On 4 August 2026, Hilton International Trinidad Ltd informed the Communication Workers’ Union (CWU) that its lease for the Hilton Trinidad and Conference Centre expires on September 18, 2026, and that it may be unable to continue operating the hotel beyond that date if a replacement agreement with State-owned eTeCK is not finalised. More than 250 workers are affected by the uncertainty. Employees have also been provided with estimates of potential severance benefits should their employment end. The development follows public assurances made in June by Land and Legal Affairs Minister Saddam Hosein that workers would not be affected and that their jobs were safe. The CWU has therefore questioned the apparent discrepancy between these assurances and the subsequent severance calculations and uncertainty surrounding employment after 18 September 2026. The union has requested clarity on workers’ continued employment, accumulated service and benefits, and whether they would be retained if another operator assumes responsibility for the hotel. The CWU has also written to Minister Hosein requesting a meeting but, as of 10 August, had received no response. Guardian Media similarly reported receiving no response from the Minister by press time. This situation has a direct knock-on effect on the enabling environment for civil society organisations, as it places the CWU in a position where it must urgently seek information and engage State actors in order to fulfil its representative function, while facing limited responsiveness from the authorities.
