The electric vehicle (EV) transition in T&T is charging ahead rapidly.

In the past two months, several notable car brands such as Mini (Aceman), BYD (Shark), Proton (eMas7) and even roll-on, roll off dealer HSM Marketing (Riddara RD6) have introduced new electric and hybrid vehicle models to the market.

While initially, local dealers may have been testing the waters by introducing these models, the local attitude to the EV market has clearly changed in the past year and a half. The EVs are selling, and quickly at that.

At Thursday’s launch of the Volvo EX90, the brand’s flagship seven-seater SUV EV which starts at $ 1.4 million, Massy Motors brand manager for Volvo T&T, Vir Sieunarine confirmed two of the seven EV cars ordered for this year were already sold.
Kimberly Seegobin, Massy Motors sales manager for Volvo, confirmed new EV sales for the entire industry had increased significantly since the vehicles were introduced to the market.

“So for 2023, the electric cars sold in the entire industry sold was 288 units. As of 2024 we have 697 units sold. So that’s over 100 per cent growth,” she continued, “Year to date, we’re looking at January to May. That’s the data that we have so far. We’re already at 332 units. And that’s, of course, expected to grow a lot more than that.”

She explained that she expected Volvo and the rest of the EV market to continue to enjoy increased sales for the rest of the year.

“We have the new EX30, which is our starting-level electric vehicle. Which starts at $299,000. We’ve got a lot of sales from those $299,000 vehicles as well. I can say we can go up to, by the end of the year, looking at the industry, maybe 300 units that we’ll be selling this year, or even more,” she said.

She explained the hybrid vehicle market also continued to grow.

Seegobin said, “For hybrids, we ended 2023 with 949 vehicles sold by the industry. And for 2024 we sold a total of 1,616 units for the entire year. And this is not just Massy I’m talking about, it is the entire industry, the automotive industry. For 2025, year to date, we’ve sold 1,021 units that are on the market right now.”

At the launch of the Proton eMas7, ANSA Motors general manager of international business, Daryl Young, said the surge in EV sales had been helped by the tax exemptions on customs duty, value-added tax and online purchase tax for chargers and EV car parts had helped the push.

Seegobin agreed but explained there were some more factors.

“I think one of the major reasons that people are going towards the adoption of the hybrid vehicles are exemptions. We have exemptions on the motor vehicle tax, the customs duties and import and VAT,” she said, but she noted customers were also looking at long-term costs in choosing these vehicles.

“The prices that you pay for hybrid units is a lot cheaper than you would pay for a combustion engine depending on what type of unit you’re looking for. As well, you get more bang for your buck when you compare the savings from a hybrid unit to a combustion engine. You can save. I know somebody who did not put gas in their vehicle for months because they never had to,” she said.

“ With regards to the EV units, on the other hand, I will say there are phenomenal savings. When you look at the combustion versus an EV on what you’re saving on gas per year, it can range from about $12,000 to over $20,000.”

Massy Motors assistant vice president for vehicle sales, Charles Bernard, shared another point of view.
He felt the public’s growing acceptance of EVs has also been due to a greater understanding of how they work, as well as the debunking of several commonly held myths about maintenance and mileage on local roads.

Bernard noted from time to time he still see arguments against EVs from some, but it has decreased significantly.

“I think some people don’t even look at the maths behind it. Some days, I drive from Port of Spain to San Fernando every day and back. And that’s only 120 kilometres most times.

“This Volvo EX90 you can get up to 600 kilometres on a single charge. So you can do that run twice or three times a week, easily, without having to charge. So people are so concerned about not having the ability to charge when they need it. That’s why I said earlier, that driving an electric vehicle is a lifestyle change. You have to change your lifestyle around the fact that you have an electric vehicle, and it’ll be fine when it comes to range anxiety. “

Sieunarine himself noted people were beginning to understand that they could make long drives with the vehicles comfortably and cost-effectively as well.

“Charles (Bernard) could correct me if I’m wrong, but I think it is growing tremendously. I think the fear now of range anxiety and where can I charge and where can I put up a charge as all you know is diminishing the minds of the public. I think now we have with charging stations that are set up at home, and people are now realising that it’s like a phone.

“When you reach home, you plug it in and you’re good to go. And you can go throughout T&T,” said Sieunarine, who noted that more charging stations have been installed around the country as well. For instance, last year Republic Bank installed EV charging stations at six of its branches.

Bernard said customers have started adopting the EVs for a variety of reasons, ranging from cost to environmental awareness. 

“We’ve seen, over the last two to three years, a significant increase in electric vehicles in T&T. I think once most people drive an electric vehicle, they are sold on it for different reasons.

“Performance is definitely one of them. The savings that you can benefit from driving an electric vehicle. And as Vir would have touched on, that range anxiety no longer exists. A lot of people, once they understand the technology and how it can benefit them and benefit their pocket that’s why they go in that direction.

“Also with this whole push recently, with the environment and cleaner, greener energy, people are focusing on that as well. So that is definitely a big push.”

The Volvo team said they will continue to expand its EVs, noting that Volvo is expected to be fully electric by 2030. (Source:  The Guardian, June 29, 2025)

RADHICA DE SILVA
Senior Multimedia Reporter
[email protected]
More than 21,000 school suspensions were recorded between 2022 and 2025, prompting High Court Judge Frank Seepersad to call for urgent reform in how the nation addresses school violence and student behaviour.
In his address at the 2025 graduation ceremony of Dayanand Memorial Vedic School on Friday, Justice Seepersad described the statistics as “alarming,” noting that they point to deeper issues within homes and communities.
“It was revealed this week that over the last three years, approximately 21,661 school children were suspended. This is alarming. It suggests that we have to examine our collective behaviour and critical changes urgently are required,” he said.
He warned that students are mirroring dysfunctional family behaviour, adding, “It takes a village to raise a child and the statistics demonstrate that too many families in our Republic are dysfunctional as children mirror the behaviour that they see.”
Seepersad urged students to be alert as they transition to secondary school.
“Sadly, our schools are not as safe as they once were and as you enter secondary school, you have to adopt a mind set that you will not be a victim. You will need to be vigilant and you must reject and report any form of bullying.”
He also addressed online conduct, advising students to think before they post.
“Create and utilise safe online spaces and pause before you post. Always reflect on whether you would want your grandparents, parents, or teachers to come across the material which you intend to upload onto the World Wide Web and if know that you would not want them to see it, do not post it,” he advised.
Justice Seepersad also explained the legal framework surrounding student misconduct.
“In most modern societies, children are shielded from the full consequences of the law when they commit certain actions. In very simple terms, the law recognises that children under the age of seven are ‘Doli Incapax’. This just means that children under that age are incapable of forming criminal intent.”
He said while children between 7 and 14 can sometimes be held legally irresponsible, those between 14 and 18 are not afforded the same protection.
“A focused, measured, and mature approach is therefore needed to ensure that culpable children are simultaneously held to account and rehabilitated.
“Those who are unable to form the requisite criminal intent should be placed in supervised spaces where they can be afforded the emotional, physiological, and financial support which they require to course correct,” he explained.
Also addressing the students, Health Minister Dr Lackram Bodoe pledged to improve school infrastructure, promising “we will continue to make your school environment more comfortable.” He also urged parents to pay attention to their children’s well-being.
“Look out for your children,” he said, highlighting the ministry’s focus on tackling childhood obesity.
“You are moving in the right direction in terms of dealing with exercise and childhood obesity, which is something that we at the Ministry of Health are taking a very keen interest in.”

Bodoe reminded students that many decisions lie ahead, including how they use technology. Holding up a phone, he said, “This thing here can either make you or it can break you… use it for the right reason. It can assist you, it can help you. But also, if you use it in the wrong way, it can take you down.” (Source:  The Guardian, June 29, 2025)

Anyone who has followed local electronic media for a while would have encountered the voice, if not the image, of veteran broadcaster and presenter, Hans Hanoomansingh.
Today, we have received news that the man named Hansley Hanoomansingh has left us, his familiar voice silenced.
Hans Hanoomansingh was born in Las Lomas and grew up in Cunupia and later Chaguanas.
He started off selling in the Chaguanas market with his father, and spent 6 years as a market vendor there, after his father died when he was 11. During this time, he continued his education at Presentation College, Chaguanas and began teaching in San Fernando after High School and teaching French.
Hans entered the world of broadcasting when he was hired by Radio Guardian (although he grew up in a home that never had a radio or TV). As part of the newsroom, he developed his skills as a journalist covering major national events and conducting interviews with high-profile national figures.
After one such interview with Opposition Leader, Dr. Rudranath Capildeo, Hans was encouraged to enter the world of politics and ran and won the Caroni East seat in the 1966 General Elections. His Parliamentary experience did not last long as he opted to make his contribution to national life in broadcasting. He later became Chairman of Heritage Communications and Radio.
He was a radio and television presenter and figured prominently, making immeasurable contributions in the cultural arena and as a pioneer in promoting Indian culture.
Hans became the first president of the National Council of Indian Culture (NCIC) in 1970, overseeing its transition from the National Council for Indian Music and Drama. He was the man who dreamt of the Divali Nagar, the inaugural event of which was hosted at the Mid Centre Mall car park in 1986.
In 1990, Mr. Hanoomansingh received the Hummingbird Gold medal for his contribution to culture and broadcasting.
Hans credited his growing up in Chaguanas with forming his views about the society and culture. In one interview, he said, "I grew up in a mixed community, …and we lived together, speaking to each other, understanding with some limitations the distinct qualities of our traditions … it .. gave me the consciousness of a multicultural society, which I have put into effect by my life."
He regarded the celebration of Indian Arrival Day not as celebrating indentureship, but as celebrating the triumph of our ancestors over terrible conditions from the time of departure from India.
I had the opportunity to be interviewed by Hans Hanoomansingh and enjoyed wide-ranging conversations with him on national issues of politics, culture and history on several occasions.
With his passing, our nation has lost a pioneer in the field of broadcast journalism, a cultural activist, a man who demonstrated what public service means and a champion and historian of Indian culture, never in a chauvinistic way.
Hans Hanoomansingh has served Trinidad and Tobago well. The national conversation has lost a familiar and important voice.
My condolences to his family, friends, and all who were able to hear and be influenced by his voice.
Keep chatting on the universal airways, Hans. (Source: Angelo Bissessarsingh's Virtual Museum of Trinidad and Tobago, July 5, 2025)

Miss Supranational Trinidad and Tobago, Shenelle Ramkhelawan, has been named as one of five continental winners in the modelling competition at the Miss Supranational 2025 beauty pageant.
She outshone contestants from the Cayman Islands, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Haiti, Curaçao, the Dominican Republic, and the US Virgin Islands during yesterday’s competition.
This marks the first time a delegate from Trinidad and Tobago has captured a continental modelling title at Miss Supranational.
Other continental winners included NaMakau Nawa of Zambia (Africa), Marvelous Sanyaolu of the United States (Americas), Eshwin Kaur of Malaysia (Asia and Oceania), and Anna Valencia Lakrini of Germany (Europe).
(Source:  The Loop, June 24, 2025)

Trinidad and Tobago students applying for student visas in the US must keep their social media profiles set to public, or risk having their applications denied.
In an update today via social media, the US Embassy in Trinidad and Tobago said the measure is effective immediately:
“Effective immediately, if you are applying for an F, M, or J nonimmigrant visa, you are requested to adjust the privacy settings to ‘public’ on your personal social media accounts. This is to facilitate the vetting necessary to establish your identity and admissibility to the United States. The adjudication of visa applications is critically important to the national security and public safety of the United States. ”On Wednesday, the US State Department’s Consular Affairs division shared an update requiring all students applying for F, M or J non-immigrant visas to set their social media profiles to public, to allow for vetting by US officials.“Since 2019, the United States has required visa applicants to provide social media identifiers on immigrant and nonimmigrant visa application forms. We use all available information in our visa screening and vetting to identify visa applicants who are inadmissible to the United States, including those who pose a threat to US national security.”
The directive also applies to other CARICOM territories.
In March, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said over 300 student visas had been revoked over pro-Palestine activities. (Source:  The Loop, June 26, 2025)

WITH about 25,800 migrants and refugees from 35 nationalities registered with the UNHCR National Office in Trinidad and Tobago, the head of the agency, Amanda Solando Badilla, is emphasising the organisation's continued commitment to supporting refugees, despite the shift in operations.
The office will be closed to the public on July 25, with operations to be managed remotely from the UNHCR Multi-Country Office in Panama.
"After that, we continue to support refugees, and we continue to be committed with the government of TT to provide our support. However, the way in which we support will change," Solando Badilla told Newsday in a phone interview.
"We will continue to cover TT from our multi-country office in Panama."WITH about 25,800 migrants and refugees from 35 nationalities registered with the UNHCR National Office in Trinidad and Tobago, the head of the agency, Amanda Solando Badilla, is emphasising the organisation's continued commitment to supporting refugees, despite the shift in operations.
After a validation exercise that concluded in May, 12,600 inactive records were closed, bringing the total active and affected population to 25,800.
The closed records represented people who were no longer in the country or who have not had any contact with the office in the last six months.
The majority of the migrant/refugee population – about 21,000 – are Venezuelans, along with nationals from Cuba, Nigeria, Pakistan, Syria, Bangladesh and other countries.
On June 5, the UN Refugee Agency announced that due to financial constraints, its office in Port of Spain will be closed on August 31.
Solando Badilla is a seasoned humanitarian with more than 15 years of experience.
She arrived in TT four years ago and first held the role of protection officer.
In May 2024, she assumed her current role as head of the agency in TT after the departure of her predecessor, Miriam Aertker.
Solando Badilla's career began in her home country of Costa Rica.
She has since worked with several other countries, including a regional office based in Panama that at the time covered seven countries in Central America, Cuba and Mexico.


Reflecting on World Refugee Day, celebrated annually on June 20, she said: "It helps us to honour the strength and the courage of refugees and our solidarity with them."
"It also helps us to shine a light on the rights, needs and dreams of refugees. It helps to mobilise political will and resources so refugees can truly thrive. We have always created opportunities to support refugees in TT."
She recalled that in the past, the agency had partnered with diplomats, businesses, civil society groups, and refugees to organise events like football matches and entrepreneurship fairs. These gave refugees a chance to showcase their talents and products. Cultural activities were also held to raise awareness about refugees' situations.
Despite the physical office closure, two outpost positions will remain in the country to maintain support for local partners: La Casita Hispanic Cultural Center in Arima and the Caribbean Centre for Human Rights (CCHR) in Chaguanas.
​

She explained that La Casita helps victims of gender-based violence and people in vulnerable situations. They also offer a daycare and provide activities to support early development in children.
CCHR, she added, provides free legal services to all refugees in the country.
"We also support the Children's Authority. We actually support with a case worker and with an interpreter English/Spanish to facilitate the case management of children in the country who do not speak English," Solando Badilla said.
"Through these organisations and our multi-country office in Panama, we also stand ready to support the national government with efforts to develop a national asylum framework. That is something that the country is yet to develop," she said.


Solando Badilla highlighted several milestones over the past years.
She recalled a successful vocational training initiative conducted in collaboration with the Pan American Development Foundation and the local and migrant communities in Chaguanas.
Some of the skills training included air conditioning repair, solar panel installation and food handling.
"It was incredible to see how everybody integrated. The skills training sessions were conducted in both Spanish and English. It also helped refugees to practise their English skills and Trinidadians to practise their Spanish skills," she chuckled as she recalled.
Another significant achievement was the inclusion of the first cohort of refugee/migrant children in national schools.
"The numbers are still low. We would like to continue supporting the national government so more children can be included," she said.
"However, this was an important achievement for these children. It was the first time that they were able to access education in the country."
She was referring to the students under 18, whose parents registered in the historic 2019 Migrant Registration Framework (MRF) and continue to register yearly.
As previously reported in Newsday, many Venezuelans have expressed sadness and uncertainty regarding the office's closure.


Asked about the possibility of the office reopening in TT, she replied: It is hard to say at this time, but we are always committed to supporting it in any way that we can."
About UNHCR
The UNHCR website (www.unhcr.org) states that for 74 years, the organisation has protected the rights of refugees worldwide.
The global organisation prides itself on helping people who are forced to flee their homes due to conflict or persecution.
It works to save lives, defend their rights, and help them build better futures.
The UNHCR was established by the UN General Assembly in 1950, following World War II, to support the millions who had lost their homes.
Today, UNHCR works in over 130 countries.
For further info e-mail UNHCR at [email protected]

Textile artist, actor, carnivalist, multi-media artist and writer Christopher Pinheiro has died, leaving the creative and cultural community in mourning yet again.
Reports are the cultural researcher was found dead in his apartment in Toronto recently, with news reaching TT on Saturday. It is said police discovered his decomposing body.
A profile written by the TT Performing Arts Network on March 24, 2017, said Pinheiro was a Trinidad-born "theatrician, carnvalist," multi-media artist, face and fabric painter, writer, curator and cultural researcher who trained with the Trinidad Theatre Workshop under the late Derek Walcott and the Jamaica School of Drama.
It said Pinheiro was a founding member of the Banyan Television Workshop, where he performed in several episodic TV dramas, and the Callaloo Company. It said he has worked with mas-man Peter Minshall and the Toronto Caribana of Shadowland Theatre Inc.
Minshall, in a quote posted by actress Rhoma Spencer, said, upon hearing of Pinheiro’s passing, “'The loss of a brilliant, unique, most gifted brother. My Goodness. There he goes, gliding along the glorious corridors of the Palace of Eternity, trailing along behind him the most fabulous floaty dhoti they have ever seen. Heaven will never be the same again.”
Pinheiro was a past president of the National Drama Association of TT and a recipient of a Commonwealth Foundation Fellowship in Textile Design.
Dominic Kalipersad, in a tribute on his Facebook page, said in Canada, Pinheiro was the founding artistic director of the Swizzle Stick Theatre in Toronto and formed a troupe of stilt performers to showcase their artform outside of the Carnival arena.
The Performing Arts Network said Pinheiro was a studio artist with b current, a small not-for-profit performance arts company in Toronto, where he developed a module titled “Metaphoria”, which draws on his experience to “explashiate the jollification of the nation, through the fine art of "festivation, in the post-colonial diaspora.”
Pinheiro was with this project from 2010 to 2013, according to his LinkedIn profile. He was a founding curator/presenter at the Toronto Island Film Festival beginning in 2009 and curator-programmer at Caribbean Tales Film Festival from 2014.
Pinheiro is remembered with fondness and love by those who knew him, with many crediting him with helping them develop artistically.(Source:  Newsday, June 30, 2025)

The THA’s Division of Food Security, Natural Resources, the Environment and Sustainable Development hosted the official handover ceremony for the newly upgraded Agri-Technology Training Centre in Buccoo on Monday (June 16).
A press release from the division noted that the building was officially handed over to Tobago Agri-Technology Services Limited (TAGS), the company responsible for delivering cutting-edge training and innovation to local producers.
“Once known as the Tobago Fisheries Training Centre, the facility has now been revived and transformed into a modern training hub that will serve stakeholders across many sectors including agriculture, fisheries, and forestry,” it said. 
The event also included the presentation of Letters of Intent to a group of farmers under the Division’s Mega-Farming Development Programme, who will receive training at the upgraded centre and become some of the first occupants of the Friendship Agro-park, a soon-to-be-developed collaborative farming space aimed at increasing Tobago’s food security and self-sufficiency.
The release said that in her address, Secretary Nathisha Charles-Pantin shared the vision through TAGS of teaching the science of farming, the technology of production, and sustainability practices essential in this new era of climate change, rising costs, and global uncertainty.
It added that Chief Secretary Farley Augustine, who was also in attendance, praised the progress being made in the sector and expressed his support for the Division’s direction.
(Source:  The Loop, June 16, 2025)