing the coat of arms. She said the country was left in limbo as there was not a final date given for the changeover of ID cards and other documents.
The Prime Minister said the government could not count on the support of the opposition even in such a unifying matter.
“Any MP saying they needed extended notice to be able to decide whether they will support the modernisation of our emblem could not be serious, especially since this issue has been around since last August (2024) and to come and say you were ambushed and therefore have nothing useful to say is really not a serious contribution.”
He said over the years the government had come to realise symbols and symbolism matter and the steelpan represents all of TT.
Rowley said steelpan players were honoured outside of Carnival and were embodiments of the country’s watchwords of discipline, tolerance and production.
Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar asked when the bill would be proclaimed. She called for the coat of arms in the House of Representatives to be changed first. She said the opposition supported the change.
“I want to place on record that we fully support this amended bill. It is long in coming but the day has come and we welcome that day.”


This story was originally published with the title "National Emblems Bill passed" and has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.
THE National Emblems of Trinidad and Tobago (Regulation) (Amendment) Bill, 2025, was passed in the Parliament on January 13.
Tourism, Culture and the Arts Minister Randall Mitchell said the old coat of arms can be used until January 1, 2026, once the act is assented to and proclaimed by the President.
Speaking during debate on the bill late on Monday night, Mitchell said the bill amends Part I of the schedule to the National Emblems of TT (Regulation) Act.
“This clause amends the description of the coat of arms of TT by deleting the reference in the base of the arms to ‘three ships of the period of Christopher Columbus also gold the sails set proper’ and substituting that the base of the coat of arms will now contain ‘a gold steelpan and its iconic two pan sticks, also gold.’”
Mitchell said the proposal for the change was formalised in August 2024 by cabinet, which agreed jeweller and artist Gillian Bishop would be engaged to develop the new design. He said she was asked to prepare renderings of the coat of arms to be considered by the cabinet and taken to Parliament.
He said the consideration and endorsement of Pan Trinbago was sought on the design and received in November 2024.
Mitchell said the transitional period will last until January 1, 2026, which meant there would be no great or disruptive urgency to change the old coat of arms to the new one.
Pan Trinbago president Beverley Ramsey-Moore hailed the decision as a monumental moment in TT's history..
“The inclusion of the steelpan on the national coat of arms is a defining moment for our nation. It symbolises the resilience, ingenuity and unity of our people. Born from struggle, the steelpan has become a beacon of TT’s cultural legacy and innovation. This is a moment for every citizen to stand tall and proud,” she said in a news release on January 14. (Source:  Newsday, January 15, 2025)

SIX Trinidadians have been announced among the 2025 Cohort of the Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative (YLAI) fellowship programme.
In a news release on January 8, the US embassy said the TT cohort includes Dominick Alexander, Naomi Anderson, Dharnel Duprey, Desirai Johnson-Phillip, Shereesa Khan and Simon Neptune

SIX Trinidadians have been announced among the 2025 Cohort of the Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative (YLAI) fellowship programme.
In a news release on January 8, the US embassy said the TT cohort includes Dominick Alexander, Naomi Anderson, Dharnel Duprey, Desirai Johnson-Phillip, Shereesa Khan and Simon Neptune.

The US Department of State’s YLAI is a programme that promotes entrepreneurship and economic prosperity across the Western Hemisphere, connecting entrepreneurs across borders through an annual fellowship programme, it said.
It will benefit 280 entrepreneurs from 37 countries..
The release said 2025 marks ten years of the YLAI programme.

The six from Trinidad and Tobago will join young leaders from countries in Latin America, the Caribbean and Canada for the hybrid fellowship, which was launched on December 9, 2024.
The programme, the release said, starts with a virtual entrepreneurial leadership curriculum this month. Fellows will then travel to cities across the US in May for a four-week professional placement with a host organisation.
The programme concludes in June with all fellows attending a closing forum in Washington, DC.

The embassy said since YLAI’s launch in 2015, more than 1,750 fellows have built connections with over 1,250 US businesses and organisations.
The 2025 cohort, it added, will bring the number of TT fellows to 44.
After completing the programme, fellows use the strategies they learned to attract new resources to their business and improve operations.
YLAI promotes US business models, increases trade, encourages job creation, and builds lasting and sustainable networks of young entrepreneurs and business and social leaders across Latin America, the Caribbean, Canada and the US, the release said.
The 2025 young leaders:
Dominick Alexander, business: Alexander works in the music sector as the CEO of Laudem Music School. The school provides music education for students of all ages and abilities.

Naomi Anderson, business: Anderson works in the food and beverage sector as the owner and head pastry chef of Unicakery. The company creates custom cakes and desserts.
Dharnel Dariel Duprey, environment: Duprey is the founder and operations manager of Growing Essentials Agricultural Supplies and Services. The organisation focuses on sustainable agriculture, including hydroponics and beekeeping.
Desirai Johnson-Phillip, environment: Johnson-Phillip is the founder and CEO of Leading Seedling and Exotic Plants. The company provides seedlings, plants, and agricultural services and is focused on engaging a new generation of agricultural leaders by attracting and empowering youth in the field.

Shereesa Khan, business: Khan works in the beauty business sector as the founder and CEO of Vortex Sensations. The manufacturing company creates organic products for people with skin and hair issues.


Simon Neptune, environment: Neptune works in the energy sector as the founder of Neptune Biosystems. The company is focused on developing biorefineries that convert landfill waste into carbon-neutral diesel fuel. (Source:  Newsday Jan 10, 2025)