AGP Executive Report

ZOSO Overhaul: The Government is bringing back Parliament with a revised Zones of Special Operations (ZOSO) approach, now framed as a Special Operations Bill, including body-worn cameras, human-rights training, and medical care for detainees. Hospital Safety: Port of Spain General Hospital’s maternity unit was evacuated after smoke from a newly installed air-conditioning unit; staff and NICU babies were safely moved and later returned. Nurses Urge Caution: The North Central Regional Health Authority’s new patient care shuttle at EWMSC is rolling out with golf carts for campus transport, but the nurses’ association says safety choices need careful review. School Security & Health: San Juan North Secondary School remains closed as teachers refuse to return over safety concerns; an OSHA report cited hazardous perimeter fencing and risks to staff and students. Healthy Ageing in Tobago: Tobago hosted a Healthy Ageing and Frailty Prevention workshop, highlighting rising heart complications and the need for better prevention and services. Mobile Clinic Boost: UNFPA donated a fully equipped mobile health clinic to expand sexual and reproductive health and screening in underserved communities. Tobago Autopsy Delay: A Tobago schoolboy’s case remains in limbo as an autopsy has been postponed. Public Health Surveillance: PAHO and CARPHA convened Caribbean countries to strengthen respiratory virus monitoring and lab preparedness.

Hospital Safety & Maternal Care: Port of Spain General Hospital’s maternity unit was evacuated after smoke from a newly installed air-conditioning unit triggered the fire alarm; TT Fire Service cleared the building and NICU babies were safely returned with no adverse events reported. Tobago Justice Update: A Tobago schoolboy’s case is in limbo as an autopsy into the death of 70-year-old Leon Scotland has been postponed, with a new date yet to be set. Public Health Access: UNFPA donated a fully equipped mobile health clinic to the Ministry of Health, to be operated by FPATT, bringing sexual and reproductive health services, screening, diagnostics and emergency care to underserved communities. Community Health & Prevention: CARPHA’s CariPHLN workshop in Barbados focused on strengthening Caribbean lab preparedness and faster detection and response to health threats, with Trinidad among participating countries. Mental Health & Support: A 22-year-old UWI law student, Tiffany Raghoonanan, was laid to rest after relatives said she had been dealing with depression for years, urging people to check on those quietly struggling. Policy & Oversight: Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar says revised ZOSO legislation will require body-worn cameras for officers in special zones, alongside safeguards including training, medical care for detainees and complaint recording.

Hospital Safety Update: NWRHA says all patients and staff are safe after a fire alarm activation at the POSGH Maternity Unit on Sept. 16, caused by a burning air-conditioning component; NICU patients were evacuated and all babies were accounted for and returned after TTFS cleared the unit. Community Healthcare Access: UNFPA donated a fully equipped mobile health clinic to the Ministry of Health, operated by FPATT, to bring sexual and reproductive health services, screening, diagnostics and emergency care to underserved areas. Mental Health & Suicide Support: A 22-year-old UWI law student, Tiffany Raghoonanan, was laid to rest after relatives said she had been battling depression for years, renewing calls to check in on people who may be quietly struggling. Health System & Accountability: PM Persad-Bissessar accused the former administration of a “con job” over “practical completion” of the POSGH Central Block, while saying the block is nearing final stages with staffing and outfitting plans. Public Health Policy: The Public Health (Amendment) Bill moved forward in the Senate, with changes aimed at construction approvals and oversight roles. Wellness & Prevention: MoH messaging highlights rising child overweight and obesity rates, pushing for better lifestyle and nutrition standards. Justice & Inequality: Legal practitioner Jomo Thomas criticized selective public reporting and harsher treatment of low-level offenders compared with high-level financial misconduct.

Public Health Oversight & Corruption: In the Senate, Minister Khadijah Ameen urged the public to report corrupt building and public health inspectors taking bribes, warning that approvals can be undermined when people “grease the wheel.” Health Policy Update: The Public Health (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill moved forward, with Government saying construction-permitting changes won’t remove the Minister of Health’s oversight of public health. Regional Lab Readiness: CARPHA’s workshop in Barbados brought together Caribbean lab directors to strengthen how quickly health threats are detected and addressed. Mental Health Urgency: A call for stronger suicide prevention action follows reports of two young women dying by suicide in Trinidad, including a 15-year-old student and a 21-year-old law student. Nutrition & Obesity Watch: The Ministry of Health is sounding the alarm that one in four children is overweight or obese, pointing to ongoing efforts around NCD prevention and school nutrition standards. Tobago Health Centre Theft: $17,011 is reported missing from the Bacolet Health Centre cafeteria vault as police investigate. Cancer Screening Push: Former footballer Shaka Hislop shared his prostate cancer update and urged men to get PSA tests. Youth & STEM Inspiration: Medical student Kaitlyn Sahatoo returned from an India space programme, linking STEM opportunities to future healthcare gains for T&T. Fisheries Resilience: A US$12.55M regional project (CC4FISH-II) launched to build climate and disaster resilience in Caribbean fisheries, including Trinidad and Tobago.

Public Health Law Update: The Public Health (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill moved to the Senate, with Government saying oversight of public health stays with the Minister of Health while changing how County Medical Officers of Health fit into construction approvals. Mental Health & Suicide Prevention: Two reported suicides in Trinidad—one a 15-year-old student and another a 21-year-old UWI law student—have renewed calls for stronger mental health support and awareness. Health Centre Theft in Tobago: $17,011 is reported missing from the Bacolet Health Centre cafeteria vault, with police investigating and checking sales records. Mental Health Data Push: PANCAP marks World Suicide Prevention Day urging stronger mental health action across families, schools, workplaces and faith groups, citing high suicide mortality rates in the region including T&T. Doctors’ Advertising Watch: The Medical Board of Trinidad and Tobago is reviewing guidelines on doctors promoting services on social media, including concerns about misleading claims and incentives. Regional Health Leadership: PAHO and UWI completed a postgraduate health policy and systems programme cohort, training professionals from across the Caribbean including T&T. Wellness & Youth: Caribbean Wellness Day 2026 messaging focuses on engaging, empowering and elevating youth to make healthier choices through better access and supportive environments. Cocoa & Healthier Treats: Tobago’s chocolate lab initiative links students and the cocoa industry, with Health officials urging mindful choices amid chronic disease concerns.

Health Leadership: PAHO and UWI wrapped up a postgraduate Health Policy and Health Systems programme, training 11 health professionals across eight Caribbean countries, including Trinidad and Tobago—aimed at strengthening health workforce planning, non-communicable disease response, and emergency readiness. Mental Health & Suicide: On World Suicide Prevention Day, PANCAP urged stronger, whole-of-society action as PAHO data flags high suicide mortality rates in Guyana, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago; locally, recent deaths of a 15-year-old student and a 21-year-old law student have renewed calls for counselling access and suicide awareness. Youth & Wellness: Caribbean Wellness Day 2026 was framed around engaging, empowering and elevating young people—shifting from telling youth what to do to creating environments where healthier choices are realistic and supported. Nutrition & Prevention: Tobago’s cocoa boost includes a new chocolate lab for students, with health officials urging mindful choices to help reduce chronic disease risk. Community Safety: Calls continue for the State to apologise to people detained without charge as the state of emergency winds down. Environment & Health: A study reports Tobago’s Atlantic-facing beaches are dominated by plastic debris, highlighting a public health and marine protection concern. Local Health Regulation: The Medical Board is reviewing rules on doctors’ social media advertising, focusing on misleading claims and undisclosed financial incentives.

Suicide Prevention Focus: PANCAP marked World Suicide Prevention Day by urging stronger mental health action across the Caribbean, citing high suicide mortality rates in Guyana, Suriname and Trinidad & Tobago and calling for support beyond the health sector. Local Mental Health Urgency: Trinidad and Tobago reported two recent suicide deaths—one a 15-year-old student and another a 21-year-old UWI law student—prompting renewed calls for counselling access and awareness. Youth Wellness Push: Caribbean Wellness Day 2026 spotlighted “Engage, Empower and Elevate Youth,” stressing that young people need practical, affordable, safe environments to make healthier choices. Tobago Nutrition & Skills: Tobago’s cocoa boost continues with a new chocolate lab at Mt St George School and Trinitario, giving students training to add value to local beans while promoting healthier options. Medical Ethics Online: The Medical Board of Trinidad and Tobago is reviewing guidelines on doctors’ social media advertising, including concerns about false claims and undisclosed financial incentives. Environment & Health: A Tobago coastal debris study found most marine litter is plastic, with Atlantic waves driving much of what washes ashore.

Suicide Prevention Push: Two young women in Trinidad died by suicide within 48 hours—one a 15-year-old student in Central Trinidad and the other a 21-year-old UWI law student found unresponsive in St Augustine—prompting renewed calls for mental health support and awareness. Mental Health at Work: A new study links remote-friendly jobs plus living alone to higher social isolation and worse mental distress, adding pressure as companies push return-to-office plans. Dietitian on Dark Chocolate: A dietitian explains why dark chocolate can offer heart-related benefits from cocoa polyphenols, but not every bar is equal—processing can reduce key compounds. Doctors’ Advertising Review: Trinidad and Tobago’s Medical Board is reviewing rules on doctors promoting services on social media, focusing on misleading claims, named-doctor ads, and undisclosed financial incentives. Youth Wellness Spotlight: Caribbean Wellness Day returns with a youth-first theme, urging better environments for physical and mental well-being as NCDs drive most deaths. Community Safety & Health: ZOSO plans are being shaped as a holistic community intervention in Tunapuna, while TTUTA raises school safety concerns after an intruder robbed a teacher at San Juan North Secondary. Environmental Health: Tobago’s Atlantic beaches are seeing heavy plastic debris, with research pointing to ocean currents and winds—not just local waste—as major drivers.

Medical Regulation Watch: The Medical Board of Trinidad and Tobago is reviewing guidelines on doctors’ advertising, focusing on social media promotions, claims about treatment outcomes, and financial inducements. Child Safety & Liability: The Tobago House of Assembly denies liability in the Pigeon Point jet ski death of seven-year-old Angelica Jogie, saying responsibility rests with the operator; the case is tied to alleged duty-of-care failures and ongoing legal action. Heat & School Wellness: Cooling fans were donated to heat-affected primary schools in Trinidad to help create safer, cooler classrooms for students. Youth Wellness Push: Caribbean Wellness Day returns on Sept 12 with a youth-focused theme on mind, body and wellness, urging better environments and support to cut the burden of non-communicable diseases. Public Health Systems: Government is moving to digitise public health records, while PAHO backs efforts to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV, syphilis and hepatitis B. Community Health & Access: A local outreach initiative supports youth and teen parents with wellness services, including doula and postpartum support. School Safety: TTUTA backs teachers at San Juan North Secondary after an intruder robbed a teacher, calling for urgent safety fixes to perimeter fencing and overgrown areas.

ZOSO Bill Return: Homeland Security Minister Roger Alexander says the Zones of Special Operations approach is more than arrests, pairing security with community development, and the ZOSO Bill will be brought back to Parliament after the SoE ends Sept 17. THA Liability Denied: The Tobago House of Assembly rejects liability in the Pigeon Point jet ski death of seven-year-old Angelica Jogie, saying the operator is solely responsible. Medical Ads Under Review: Trinidad and Tobago’s Medical Board is reviewing doctors’ social media advertising rules, focusing on false outcome claims, named-doctor promos, and undisclosed financial incentives. Youth Wellness Push: Caribbean Wellness Day 2026 rolls out region-wide under “Our Mind. Our Body. Our Wellness,” urging youth-focused action to tackle the high NCD burden. School Safety Alarm: TTUTA backs San Juan North Secondary teachers after an intruder stole from a classroom, citing long-running perimeter fence and overgrown-vegetation concerns. Procurement Watch: The Office of Procurement Regulation flags $16B in awards but warns of weak reporting, limited competition, and about $3B in unfulfilled contracts. Heat & Health Support: Cooling fans were donated to heat-affected primary schools to help create safer, cooler classrooms.

Medication Access & Reform: Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar says medication shortages are being worsened by bureaucracy and outdated drug approval rules, with cheaper medicines reportedly stuck for up to a year due to a non-functioning committee and an old medical formulary. Public Procurement Watch: The Office of Procurement Regulation flags $16B in procurement awards for 2024/2025, but warns of poor reporting, limited competition, and about $3B in unfulfilled contracts—calling it a critical inflection point for compliance and accountability. Youth Wellness Push: Caribbean Wellness Day returns Saturday, Sept. 12, with a youth-focused theme on mind, body and wellness, urging Caribbean governments to build environments that make healthy choices practical and accessible. Tobago Plastic Pollution: A new study finds 97% of debris on Tobago’s Atlantic-facing beaches is plastic, pointing to ocean currents and winds as key drivers—not just local population pressure. School Safety & Health: TTUTA backs teachers at San Juan North Secondary after an intruder allegedly stole from a classroom, citing long-standing perimeter fence and overgrown vegetation risks; in Tobago, education support is planned for a teen released after a relative’s death while awaiting the autopsy. Community Health in Action: Palmiste Park fruit trees are being protected after thefts of previously planted trees, with residents urged to help guard the new orchard.

Caribbean Wellness Day 2026: CARPHA is urging Caribbean communities to put youth wellness first ahead of Saturday, Sept. 12, with a focus on young people’s physical and mental well-being and creating environments that make healthier choices possible. School Safety & Student Support: TTUTA is backing teachers and students at San Juan North Secondary after an intruder allegedly robbed a teacher and stole a vehicle key, prompting a walkout until occupational safety checks are done; in Tobago, education officials say a teen released from custody will get support services as he reintegrates into school. Medication Access: Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar says medication registration delays are tied to an inactive committee and outdated rules, leaving people waiting up to a year for cheaper options. Heat & Learning: Gymnast Ali Coles helped deliver cooling fans to heat-affected primary schools in Trinidad to make classrooms safer and more comfortable. Suicide Prevention Push: PANCAP is calling for stronger suicide prevention across CARICOM, pointing to isolation, stigma, and discrimination as key barriers to mental health support. Food Security Move: Government launched Public Fruit and Food Orchards to turn underused public spaces into community orchards, using digital mapping to monitor progress.

Medication Access Overhaul: Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar says Trinidad and Tobago’s medicine shortages are tied to bureaucracy and outdated rules, with cheaper drugs reportedly stuck in registration for up to a year, and she’s pushing to overhaul the approval process. Public Health Leadership: PAHO and the University of the West Indies celebrated the graduation of a third cohort of a Health Policy and Health Systems programme, training health leaders from across the Caribbean, including Trinidad and Tobago. Suicide Prevention Push: PANCAP is calling for stronger suicide prevention across CARICOM, pointing to high suicide mortality rates and urging action that goes beyond the health sector to tackle stigma and isolation. Youth Wellness Support: Near Fresno City College, non-profits Mighty Community Advocacy and Boys 2 Men, Girls 2 Women are expanding support for teen parents and youth with doula services, tutoring, and wellness resources. Community Safety & Health: Minister Khadijah Ameen warned government won’t tolerate corruption in construction approvals, while police reported a deadly incident involving suspects in the killing of PC Romel Kerry Douglas. Local Health & Trauma: A Tobago teen was released from custody as authorities await an autopsy, and a Moruga man was critically injured in a cutlass attack after an argument.

Medicine Access & Regulation: Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar says medication shortages are being worsened by bureaucracy, an inactive committee, and outdated rules that delay registering cheaper drugs—even when WHO or the US FDA has approved them. Digital Health: Health Minister Dr Lackram Bo-doe says the Government is discussing an IDB-backed plan to digitise public patient records to cut reporting delays and improve waiting times, with TTWiFi launched at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex. Mental Health Urgency: PANCAP is urging stronger suicide prevention across CARICOM, pointing to high suicide mortality rates in Guyana, Suriname and Trinidad & Tobago and calling for action beyond the health sector. Suicide Crisis Call: Trinidad and Tobago Association of Psychologists president Victoria Siewnarine-Geelalsingh warns the country can’t ignore a “suicide crisis,” citing 478 suicides from 2020–2023. Public Health & Safety: Tobago’s THA denies liability in the fatal jet ski accident that killed 7-year-old Angelica Jogie, saying responsibility lies with the operator. Community Wellness & Food Security: Government launches Public Fruit and Food Orchards to turn underused public spaces into community orchards, supporting fresh food access and education.

Medicine Access Overhaul: Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar says medication registration delays are keeping patients from cheaper, effective drugs, pointing to an inactive committee, outdated rules, and an outdated medical formulary. Mental Health Push: PANCAP is urging stronger suicide prevention across CARICOM, citing high suicide mortality rates in Guyana, Suriname and Trinidad & Tobago and calling for action beyond the health sector. Suicide Crisis Warning: Trinidad and Tobago Association of Psychologists president Victoria Siewnarine-Geelalsingh says the country can no longer ignore a suicide crisis, urging open conversations and support to reduce stigma. Public Health Digital Upgrade: Health Minister Dr Lackram Boode says the Government is discussing an integrated health services programme with the IDB that could speed up reporting and expand digitisation of patient records. Hospital Connectivity: Free TT WiFi has launched at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex to help patients and staff stay connected while waiting for care. Tobago Teen Support: A Tobago teen held after a relative’s death has been released, with education support planned for reintegration and counselling assessment. Food Security in Communities: Government launched Public Fruit and Food Orchards to turn underused public spaces into community orchards using GIS mapping to monitor progress.

Suicide Prevention Push: A psychologist says Trinidad and Tobago can’t ignore a “suicide crisis,” citing 478 deaths between 2020–2023 and urging people to “start the conversation” as World Suicide Prevention Day is marked. Public Health Tech: Health Minister Dr Lackram Bodoe says the Government is in talks with the IDB on digitising public health records, aiming to cut delays in reporting results and improve patient experience. Connectivity for Care: Free TT WiFi has launched at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex to help patients and staff access services while waiting. Heat Safety Warning: The Health Ministry issues a heat-health alert, urging hydration, avoiding strenuous midday activity, and watching for heat exhaustion and heat stroke signs. Child Vision Screening: Phase Two of the Prime Minister’s Vision Initiative begins with Trinidad Eye Hospital eye-care checks at Five Islands Primary School. School Violence Response: TTUTA warns that suspensions and police alone won’t fix school violence, calling for prevention, intervention, support and rehabilitation. Local Injury Update: A 33-year-old man was critically injured in a Moruga cutlass attack and is reported to be stable after treatment. Tobago Beach Tragedy: The THA denies liability in the fatal jet ski accident involving 7-year-old Angelica Jogie, saying responsibility rests with the operator.