On 7–8 September 2026, the National Parent Teacher Association (NPTA) and the Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers’ Association (TTUTA) publicly questioned Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s proposal to send persistently disruptive students home from school. Both organisations raised concerns about removing students without addressing the underlying causes of their behaviour or providing adequate support. The Prime Minister subsequently responded on Facebook , accusing TTUTA and the NPTA of doing nothing to protect teachers and children and challenging critics to take violent students into their own homes.
This exchange follows similar incidents involving other civil society organisations. In October 2025, the Prime Minister publicly criticised the Law Association following its intervention on the appointment of the Chief Justice. In June 2026, the Media Association raised concerns about reduced access to the Prime Minister and the exclusion of journalists from certain government events. More recently, the Emancipation Support Committee rejected criticism from the Prime Minister following the 2026 Emancipation Day celebrations. These incidents suggest a recurring pattern of tensions between the Government and civil society organisations that publicly challenge its positions.
This event negatively affects the enabling environment for civil society as such responses risk delegitimising CSO participation and discouraging constructive dialogue with the State. While there is currently no clear evidence that this exchange has affected formal engagement with TTUTA or the NPTA, it raises concerns about whether organisations can openly criticise government policies without facing public attacks or being discouraged from participating in future policy discussions