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64TH INDEPENDENCE DAY MESSAGE TO THE UNC FAMILY FROM UNC LEADER KAMLA PERSAD BISSESSAR.
On our 64th anniversary of Independence, I write this message to specially acknowledge the most important people to me, the UNC family. I say thank you for the honour of leading our great party and country. I love each one of you, and I will love you all till the day I leave this life.

Today we acknowledge our mothers and fathers, grandparents and great-grandparents, and the suffering they endured in the lagoons, cane fields, and oilfields to give us a fighting chance pre- and post-independence.

We remember that our membership was born of people mired in poverty who, at times, survived on salt and rice, while drinking water from ponds and springs. Sometimes eating one meal a day to make the sacrifices needed to educate us in cowsheds and church annexes.

They fetched water in box carts and bull carts, used flambeaus for light, had no healthcare, possessed one outfit of clothes for going out, and usually had to walk or ride a bicycle for miles in the sun or rain to reach any government service. They were objects of ridicule and hatred in this country for years under the PNM, post-1962 Independence.

Yet over 64 years, they fought to educate their children to ensure that we owned our rightful place as equal citizens in this country. We must keep working for our sons and daughters to qualify themselves to have better lives than ours. We must never stop learning, working and improving. You must strive to be owners and entrepreneurs, not simply satisfied with being workers or living on state welfare.

We must also have love in our communities. Greet the day with love, for it is the most valuable key to success. Never allow your heart to become small and bitter; rather, share it, and it will grow and warm everyone and everything around you. While I encourage you to live with love in your heart, I also say do not crawl on your belly for anyone. It's either peace or total war, nothing in between.

More than just a party, the UNC is a belief system rooted in the spirit of resistance, freedom, equality, justice, unity, hope, and faith. It is a spirit that lived in our poor, marginalised ancestors, yet who never allowed themselves to fall by the wayside.

This is why the leadership of our party must never fall into the hands of weak men and women; finesse and diplomacy must be backed up with steeliness and savagery when required to defend the UNC membership. A UNC leader must never allow our party to be hijacked by the local drug mafia and the fake eat-a-food elite as happened to the PNM.

I am honoured to be your leader, and I am committed to working tirelessly to ensure your voices are heard and our nation moves in the right direction.

I am Kamla Persad Bissessar,
the Proud leader of the United National Congress.

Happy Independence Day, UNC - United National Congress.

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar says Trinidad and Tobago must take responsibility for its post-Independence failures instead of continuing to blame its colonial past.

In her Independence Day message on Sunday, Persad-Bissessar said the country had failed to build on what she described as a strong foundation left by the British in 1962.

“We must confront our post-independence history with honesty and acknowledge that we should have done much better over the past 64 years,” she said.

She noted that Trinidad and Tobago had a higher per-capita income than countries including Japan, Singapore, Spain, Portugal, Mexico, Brazil and China at Independence, but said all had since surpassed the country.

She also pointed to the country’s established oil industry, agricultural sector, railway system, legal structure and low crime rate at the time.

“The fact is that the British left us a very prosperous functioning country in 1962,” she said.

Persad-Bissessar said it was now time to accept responsibility for decisions made since Independence.

“After 64 years, it’s time we grow up and stop blaming our problems on our colonial past,” she said.

She called on citizens to put Trinidad and Tobago first and move forward with “conviction and accountability” to create a stronger, safer and more prosperous nation.

RADHICA DE SILVA Senior Multimedia Reporter @radhica.sookraj@guardian.co.tt

Even as millions of dollars in foreign exchange are spent on importing pharmaceuticals, gaps in oversight and coordination between State agencies are creating conditions ripe for abuse, including overpricing and corruption, House Speaker Jagdeo Singh warned.

Singh raised concerns during the Public Administration and Appropriation Committee (PAAC)meeting yesterday.

He questioned Comptroller of Customs and Excise, Riad Juman, on the absence of basic safeguards linking Customs, the Chemistry, Food and Drugs Division (CFDD), and the EximBank.

He said that while Customs is the sole authority regulating imports at the ports, the division does not have access to a comprehensive list of approved pharmaceuticals from the CFDD.

This, he said, undermines Customs’ ability to effectively police what enters the country and opens the system to abuse.

Juman confirmed that Customs has no access to a single, comprehensive list of registered pharmaceuticals and must instead rely on case-by-case consultation with CFDD once shipments arrive.

“Yes, Customs does not have a list provided by Chemistry, Food and Drugs that would allow us to immediately determine whether a pharmaceutical is approved or not,” Juman said.

He explained that Customs’ role begins only after goods arrive and declarations are made, noting that approvals granted prior to importation, including those for foreign exchange, fall outside Customs’ remit.

Singh said the absence of such a list was troubling, given that pharmaceuticals automatically trigger scrutiny within Customs’ systems and Customs is uniquely positioned as the “guardian of the ports.”

“Customs has enormous power, but no way of knowing beforehand whether an item being imported is on the approved list?” Singh asked. “That does not conduce to good public administration.”

Adding to the concern, Singh highlighted that there is no mechanism for verifying whether the amount of foreign exchange allocated by EximBank for pharmaceutical imports matches the value of goods actually cleared through Customs.

Juman confirmed that Customs does not routinely share C75 and C82 declaration forms with EximBank, meaning there is no automatic reconciliation between forex allocations and import values.

“Yes, Chair, there is no correlation,” Juman said.

Singh warned that this disconnect creates opportunities for over-invoicing, particularly since most pharmaceuticals are duty- and VAT-free.

“If an item costs ten dollars, it can be invoiced for twenty to obtain double the foreign exchange,” Singh said, adding that Customs’ systems are primarily designed to detect under-invoicing, not over-invoicing.

Juman agreed, conceding that over-invoicing linked to abuse of foreign exchange allocations is not something Customs has historically focused on.

“Yes, chair, I agree,” he said, pledging to investigate overpricing and engage stakeholders to clamp down on corruption.

Meanwhile, Chief Chemist and acting director of CFDD, Hasmath Ali, confirmed that although more than 21,000 drugs are registered in Trinidad and Tobago, there is no single publicly accessible list.

Ali said drugs are approved and published incrementally in the National Gazette, meaning importers must search gazettes dating back decades to determine whether a drug is registered.

“There is no one comprehensive list available to the public or to Customs at this time,” Ali said.

Singh described the situation as untenable, arguing that the lack of transparency disadvantages importers and the public, while creating opportunities for non-approved drugs to enter the market.

Ali said CFDD is working on a multi-database online system, expected to be launched by the end of the first quarter, which would make registration information publicly available. He acknowledged, however, that the list should have been shared with Customs long ago.

Dr Marlene Attz, who also questioned officials, said the fragmented system raised serious concerns about value for money and accountability, particularly where private importers purchase drugs without prior approval.

“This lack of coordination is clearly conducive to abuse,” Singh said.

He mandated the Comptroller to use his statutory powers to investigate over-invoicing and potential corruption in the foreign exchange system.

Kay-Marie Fletcher Senior Reporter @kay-marie.fletcher@guardian.co.tt

Former Health minister Terrence Deyalsingh is facing serious allegations of political interference following claims that he pressured the state procurement agency, the National Insurance Property Development Company Limited (NIPDEC), to give preferential payment to a major pharmaceutical company.

During a Public Administration and Appropriations Committee (PAAC) session yesterday, chaired by Jagdeo Singh, tensions ran high as the inquiry into the state’s pharmaceutical acquisitions highlighted both alleged political interference and what was described as a rogue operation that went undetected for eight years.

NIPDEC general manager Vyas Ramphalie told the committee that between 2023 and 2025, he was instructed by Deyalsingh to prioritise payments to Aventa, a pharmaceutical distribution and manufacturing arm of the Agostini Group, over all other companies.

Singh, pressing Ramphalie directly asked, “Isn’t it correct, Mr Ramphalie, that you were instructed to give Aventa preferential payment over everybody else?”

Ramphalie replied, “There was a meeting with NIPDEC and the Ministry of Health team from 2023 to early 2025, where various allocations of payments were dictated by the Ministry.”

Singh followed up: “Who from the Ministry of Health? Was the Minister of Health there? Did the Minister dictate preferential terms of payment? The answer is yes or no.”

Ramphalie responded: “Yes.”

Singh said the Committee would now send a letter to Deyalsingh inviting him to appear before PAAC to clarify the issue.

However, Deyalsingh denied the allegations and told Guardian Media he plans to pursue legal action.

“Mr Vyas Ramphalie seems to be, politely, a stranger to the truth. He went and spewed lies. I have already obtained a recording of the session and have turned it over to my lawyers to take appropriate legal action against Mr Ramphalie,” he said.

When asked if he would appear before the PAAC, he replied: “I will seek the appropriate legal advice.”

The session also saw former Drug Advisory Committee (DAC) secretary Dr Deryck Pattron branded a “rogue officer” after allegations surfaced that he illegally altered pharmaceutical registration forms.

During the PAAC, Ag director of Chemistry, Food and Drugs Division Hasmath Ali said Dr Pattron modified official drug registration templates, creating requirements that smaller importers could not meet.

“When I took office in 2025, I received several complaints from importers. My investigation revealed that the changes introduced ‘onerous’ new requirements that were not stipulated in the legislation,” Ali said.

Ali explained that while he could not find conclusive evidence to take formal action, all paths led to Dr Pattron. When confronted, the former Secretary did not admit wrongdoing, instead instructing Ali to “speak to the DAC.”

Committee members questioned who could have authorised such changes, but no one from the division could provide an answer. Singh criticised the prolonged failure to detect the issue, describing Dr Pattron’s actions as operating “as a runaway horse within the system.”

“No one went to the Minister or the Permanent Secretary to say this was ultra vires the Act? Everyone simply allowed Dr Pattron to operate unchecked?” Singh asked.

The Committee confirmed it will be sending letters to Dr Pattron to appear before PAAC to explain who authorised the document changes.

RADHICA DE SILVA Senior Multimedia Reporter radhica.sookraj@guardian.co.tt

Serious allegations of regulatory abuse within the Chemistry, Food and Drug Division (CFDD) emerged during the sixth meeting of the Public Administration and Appropriations Committee (PAAC), where members raised concerns that “special permissions” may have been used to bypass established procedures to import drugs such as Ozempic into the local market.

Committee chairman Jagdeo Singh questioned CFDD inspector Dr Deryck Pattron about the regulatory system after Pattron denied introducing controversial documentation requirements known as Form A and Form B.

Singh told the committee the framework appeared contradictory and potentially open to abuse.

“You have the creation of a framework where people could not qualify because of Form A, yet 1,898 special permissions were granted even though documents were missing,” Singh said. “You create an untenable framework with a back door that does not comply.”

Singh pressed officials on why special import permissions were approved despite incomplete documentation, suggesting the process allowed companies to bypass the formal drug registration system.

Committee member David Nakhid also questioned who ultimately benefited from the arrangement.

“Who benefited from this? We want some accountability,” Nakhid said, noting that certain companies appeared to dominate supply within the local pharmaceutical market.

“These companies have more supply in the market, and they prioritise the payment. When we see the processes, it’s glaring—a monopolisation of the market,” he added.

Singh described the situation as a case of “regulatory avoidance resulting in regulatory capture, where regulations may be structured in ways that benefit a select group of players.”

Committee member Dr Prakash Persad also expressed concern about the use of special permissions for commercial activity.

“Special permission ought not to be granted for trade,” he said, noting that in one Joint Select Committee meeting alone, 157 such permissions were granted.

The committee also heard conflicting testimony regarding the origins of Forms A and B, which some stakeholders say created barriers to registering pharmaceutical products.

Former Drug Inspectorate Unit member Imtiaz Hydar Ali told the committee the forms began as internal checklists but later evolved into formal regulatory requirements.

However, Singh said the evidence presented was “diametrically opposed.”

“We have evidence from Mr Ali saying Dr Pattron changed the forms unilaterally in 2017, and then we have Dr Pattron saying the forms were already in existence,” Singh said.

He also raised questions about how the forms were printed bearing the national coat of arms.

“No public servant at that level could simply walk into the Government Printery and instruct that these be printed,” he said.

President of the Private Pharmacy Business Retail Association Glenwayne Suchit also told the committee that increasingly complex requirements introduced in recent years have made it difficult for small and medium importers to register pharmaceutical products.

Suchit said while documentation such as certificates of analysis are standard requirements, newer demands—including detailed information on colouring agents and label ink—were excessive.

He warned that the system could potentially be used to block some companies while allowing others to secure approvals.

The committee also heard that pharmaceutical company Smith Robertson and Company Ltd received the largest share of the millions allocated for drug payments, with one tranche seeing the company receive $50 million out of an $80 million allocation for suppliers.

Members were told that the National Insurance Property Development Company (NIPDEC) initially recommended a more equitable distribution of funds based on outstanding invoices older than 90 days.

However, the agency later received instructions from the Ministry of Health’s accounting officer to adjust allocations and prioritise larger suppliers.

Evidence presented to the committee showed that Smith Robertson consistently received between 30 and 60 per cent of certain allocations—significantly more than other companies, which in some cases received between ten and 20 per cent of payments owed to them.

Officials confirmed that emails from the Ministry of Health directed NIPDEC to adjust payment allocations, including instructing that some smaller suppliers be “factored out” of specific distributions while larger companies were paid using loan funds.

The committee continues to examine the pharmaceutical supply chain and the payment allocation system amid concerns that concentrating payments among a few large suppliers could create vulnerabilities in the national drug supply system.

Former Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh attended the meeting but did not speak. Contacted afterwards, Deyalsingh said he was not required to address the committee.

PETER CHRISTOPHER Senior Multimedia Reporter peter.christopher@guardian.co.tt

Aventa has denied that it has received preferential treatment in terms of payments by NIPDEC.

In an internal memo dated February 27, the company addressed staff following a Public Administration and Appropriations Committee (PAAC) meeting on February 23, when Nipdec general manager Vyas Ramphalie told the committee that between 2023 and 2025, he had been instructed by former Health Minister to prioritise payments to Aventa, the pharmaceutical distribution and manufacturing arm of the Agostini Group, over all other companies.

Deyalsingh has since denied the allegation.

The internal memo to Aventa staff said, “Due to economic constraints over the past few years, Aventa, like many other companies who service the public sector, has experienced delayed payments for goods and services that it supplies to the public healthcare system. While Aventa cannot comment on payments made to other suppliers, our data shows that overdue payments from the public sector, especially those older than 120 days, have gotten significantly worse over the past decade.”

The internal memo, which was signed by Aventa CEO James Walker and Aventa Trinidad and Tobago CEO Peter Welch, continued, “Critically, for the period 2023 to 2025 where it has been alleged that NIPDEC was instructed to give Aventa preferential treatment, the data shows that delays in payments in fact, got worse.”

The company told its staff that while it acknowledged that delay in payments did negatively impact business, it never made a request for preferential treatment.

“Late payments have a direct impact on our business, its cashflows and the banking facilities we depend on. We know however that drugs and pharmaceutical products are critical, essential and, in some cases, a matter of life and death. The facilities that we continue to extend to the government reflect this. Over the years we have individually, and alongside other pharmaceutical companies, through the Trinidad & Tobago Chamber of Industry & Commerce’s Health & Wellness Committee, had numerous discussions with NIPDEC where we have advocated for improved payment terms. We want to make it clear, however, that we have never asked for preferential treatment from NIPDEC or the Ministry of Health.”

Aventa had previously public rebutted claims by head of the Private Pharmacy Retail Business Association (PPRBA), Glenwayne Suchit, that the conglomerate had a monopoly in the pharmaceutical industry.

In December, Agostini took out advertisements in locals newspapers, in which it stated the pharmaceutical distribution sector is regulated and competitive, with more than 70 registered distributors supplying medicines across T&T.

Last month at the group's annual meeting at the Hyatt Regency Agostini Group CEO, Barry Davis, publicly dismissed allegations that the company holds a monopoly or controls an overwhelming share of the local pharmaceutical distribution market.

Akash Samaroo Lead Editor-Politics akash.samaroo@cnc3.co.tt

A parliamentary probe into alleged corruption in the pharmaceutical sector is intensifying, with the committee seeking to summon former Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Roshan Parasram to answer claims he breached the law, while also ordering a search of Ministry of Health servers for email evidence of possible favouritism.

The Public Administration and Appropriations Committee (PAAC) yesterday continued its investigation into the state’s acquisition of pharmaceuticals.

The PAAC revealed that between 2015 and 2024, Dr Parasram issued 2,761 special import permits to drug suppliers.

A special import permit is a regulatory requirement for bringing pharmaceuticals into the country that are not currently registered or are subject to strict legislative control, such as antibiotics or narcotics.

Chairman Jagdeo Singh asked the technocrats before him, inclusive of the principal pharmacist, to point him to the law that gave Dr Parasram that authority.

“To my knowledge, none exist,” replied Farz Khan, executive manager of analytical services at CARIRI.

Singh continued to press the technocrats and public servants.

Principal pharmacist Anesa Doodnath-Siboo sought to offer an explanation.

“It was my understanding that the Chief Medical Officer is considered the Chief Technical Officer of the ministry in terms of medicines, pharmaceuticals, provision of healthcare, generally for the country, because he’s considered the competent authority,” she said.

However, Singh responded, “Your attempt to clothe the Chief Medical Officer with a veneer of jurisdiction by the adornment of that fig leaf of a Chief Technical Officer simply doesn’t hold water.”

He then added, “It’s 2,761 times the Chief Medical Officer exercised that jurisdiction, which he plainly did not have by any legislation.”

Underscoring how detrimental this practice was, Singh said, “So what you had is drugs which were not registered, drugs which escaped the scientific scrutiny, drugs which escaped the investigation of its provenance, being imported under a special permit, no further steps of registration taking place, and it being continuously imported. That’s what happened. That’s what the ministry says, until it’s been stopped. Stopped now.”

Meanwhile, Singh also asked that the servers at the Ministry of Health be searched to ascertain if preferential treatment was given to certain suppliers.

Singh was in possession of an email thread between the principal pharmacist and a representative of Smith Robertson. In the email thread, the representative asked Doodnath-Siboo to review the company’s submission and provide feedback.

Singh said Doodnath-Siboo should have ignored that request.

“Why didn’t you respond and say, hold a minute, I’m not your advisor. I am a public official with a fiduciary duty to the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. Why didn’t you respond to him and put him in his place literally, as we say in Trinidad?”

Doodnath-Siboo responded, “Chair, honestly, I can’t tell you why.”

Singh said the PAAC must now determine if this was a case of favouritism.

He said Dr Parasram will also be asked to come before the PAAC and will also be provided with a transcript of everything that was said at yesterday’s meeting.

Guardian Media tried to get a response from the former CMO; however, he did not respond to our questions.

The integrity of a high-profile parliamentary inquiry has been thrown into question following allegations that Opposition Senator Janelle John-Bates coached a key witness she was tasked with scrutinising.

On Monday, the Public Accounts and Administration Committee (PAAC) met to continue its inquiry titled “The State’s Acquisition of Pharmaceuticals as it Relates to the Current Processes Applicable to its Importation and Approval.”

Senator John-Bates is a member of the PAAC and is therefore tasked with scrutinising those who appear before it.

This PAAC has garnered special public interest due to the committee’s intense questioning, particularly from chairman Jagdeo Singh.

Clips of heated interactions are widely shared on social media platforms.

However, when the live feed from the Parliament came up on Monday, it was not to re-commence the inquiry, but to offer an apology from the chairman for why it had to be postponed.

Acknowledging that it is not usual for an explanation to be given for the cancellation of a PAAC sitting, Singh said he is aware of the public interest surrounding it.

“I do not propose to go into the reasons why. All I can say is to use a neutral phrase. It is regrettable, but unavoidable that we have to adjourn.”

Guardian Media later learned that the adjournment was deemed necessary during the in-camera session of the sitting, which is closed to the public.

We were reliably informed that former Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh had submitted a statement to the PAAC via a Microsoft Word document.

During previous sittings, the PAAC questioned Deyalsingh’s oversight regarding a reported massive surge in special import permits used to bypass formal drug registration and what it deemed the significant wastage of expired medication.

However, Guardian Media was told that the document containing Deyalsingh’s response to the committee contained “Track Changes.”

A Track Change is a visual record of an insertion, deletion or formatting update made to a document, allowing multiple editors to review and approve specific modifications before they become permanent.

It was then, we were told, that the Committee realised their colleague Senator John-Bates reportedly assisted Deyalsingh with his statement.

It was said that PNM Senator Faris Al-Rawi also aided Deyalsingh.

Guardian Media was informed that John-Bates was asked about her involvement, and she confirmed it. This, we understand, has raised serious questions about ethics.

Guardian Media attempted to speak with Senator John-Bates about the allegation while she walked towards the Red House for yesterday’s sitting of the Senate; however, she did not stop or acknowledge the questions and instead chose to continue her journey into the Parliament.

All calls also went unanswered.

Questions are also being asked as to why Senator Al-Rawi did not advise Senator John-Bates against it.

Asked for comment yesterday, Al-Rawi said, “Whilst I am not a member of the Committee you have referenced, I am bound to point out to you that it would be an offence against the rules of Parliament which may amount to a contempt, for a member or any person to speak about the deliberations and proceedings of a committee, especially matters which may have been considered in camera, before the report of the Committee is published.”

Questions were also sent yesterday afternoon via WhatsApp to Opposition leader Pennelope Beckles and Senator Amery Browne, who is the leader of the PNM senate bench, asking if this matter was engaging their attention. Guardian Media also sought a comment from Deyalsingh. None responded before press time.

Chairman of the PAAC, Jagdeo Singh, declined to comment. The PAAC will now meet on April 27 at 1 PM.

During the last sitting on March 25, the PAAC accused Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Roshan Parasram, who is currently on leave, of exercising authority he “plainly did not have” by issuing over 2,700 special import permits. The committee intends to summon him to explain why these permits were used to bypass the legal registration and scientific scrutiny of medications.

Akash Samaroo Lead Editor-Politics @akash.samaroo@cnc3.co.tt

The People’s National Movement (PNM) has pledged to take “appropriate action, if necessary” against Senator Janelle John-Bates, while Guardian Media understands that the parliamentary committee which uncovered her alleged misconduct is set to meet today to decide on her future participation.

The development comes as a high-profile inquiry by the Public Accounts and Administration Committee (PAAC) into the State’s handling of pharmaceuticals was abruptly adjourned during an in-camera session on Monday, after what sources described as a potential conflict of interest.

Guardian Media understands the adjournment followed allegations that Opposition Senator Janelle John-Bates, a member of the committee, assisted former health minister Terrence Deyalsingh in preparing his witness statement. The issue reportedly arose after “Track Changes” edits were discovered in a Microsoft Word document submitted by Deyalsingh in error, raising ethical and procedural concerns.

Guardian Media has obtained a copy of the document, which contains tracked changes attributed to individuals identified as Janelle John-Bates and Faris Al-Rawi. The edits attributed to John-Bates appear in blue and include deletions to portions of paragraphs 20 and 21.

In the witness statement, Deyalsingh wrote that he was advised by the Principal Pharmacist, Mrs Anesa Siboo, that contract terms required pharmaceutical items to have a minimum 18-month expiry period, failing which NIPDEC could receive replacement stock or credit from local distributors. He also stated he was not aware whether the committee had been informed of this.

He further noted that small states are often required to accept quantities exceeding their needs in order to meet manufacturers’ minimum production requirements, warning that refusing such terms could result in shortages affecting patients.

Those passages were struck through in the document, alongside a comment attributed to John-Bates questioning the basis of the information. She wrote: “Were you informed of this by Ms Siboo during your tenure as Minister of Health, or due to a recent conversation with Ms Siboo? If you were not aware of this as Minister, I would be cautious of including it now.”

The document also shows the changes were made on March 23, two days before the PAAC met, raising questions as to whether the Senator failed to disclose her alleged actions to the Committee on March 25.

When contacted, PAAC Chairman Jagdeo Singh declined to comment.

Guardian Media understands a special emergency sitting of the PAAC is scheduled for today, where members are expected to determine whether John-Bates should be removed from the committee.

Opposition Leader Pennelope Beckles did not respond to questions on the matter. However, PNM chairman Marvin Gonzales confirmed the party is monitoring the situation, while stressing the need for caution.

“We have to be very careful that whatever we do and whatever we say, we don’t breach the Standing Orders of Parliament or be found in contempt of the Standing Orders,” he said.

He added, however, “Once all of the information comes to hand in the appropriate manner, the PNM will take whatever appropriate action is necessary in the circumstances.”

The authority to remove a senator rests with the party’s political leader. Gonzales noted that both John-Bates and Camille Robinson-Regis serve as PNM representatives on the committee.

Robinson-Regis, when contacted, declined to comment on the specifics of the allegation but expressed concern about confidentiality.

“As a member of the PAAC, I am concerned that a matter considered by the committee in camera has entered the public domain,” she said.

She added that the issue raised broader procedural questions requiring careful consideration by all members, stressing that discussion should not be prejudiced by public disclosure.

Attempts to reach PAAC members Devesh Maharaj and Saddam Hosein were unsuccessful. Government Senate Leader Darrell Allahar declined comment, stating only “no comment.”

Leader of Government Business in the House of Representatives Barry Padarath said, “The Government has members on the committee; I am certain it is receiving their attention. However, this is deeply disturbing.”

Minister Khadijah Ameen also commented, saying: “If Judge A helps a defendant prepare for an appearance they have to make in court in front of Judge A…”

Guardian Media again attempted to contact John-Bates, but she did not answer calls. On Tuesday, she also declined to respond to questions outside Parliament.

Cuba reveals new details about the attempted armed infiltration for terrorist purposes

The Cuban response to the incident strictly adhered to the regulatory framework, based on different levels of force measures against an offending target: first it is identified, then pursued, accompanied and persuaded. Firearms are only used when we are attacked.

The naval target was detected at 7:10 a.m. using the technical resources of the Border Guard Troops, 3.7 nautical miles within territorial waters. T

he military commander noted that people were seen in the water, who, upon noticing the presence of the Cuban unit, re-embarked and headed west.

The Cuba unite was 185 meters away when attacked with gunfire. The Cuban weapons consisted of three AKM rifles and one RPK light machine gun. The technical expert analysis revealed 13 bullet impacts on the Cuban vessel, located on the starboard side, on the hull and on the railings. As a result, the commander, Captain Yosmany Hernández Hernández, was wounded in the abdomen and forearm. He is recovering well and is out of danger.

In response to the attack, the Cuban crew—comprised of five combatants—returned fire. In the exchange, three of the ten occupants of the offending vessel were killed, and seven were wounded. After the vessel was neutralized, the wounded were evacuated and taken to hospitals.

The criminal investigation determined that not one, but two boats departed from Marathon Key, Florida. One experienced technical difficulties en route, and the occupants transferred to the other, which is why they ultimately arrived in a single boat. The boat, which had come from the United States and was equipped with an outboard motor, had 21 bullet holes. It was equipped with GPS and radio navigation equipment.

Authorities seized 134 magazines and a total of 12,846 rounds of ammunition of various calibers, including 5.56x45 mm and 7.62 mm (AKM). One of the seized pistols was capable of penetrating bulletproof vests. They also confiscated a drone with two cameras, ten communication devices, tactical knives, a portable generator, bolt cutters, and identifying emblems, including those of the so-called November 30th counterrevolutionary movement and insignia of the "People's Self-Defense." The seized rifles have an effective range of up to 800 meters and were in perfect technical condition.

Amijail Sánchez González has been identified as one of the organizers and previously included on the national list of individuals linked to terrorist activities. T

he investigation points to Maritza Lugo Fernández, a resident of the United States and identified as the main promoter of the so-called November 30th movement, as the mastermind behind the attack.

The detainees, with a proposed precautionary measure, face charges for armed assault, illegal entry into the national territory and crimes associated with terrorist acts, violence and illicit arms trafficking.

Due process has been respected and the case file has been formally received by the Public Prosecutor's Office. Since the events were financed from abroad, those involved outside the country could also face charges of financing terrorism. Based on the information presented, US legal provisions regarding navigation and the carrying of firearms were also violated.

Injured detainees receive medical attention with all necessary resources. It is an ethical practice of our institutions to provide assistance without discrimination. Cuba maintains operational cooperation with the United States Coast Guard on immigration matters, combating drug trafficking, and search and rescue. There was an exchange of information almost in real time with the liaison at the U.S. Embassy and authorities in Miami, to whom details of the incident were provided.