AGP Executive Report

Digital Payments: Trinidad and Tobago is set to launch an India-based UPI real-time payments platform, aiming to cut cash use and payment costs while boosting interoperability and accessibility, with technical support and skills transfer from NPCI. AI & Energy Tech: Caribbean AI Agency chief Andre Samuel argues T&T should back large-scale data centres, leveraging the country’s energy infrastructure as a foundation for a stronger digital economy. Stormwater & Climate Risk: A Trini-linked research team highlights how stormwater management failures can worsen climate impacts across Caribbean small island states, with societal knock-ons. Water & Infrastructure: A Tobago rideshare partnership (TITL and TT Caribe) will enable a safer, non-data connection option for riders and drivers. Aviation Infrastructure: Officials say landslip and slope stabilisation works won’t delay Tobago’s new airport terminal opening, with systems testing planned. Public Safety Tech: TTPS defends “micro-police units” and mobile deployments, saying they’ll use crime data to improve rapid response and incident command. Security Cooperation: The US activates a Joint Task Force Western Hemisphere to coordinate operations with T&T and partners against narco-terrorist networks. Local Crime: Two people are charged with murder in a Chaguanas stabbing tied to a TT$4,500 debt dispute. Governance & Process: A row continues over a planned joint army-police post at Eddie Hart Grounds after claims it was built over an NGC gas pipeline without proper consultation. Public Health: Noise pollution advocates warn it’s escalating into violence, calling for stronger action.

Digital Payments Upgrade: Trinidad and Tobago is set to launch a real-time payments platform based on India’s UPI, with the Ministry of Digital Transformation signing the deal with NPCI International in 2024—aimed at cutting cash use, lowering payment costs, improving access, and boosting interoperability. AI + Energy Debate: A Caribbean AI agency leader is pushing for large-scale data centres as T&T’s next growth pillar, arguing the country can leverage its energy infrastructure to attract global tech firms. Stormwater Research: A Trini-led team is advancing stormwater management research for Caribbean small island states, warning that weak systems can turn heavy rain into major economic and public health damage. Tobago Airport Safety: Officials say landslip and slope stabilisation works won’t delay the new ANR Robinson terminal opening, with separate preparations and system checks continuing. Noise Pollution Warning: A local forum hears that excessive noise is escalating into violence, with calls for stronger public health action. Chocolate Traceability Tech: UWI Cocoa Research Centre work uses a QR-linked traceability app and near-infrared chemical “fingerprints” to verify bean origin and fight mislabelling. Policing Tech + Local Tensions: TTPS defends upgraded mobile “micro-police units” using crime data, while a Tacarigua army-police post dispute over consultation and a possible gas pipeline continues.

World Steelpan Day (Panazz documentary): In Washington, DC, Panazz: The Story was screened to mark World Steelpan Day, with former Panazz leader Barry Bartholomew tracing how a Harvard school assignment turned into an internationally recognised documentary project. Tobago rideshare tech: Tobago’s Go-4 ride-hailing app signed an MoU with TITL to launch a safer “non data” connection option for riders and drivers across the island. Security tech & policing rollout: TTPS defended its upgraded mobile micro-police units, saying they’re data-led for rapid response and enhanced capacity, while a separate controversy over a Tacarigua army-police post has sparked clashes over consultation and whether construction began over a National Gas Company pipeline. Energy sector update: BP agreed to buy Woodside’s 70% stake in the Calypso offshore gas project, moving toward full ownership and operator status pending approvals. Road safety model: The IDB highlighted Cemex’s road-safety programme as a regional best practice, citing a 54% drop in accidents linked to its operations over six years. STEM in education: MarineLab’s Caribbean Teacher Initiative wrapped a workshop week for educators focused on marine ecology fieldwork and water-quality monitoring, with plans for local action projects.

Public Safety & Tech in Policing: TTPS says upgraded mobile “micro-police units” (not brand-new) are being procured to boost mobility, capacity, and tech use, with deployment guided by its Crime and Problem Analysis Branch. Local Governance & Infrastructure Risk: The Eddie Hart Savannah police post fight escalated as Tunapuna/Piarco Regional Corporation chair Josiah Austin alleged construction began over an NGC gas pipeline without proper consultation, while ministers said the project is lawful and will continue. Security Cooperation: The US activated a Joint Task Force Western Hemisphere to coordinate military operations against transnational criminal networks, citing Trinidad and Tobago’s role in the Americas Counter Cartel Coalition. Mobility & Digital Services (Tobago): TITL and TT Caribe (Go-4) signed an MoU to launch a safer, non-data ride-hailing connection option for Tobago. Energy & Deepwater Development: BP agreed to buy Woodside’s 70% stake in the Calypso offshore gas project, moving toward full ownership and operator status pending approvals. STEM Education & Research: MarineLab’s Caribbean Teacher Initiative wrapped a workshop week training educators in marine ecology and field survey methods, with plans for local action projects. Crime Case: Two people were charged with the murder of a 25-year-old woman in Chaguanas after a confrontation tied to a TT$4,500 debt.

Food Security in Tobago: THA’s Division of Food Security wants to lift Tobago’s low agricultural output by boosting participation, with World Food Day activities running Sept 7–Nov 26 and school caravans aimed at young people, framed as a science- and precision-driven sector. Policing Tech Debate: TTPS says its mobile police units aren’t new, but upgraded micro-police units with more officers and advanced tech, deployed using crime data from its Crime and Problem Analysis Branch to support rapid response and community engagement. AI Governance: A new piece argues companies need context-aware AI policies tied to their real contracts and data, warning against generic templates that create risky, unenforceable commitments. Tobago Rideshare Upgrade: TITL is backing a new Tobago rideshare model (Go-4) with tech support for driver/passenger accountability and safety, including tracking and a 24/7 dispatch setup. Energy Sector Move: BP will buy Woodside’s 70% stake in the Calypso deepwater gas project offshore Trinidad, moving to full ownership and operatorship, with closing expected by end-2026 pending approvals. Road Safety Model: An IDB report highlights Cemex’s road-safety programme (including tech, training, and monitoring) as a regional best practice that cut accidents involving its operations by 54% over six years. Women in STEM & Conservation: IWFTT will honour Roberta Clarke, Prof Christine Carrington and Dr Diva Amon at its Inspirational Women Awards Gala on Sept 29.

Energy & Industry: BP has agreed to buy Woodside Energy’s 70% stake in the Calypso deepwater gas project in Block TTDAA 14 offshore Trinidad and Tobago, moving BP to 100% ownership and operatorship once approvals are in place; the deal is expected to close by end-2026, with Calypso sitting in ~2,100m water depth and built on earlier appraisal drilling. Road Safety (Private Sector Tech): An IDB report spotlights Caribbean Cement/Cemex’s road-safety programme as a regional model, citing a 54% drop in accidents linked to its operations over six years, using training plus technology to reduce blind spots and improve monitoring. Tobago Tech & Mobility: Tobago Information Technology Limited (TITL) is backing a new rideshare push via Go-4 Rideshare, adding tech support for driver legitimacy checks, trip tracking, and safer booking records—especially for women drivers. Policy Watch: Government is keeping details tight on a proposed ID law requiring citizens 16+ to carry valid identification in public, with penalties and specifics still under review. STEM Events (Local): TITL also tees up an “AI Ready Tobago” symposium on Aug 13 to help businesses, public bodies, educators and young professionals prepare for AI.

Tobago Tech & Transport: Tobago Information Technology Limited (TITL) is backing a new rideshare push with Go-4, adding 24/7 monitoring and driver verification to improve accountability and safety for riders, including women. AI Infrastructure Debate: A new report argues governments should build trusted digital public infrastructure first, warning that AI adoption without the “rails” can repeat earlier tech hype mistakes. AI Data Centers Race: Small countries are betting big on AI data centres, but the piece flags the hard question of whether energy and water demands can be met. Energy Policy Watch: Critics say T&TEC stopped taking power from the 92MW Brechin Castle solar farm, raising concerns about planning and whether T&T’s renewable transition is being undermined. Skills & Credentials Gap: Education officials report thousands of students are leaving school without full CXC/CSEC qualifications, and the ministry is moving to upskill technical-vocational pathways. Regional Security Tech: T&T’s counter-terrorism strategy is shifting toward financial oversight, border controls, and inter-agency cooperation to disrupt illicit networks.

Energy & Grid Reliability: T&TEC has stopped taking power from the 92MW Brechin Castle Solar farm, drawing sharp criticism that the move could derail T&T’s energy transition and waste a major renewables investment. Education & Skills Pipeline: Government says thousands of students are leaving school without full CXC/CSEC credentials, with SEA results showing large gaps before secondary school even ends. AI Readiness for Tobago: TITL is pushing an “AI Ready Tobago” symposium (Aug 13) to help businesses, the public sector, educators and young professionals adopt AI responsibly. Cyber/AI Governance: Qualys expands TotalAI to help organisations assess and govern enterprise AI risk from design to production, aimed at meeting US/EU safe-AI policy needs. Security & Finance: T&T’s counter-terrorism strategy is shifting toward stronger financial intelligence, customs modernisation and tighter inter-agency cooperation to disrupt illicit funding and cross-border activity. Local Business & Tech: Scotiabank T&T is named “Best Bank 2026” by Euromoney, citing digital transformation and tech-led client services. Weather Watch (Regional): Tropical Storm Maymay continues to threaten Northern Luzon with TCWS No. 2 conditions and heavy rain risk.

Education & Skills Gap: Trinidad and Tobago’s Education Ministry says thousands of school leavers are exiting without full academic credentials, citing gaps from SEA results through CSEC participation, while officials move to upskill technical-vocational offerings in selected secondary schools. AI & Local Tech Export: Intellico AI Agency Ltd has started operations with plans to export AI-driven software and services globally, including an ERP suite launching Aug. 26, aiming for foreign exchange and large-scale job creation. Road Tech for Potholes: New Wave Road Solutions via EZ Street Caribbean is promoting a polymer-modified cold asphalt for faster, durable pothole repairs that can be applied directly from the bag. Security Strategy: Government is strengthening counter-terrorism with more financial oversight, border controls, and inter-agency coordination under the 2025 National Counterterrorism Strategy. Counter-Terrorism Policing Model: Police-army joint posts are being rolled out to boost community visibility and rapid response, with officials rejecting claims they mirror ZOSO. Research Spotlight (Local): Rose-Hulman’s Mitchel Daniel publishes on evolution and mate choice using Trinidadian guppies as a case study. STEM in the Region (Global): Tropical Storm Maymay (Kujira) intensifies and makes landfall in the Philippines, with widespread wind-signal coverage and heavy rain forecasts.

AI Jobs Watch: A new World Bank report says high-income countries face the biggest exposure to AI-driven job displacement, with 14.2% of jobs highly automatable versus 4.5% in low- and middle-income economies. Local Tech Push: Trinidad and Tobago’s Intellico AI Agency Ltd has started operations, aiming to export AI-driven software and services; its ERP suite is set to launch Aug. 26. Energy & Industry: Altitude Water is partnering with Winged Solar Solutions to pair atmospheric water generators with modular solar-plus-battery systems, targeting power-and-water needs in Africa and the Caribbean. Security & Policing: Trinidad and Tobago plans 30 joint police-army posts over four months to boost visibility and rapid response during the State of Emergency, with Defence Minister Wayne Sturge rejecting claims it’s a ZOSO-style move. Maritime Tragedy Update: Guyana has called off active search and recovery for MV Barima victims, though the MRCC remains open and forensic identification continues. Renewables Funding: IRENA opened a call for renewable energy project proposals across Central America and the Caribbean, including Trinidad and Tobago, with priority for submissions before Sept. 1.

Renewables & Resilience: IRENA opened a funding call for renewable energy projects across Central America and the Caribbean, including Trinidad and Tobago, prioritizing proposals before Sept. 1 and covering solar, wind, hydro, geothermal, clean transport, green hydrogen and even sargassum-based energy. Water-Tech Collaboration: Altitude Water announced a partnership with Winged Solar Solutions to pair atmospheric water generators with modular solar-plus-battery systems for power-and-water delivery in places where grid access is unreliable—targeting opportunities in Africa and the Caribbean. Local Media Under Pressure: A Trinidad and Tobago government advertising freeze is compounding financial strain on independent journalism, with reporting noting decentralised ad spending and warnings that sudden cuts could weaken media pluralism. Security Infrastructure: Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar says 30 joint army-police posts will be established across T&T over four months under the State of Emergency, aiming to expand security presence in public spaces. STEM Talent Pipeline: Coralisle Group (CG) wrapped its 2026 summer internship programme, bringing students from six jurisdictions (including Trinidad) and placing interns across technology and other business functions.

Renewables & Resilience: IRENA opened a funding call for renewable energy projects across Central America and the Caribbean, including Trinidad and Tobago, with support via its Climate Investment Platform and Energy Transition Finance Accelerator (solar, wind, hydro, geothermal, clean transport, green hydrogen and more). Energy + Water Tech: Altitude Water announced a collaboration with Winged Solar Solutions to pair atmospheric water generators with modular solar and battery systems for power-and-water delivery in places with weak or costly infrastructure. Cyber & Smart Cities: T&T and Israel began discussions on cybersecurity and smart-city partnerships, alongside modern agriculture and healthcare, framed around UN Sustainable Development Goals. Digital Economy Pressure: A local business consultant says AI and overseas expansion are becoming necessities for Trinidad and Tobago firms facing foreign exchange strain. Local Security Tech-Adjacent: The PM announced 30 joint army-police posts to expand security presence across Trinidad and Tobago over four months. Media Watch: Journalists warn a government advertising freeze is hard to quantify but could further squeeze independent news funding.

AI & Business Costs: A new report warns that AI “labor savings” are often eaten up by rising spending on compute and maintenance, with firms shifting budgets from wages to technology. Local Tech & Policy: Trinidad and Tobago is also in talks with Israel on cybersecurity and smart cities, alongside agriculture and healthcare projects. Transport & Tax Tech: Government restored tax exemptions for qualifying mild hybrid vehicles after Customs reclassification sparked fears of higher prices. Digital Payments: First Citizens raised concerns about last-minute changes to the U-Turn online payment system, questioning fees and who bears responsibility for costs. Regional Trade Shock: The US tariff net tied to forced-labour claims is hitting Caribbean exporters, including Trinidad and Tobago, with 10–12.5% import tariffs. STEM Careers: Coralisle Group/CG Insurance wrapped an eight-week internship programme drawing students from six jurisdictions, including Trinidad. Maritime Safety: Officers used sonar and an underwater vehicle after a boating incident at Monument Lake, recovering a missing man.

AI and costs: A new report argues that “labor savings” from AI are often eaten up by rising spending on compute and AI upkeep, with Caribbean nearshore firms (including Trinidad) seeing the shift from wages to infrastructure. Local tech and business: A Trinidad-based consultant says foreign-currency pressure and fast AI change mean companies need tech and overseas expansion, not just local sales. Cyber and smart cities: Trinidad and Tobago and Israel have begun talks on cybersecurity and smart-city projects, alongside modern agriculture and healthcare, framed around UN Sustainable Development Goals. Transport tech policy: Government restored tax exemptions for qualifying mild hybrid vehicles after Customs reclassification sparked price concerns—dealers say engineering proof helped unlock the exemptions. Health tech abroad: A Delhi-NCR hospital says it implanted the Pivot Extend System for a Trinidad and Tobago patient with severe tricuspid valve leakage, positioning it as a first for the region. Energy uncertainty: As a Pointe-a-Pierre refinery restart looms, a former Petrotrin chair warns scepticism remains over contract terms after a 2026 amendment bill. Digital payments governance: First Citizens raised questions about adding WiPay and NPICTT to the U-Turn online ticketing and fine-payment system, warning it could affect transaction costs and accountability. Regional STEM education: The Caribbean Union of Teachers concluded its 2026 executive meeting in Port of Spain and signed an MoU with Cipriani College to support research and policy advocacy for educators.

Transport & Clean Tech: Trinidad and Tobago’s mild hybrid vehicle tax exemptions are back in place after Finance Minister Davendranath Tancoo reversed a Customs reclassification, following TTADA’s push to prove the vehicles are genuine hybrids with an electric motor—dealers can now clear qualifying imports without the added taxes. Digital Government & Payments: First Citizens Bank has questioned last-minute additions of WiPay and NPICTT to the U-Turn online traffic ticket payment system, warning the revised setup could raise transaction costs and create unclear responsibility for fees and accountability. Health Tech Access: A Trinidad and Tobago patient with advanced right heart failure reportedly received a rare “Pivot Extend” transcatheter implant in India, with the hospital calling it a first for the Delhi-NCR region and a first international use there. Energy & Industry Risk: As the Pointe-a-Pierre refinery restart looms, former Petrotrin chair Wilfred Espinet remains sceptical, arguing new legal terms could make any restart “predetermined” to fail. Cyber & Smart Cities: T&T and Israel are discussing partnerships spanning cybersecurity, smart cities, modern agriculture and healthcare, aligned to UN Sustainable Development Goals. AI for Business: A local business consultant says FX shortages and AI are forcing firms to compete beyond the domestic market, pushing overseas earnings and AI adoption as practical survival moves.

Cyber & Smart-City Talks: Trinidad and Tobago and Israel have begun discussions on cybersecurity and smart cities, with MASHAV’s director general highlighting projects in national security, modern agriculture, and healthcare aligned to UN SDGs. AI for Business Survival: A local business consultant says FX shortages and fast-rising AI mean firms must expand overseas and adopt AI to stay competitive, not just depend on the domestic market. Energy Sector Scrutiny: As the Pointe-a-Pierre refinery restart looms, former Petrotrin chair Wilfred Espinet warns the restart may be set up for failure due to contract and restructuring conditions. Digital Payments Friction: First Citizens Bank has questioned last-minute additions of WiPay and NPICTT to the U-Turn online payment system, warning transaction costs and accountability could be affected. Health Tech Breakthrough (Regional): A Delhi-NCR hospital says it performed the region’s first Pivot Extend System implant for a Trinidad and Tobago patient with severe tricuspid valve leakage. Deep-Sea Science & Governance: The ISA’s deep-sea science and ocean governance were discussed in dialogues with live sampling work near Trinidad and Tobago.