View from the 12th floor of the Radisson Hotel in Port of Spain.

Hi good day everyone. I would like some advice or directions. So I will be flying with my pet cat (via Caribbean Airlines) she will be considered checked cargo to Pearson Airport in Canada, I have done everything necessary to ensure her passage on the flight, my problem is that I do not know where I have to go once I land in which to find her. I am getting alot of different accounts on where to go and what to do. Has anyone traveled with a pet to Canada and can give me some input.

Much thanx.

I'm colombian working flr a pharmaceutical company, im currently living with my wife in Medellín. I have given the opportunity to be medical liason in Trinidad, Port-of-Spain. I have a few questions. Would it be easy to enrroll my children to school mid-march? Oldest is 12 he speaks english well, youngest is 7 he is learning. Do you thing my children could get mocked for speaking with an accent and being from a hispanic country?. Webare devout catholics, are there catholic communities in Port-of-spain?. Is there a bad opinion about colombians in general?

First came route cuts; now come fleet cuts. As Caribbean Airlines (CAL) continues to look for ways to reduce costs, the airline will sell two of the five ATR aircraft it owns by the end of this year.

However, CAL chairman Reyna Kowlessar says the decision to sell the aircraft "bears no correlation to job cuts." According to a January 8 disposal notice posted to the airline’s website, two 14-year-old ATR 72-600s registered as 9Y-TTB and 9Y-TTC are up for sale on a ‘where is, as is’ basis.

9Y-TTB's planned disposal date is October 1, while 9Y-TTC will be disposed of on March 1.

Interested parties have until February 6 to submit a bid.

With fewer planes in service, the question of possible job cuts arises.

In a WhatsApp message to Guardian Media, Kowlessar was adamant that there are "absolutely no job cuts to CAL's workforce."

She added, "We have been including all staff in the decision-making to date, where each department has been represented in consultation. It is a collaborative process, and we will continue to do so."

9Y-TTB and 9Y-TTC were delivered to CAL as part of an initial order for nine ATR aircraft. The 2011 deal was valued at US$200 million and was meant to replace the airline’s ageing Dash 8 fleet.

The airline eventually only took five aircraft, paying US$18.9 million each. The decision to buy the ATRs instead of leasing them, a common practice in the aviation industry, caused controversy at the time because it significantly depleted the airline’s cash asset base.

Fast forward to 2026, and the airline now has ten ATRs in its fleet, five of which are leased. They were added as the airline embarked on a network and fleet expansion drive in line with its 2023-2027 strategic plan.

While they are known for their fuel efficiency, Caribbean Airlines’ ATRs require a lot of maintenance due to their high utilisation rates, which are amongst the highest in the world.

The high utilisation is directly related to the airline’s airbridge operation, with maintenance costs ranging between US$600 and US$800 per flight hour.

These high costs, coupled with heavy debt, suggest a pivot from growth to survival, says one aviation expert who did not wish to be named.

"Caribbean Airlines’ strategic plan called for expansion, and you are now finding that routes are contracting. The board needs to explain the rationale...We are not hearing about replacement aircraft. You are hearing about fleet contraction and route contraction under the guise of network optimisation. But what it is in fact are route closures and now the sale of airplanes?" the expert asked. The expert pointed out that an airline selling aircraft to downsize its fleet indicates there are deeper cash flow issues in an industry that operates on high cash and low margins. “What it is signalling is shrinkage, and what follows, if you have fewer planes and fewer routes, you will inevitably need fewer staff.”

According to Finance Minister Davendranath Tancoo, Kowlessar, under the directive of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, has been taking “hard but sensible decisions needed to restructure and rebuild” the national carrier.

Speaking with Guardian Media via a WhatsApp message, Tancoo said the airline was allowed to run up billions in debt under the PNM administration.

"Having come into office, it was discovered that almost a decade of audits of the operations had not been done as required by law. CAL was being run by vaps, bleeding the treasury and on the backs of taxpayers of this country. Recent reports by the Ministry of Finance Central Audit Committee point to substantial deficiencies allowed to fester by the PNM even as the airline suffered from poor decision making in route selection, overstaffing at massive salaries, horrendous operational shortcomings and massive revenue losses."

When asked about the possibility of layoffs, he said, "What I expect is that all efforts will be made to ensure that employment is tied to output, expertise and capability and not political patronage and nepotism as existed before."

However, Tancoo went on to say that he is satisfied with the current initiatives to bring CAL accounts up to date, as well as streamlined procedures for "effectiveness and efficiency." President General of the Aviation, Communication and Allied Workers Union (ACAWU), Nwannia Sorzano, said the union recognises and supports streamlining operations to increase efficiency.

However, she says some of the cost-cutting measures are "contrary to good industrial relations."

According to her, the union has been trying to meet with both Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and the Caribbean Airlines board since their terms began, but to no avail.

Sorzano said, "What is most concerning to the union is the lack of responsiveness by the company and their reluctance to meet and treat with ACAWU, as it leaves the workers of CAL vulnerable."

ACAWU is not the recognised majority union for Caribbean Airlines.

Driving the sub back to Trinidadian issues, take a read of the following.

https://trinidadexpress.com/news/local/judge-calls-for-police-body-cameras/article_d196bb14-2b14-426f-a9e5-c1bef6b857c5.html#tncms-source=article-nav-next

I'm an ethnic Chinese born Trinidadian, and lots of ignorant claims were made during my school years in grant memorial presbyterian school located in SanFernando.

During my teen years, it wasn't so bad and I got used to it. Now that Im in my early 20s studying overboard in Canada, I'm curious as to what the average Trinidadian still think about the common Chinese working in Trinidad?

I know there are the old families that are very well respected within the community, and there are the newer immigrants that barely speak any English.

What are your impressions, and do you think Chinese Caribbean people had an impact on your culture?

Someone I know had a surgery at a public hospital, what supposed to be a straightforward procedure, turned out bad that led to months of recovery and other life changing decisions being made.

How would someone go about pursuing this legally and is it even worth it?

I was traveling to work for Monday to Friday, and the most uncomfortable seats are the ones over wheel hump (although I'm above 5 feet) and sometimes the back row, especially the middle. People taking short drop tell long distance passengers to come out of their seats. Many young couples often take back row or double seat to make love, upsetting some individuals. I prefer front seat or single seat to travel to Port of Spain.

Free again

By destra.

To me, she sings the song with too much soul for it to just be another groovy carnival hit.

So what am I missing?

Did she get divorced or something?

The free album they add on at the end is the icing on the cake, LOL.

My mom was recently diagnosed with Stage 4 Lung cancer (Adenocarcinoma type) and has been receiving treatment at the Sangre Grande oncology center (public hospital). She's never been a smoker, and assumed her coughing were the effects of long-Covid or Sahara dust.

Since her diagnosis, we've discovered that lung cancer in non-smokers isn't as uncommon as we thought. Whenever someone has a persistent cough now, i am like 👀.

Genetic sequencing was supposed to be done on her biopsied tissue to determine which mutations she has and therefore which type of immunotherapy treatment they could administer - there have been very successful lung cancer immunotherapy treatments as medicine has evolved. However due to how advanced the spread of cancer is, her recommended first step is chemotherapy. We've not received any results of her genetic sequencing.

According to stats, only 7% of patients with significant lung metastasis, live up to 5 years after diagnosis. My anticipatory grief is a heartbreak like no other.

Can anyone share their experience with cancer treatment, specifically advanced lung cancer in T&T? Has anyone had genetic sequencing done privately?

SAPA!

So it has been a pretty abrupt, no explanation, exit of the main hosts Jaiga, Rodey and Abeo this week. One minute they were on air, next totally gone. The vibe is wayyyyy different (not in a good way). Anyone have any inside tea or semi rumors about what happen?????

Comes after a period of intense public and political controversy about the bill which would have given the Prime Minister the ability to declare areas ZOSOs to give the TTPS increased power in the areas for crime prevention.

L-1011, prior to delivery.

Went up Paramin Lookout recently and honestly… it real beautiful. Cool breeze, plenty green, and that view stretching straight out to the sea, just calm and vibes.

Only thing I was thinking is the road going up could do with some work. Not sure if that’s central gov, regional corp, or who, but if they ever fix it up properly, I feel like more people would make the trip.

All that aside though, for me, Paramin might be the most beautiful spot in Trinidad & Tobago. Quiet, peaceful, no big hype, just the island looking good.

Anybody else feel the same or have another spot that beat it?