WACK 8 AM Full News & CPL — 13 September 2026

Full transcript

Speaker throughout: Jason Mcallister. This edition contains no external interview recordings.

8 AM News — 13 September 2026

Good morning. This is the eight a.m. news on WACK ninety point one FM. I'm Jason Mcallister. In this edition: a court ruling on prisoners' access to legal advice, police preparations for detainee releases, teachers' backpay, public procurement, and access to watersports in Tobago. We close with CPL cricket.

Court ruling — 42-day stay

The High Court has declared unconstitutional the twenty twenty amendment allowing law enforcement to intercept telephone conversations between prisoners and their lawyers. But the judge granted a forty-two-day stay, giving the State time to consider an appeal.

Justice Robin Mohammed delivered the ruling on Friday in a challenge brought by Lyndon Charles. The case concerned the protection of confidential communications between a client and an attorney.

The State argued that privilege should not extend to conversations conducted using prohibited cellphones. The judge rejected that general position, while making clear that privilege does not protect discussions of criminal conduct or plans.

The ruling found that the legislation interfered with prisoners' constitutional right to communicate with an attorney of their choosing. The judge also found that the amendment required a three-fifths majority in both houses of Parliament, but had received that level of support only in the Senate.

The State was ordered to pay legal costs. The stay is an important qualification: listeners should not interpret the judgment as an immediate, unrestricted right for prisoners to use cellphones.

Police — Detainee-release safeguards

The Police Service says it has made operational preparations for the phased release of people held under Preventive Detention Orders.

In a statement reported on Saturday, Deputy Commissioner of Police for Operations, Suzette Martin, said intelligence, investigative and operational units remain coordinated. Targeted operations and greater police visibility are planned where security assessments indicate they are needed.

The service says efforts against gang activity, illegal firearms and other serious threats will continue, alongside protection for victims, witnesses and vulnerable communities.

It also draws a clear distinction between release and grounds for further action. Revoking a detention order, or releasing someone, does not by itself justify police action against that person. Any continuing investigation or subsequent action must be based on evidence and the law.

Members of the public are being urged to remain vigilant and report criminal activity through the appropriate channels.

Education — Backpay reports

Some teachers are reporting arrears entries on their online payslips, but their union says it is still awaiting formal confirmation from the authorities.

The Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers' Association says members have seen backpay covering twenty twenty to twenty twenty-three represented on the online payroll system.

In its Saturday statement, the association said neither the Finance Ministry nor the Education Ministry had formally communicated with it about those payments. Its information was coming from members.

The union had previously said about nine hundred million dollars was allocated in the twenty twenty-five national budget for outstanding backpay. That allocation must not be confused with confirmation that the full amount has now been paid to everyone.

The reports follow months of uncertainty and union requests for a definitive payment date. The distinction this morning remains between what members can see on their payslips and an officially confirmed government payment update.

Public spending — Contracts and oversight

A procurement report tabled in Parliament on Friday describes significant weaknesses in public contracting.

According to the published account of the regulator's report, public bodies recorded sixteen billion dollars in procurement awards for fiscal twenty twenty-four to twenty twenty-five. About three billion dollars in contracts were unfulfilled, with almost all of that category classified as incomplete or delayed. These figures are not a finding that three billion dollars was stolen.

The report highlights poor-quality reporting and limited competition. Quarterly reporting compliance never exceeded sixty-three point eight per cent. Missing dates, classification problems and suspected duplicate reporting restricted oversight.

Procurement regulator Beverly Khan says public bodies must embed the requirements in their governance and decision-making. The planned response includes stronger monitoring, expanded audits and investigations, and electronic government procurement. Proposed administrative fines are among the measures identified; they should not be presented as penalties already introduced.

Tobago — Access to watersports

In Tobago, an ongoing community initiative is opening opportunities for people with disabilities to participate in watersports.

A newly published feature follows Shivani Goberdhan, a speech-language pathologist and former national freediving record-holder who returned from Hawaii and is now based in Tobago.

She trained in teaching freediving to people with disabilities, building on her experience in Hawaii.

Through Meet Me on the Water, she is promoting access, skills and confidence. A beach wheelchair brought to Tobago is part of that effort. She also holds a weekly women's gathering for learning and training in watersports.

This is a feature on continuing work, rather than a new launch announced today. Those interested can look for Meet Me on the Water for information about the initiative.

CPL Sports — Men’s and women’s results

And now to CPL cricket.

The Trinbago Knight Riders' men's title defence is over. Guyana Amazon Warriors beat them by six wickets at Providence on Friday, with eight balls remaining.

The Knight Riders made one hundred and twenty-six for eight. Mehidy Hasan Miraz took four wickets, while Shai Hope guided the chase with an unbeaten forty-two. The official CPL report confirms the defeat eliminated the defending champions.

In the latest men's result, Barbados Tridents secured a playoff place with a dramatic final-over victory over Jamaica Kingsmen. Gudakesh Motie helped the Tridents take seventeen from the last over. Despite defeat, Jamaica also qualified, with a superior net run rate to Saint Lucia Kings.

In the separate women's competition, Guyana beat Trinbago by twenty-five runs on Saturday. The Warriors made one hundred and nineteen for eight, then reduced the Knight Riders to twenty-two for five in the powerplay.

The men's Warriors complete their group fixtures against Barbados on Sunday night, according to CPL.

WACK 90.1 FM — Good morning

That's the eight a.m. news and CPL update for Sunday, September thirteenth. Find the transcript on WACK dot TV. I'm Jason Mcallister. Good morning.

Sources

• Court ruling — 42-day stay — source report, 2026-09-12
• Police — Detainee-release safeguards — source report, 2026-09-12
• Education — Backpay reports — source report, 2026-09-12
• Public spending — Contracts and oversight — source report, 2026-09-12
• Tobago — Access to watersports — source report, 2026-09-12
• Men’s CPL: Guyana–Trinbago result — source report, 2026-09-12
• Men’s CPL: Barbados–Jamaica result — source report, 2026-09-13
• Women’s CPL: Guyana–Trinbago result — source report, 2026-09-12

Original broadcast summaries based on the linked reporting. Voice: Sinclair. Jason’s portrait is an approved fictional AI identity.