Caption: Minister of Land and Legal Affairs Saddam Hosien. AZP News/Prior Beharry

Summary

• Increased Eid Funding: The Government has boosted State funding for Eid celebrations to $1.3 million, expanding financial support from 12 to 22 Islamic organisations to help those in need.
• Decade-Long Wait Ends: The Muslim community has officially received the deed of title for land to establish a new cemetery, a process that took over ten years to finalise.
• Repatriation & Security Updates: Minister Saddam Hosein confirmed ongoing, cautious efforts to repatriate T&T nationals from the Middle East.

 

By Prior Beharry

IN a move to expand support for the Muslim community, the Government has increased State funding for Eid celebrations to $1.3 million, benefiting a significantly wider array of Islamic organisations this year.

Legal Affairs Minister Saddam Hosein made the announcement during a post-Cabinet news conference at the Diplomatic Centre in St Ann’s. The newly approved $1.3 million marks a $300,000 increase from the $1 million allocated in 2025. Consequently, the funding will now be distributed among 22 Islamic groups, compared to just 12 last year.

Hosein noted that the expanded allocation will allow more jamaats and non-governmental organisations to assist the needy during the holy observance. However, he clarified that the funds will not be disbursed immediately. To ensure accountability, the groups must first go through a standard process of checks and balances, which includes submitting official records and invoices.

In another major development for the Muslim community, Hosein confirmed that the official deed of title for a parcel of land designated for a new Muslim cemetery was handed over earlier that day. The community had been waiting for the deed for over a decade following an initial Cabinet Note. Hosein said that acquiring the official title was a necessary legal step to finally begin developing the land.

Repatriation and diplomatic balancing

During the briefing, Minister Hosein also provided an update on the Government’s efforts to repatriate Trinidad and Tobago nationals currently in the Middle East.

As vice-chairman of the Cabinet sub-committee handling the issue, Hosein said that the group has met several times and remains deeply sensitive to the ongoing situation in the region. However, he stressed the need for extreme caution and diplomatic balance.

“We have to balance the situation very carefully,” Hosein said, noting that T&T maintains close alliances both with the United States and Middle Eastern nations, including Saudi Arabia.

He added that his previously expressed personal views on the Middle East conflict would not alter the committee’s careful diplomatic approach.