I made a comment on someone's post a few weeks ago about Amazon's $5 shipping directly to you in Trinidad. It seems like a lot of people still don't know about it so I'll make a post here. Please feel free to share the information in this post to get the word out, it should prove useful to people who shop on Amazon frequently and use skyboxes.

About 2 months ago Amazon had introduced a new international shipping rate for Trinidad and some other countries, the rate was $5 on many(not all) of the items on Amazon.com. So you would buy your item, pay the flat rate $5 usd, and the item would be shipped straight to your Trinidad address, no need for the skybox middleman. I see that they have changed this again and now they have removed the $5 flat rate delivery and replaced it with free shipping if your order exceeds $49 usd.

Some of you are probably thinking this is too good to be true but I can attest to this. I only saw the free shipping this morning, but when they had the $5 flat rate, I ordered two hard drives and a hard drive bay. The order was placed on a Saturday and ended up being split into 3 separate packages. I got the first package the next Tuesday, the second package on the very next day, and the third on the Friday. All 3 packages were delivered in less than 1 week after purchase. That is much faster than any skybox I currently know about. Usually if your packages are shipped to your US skybox address, it takes 1-3 days for them to even ship it to Trinidad, then it takes another 7 or so days for it to clear customs. So you usually are looking at 14 days minimum from the date of purchase on Amazon to receiving in Trinidad when going the skybox route, I got my first package 3 days after purchase on Amazon, let that sink in for a bit lol.

Some caveats to know about:

• Not all items have the free shipping so you would need to check on the item's page to make sure you're good, it will be listed close to where the price is listed.
• Items where Amazon charges the import & duties deposit fees almost always have incorrect fees. At most, customs in Trinidad would charge around 40% of the cash price (12.5% vat, 20% duties, 7% opt tax), but the taxes shown on Amazon are usually close to 100%. In this case, I would recommend you go the skybox route because while Amazon does refund you, it can take months.
• Some items that customs don't charge any taxes on (Computer monitor, graphics cards, computer peripherals etc) have the correct import duties set at $0, but others are listed with import duties attached. In this case I would also just go the skybox route(Or look for another version that have the correct tax of $0 listed).

To benefit from this you need to add your TnT address to Amazon, and upload a picture of your passport(once when you make your first shipment to TT).

You can find more info on free international shipping here and here

I also forgot to mention that you also get free international returns, so if for whatever reason, the product you bought has some defect, you can return it for free. I heard returns via skybox are expensive and time consuming, so this is yet another win for direct shipping.

EDIT: One commenter added that they are also asking for a tax id number, this would be your bir number. Seems like you can use this if you don't want to upload a picture of your ID.

EDIT: It seems like for some eligible items, there is still shipping fees on the product page as opposed to it showing free shipping. I added these items to my cart to make up the $49 and the shipping fee goes to $0. This seems like another kink to work out on the display side of things but yes it works. So if you are seeing shipping fees on an item page where it should show free shipping, try adding the items to your cart to make up the $49 and it should now show that you qualify for free shipping.

Help me here my friends.. I have always ate and associated dhal with rice and curry chicken. I am now learning that dhal, rice and stew chicken is a thing? Is it common? Does it make sense taste wise.

We’ve all received some kind of sourness from persons in the service industry. But has anyone recommendations for gems?

Without a doubt I can recommend both Adam’s Bakery and Buzo Osteria Italiana as some of the best service I’ve received in Trinidad. Always friendly, good advice and engaging. Plus the food is always top notch.

I’d give an honorable mention to Kaizen Sushi when they first opened in Movie Town.

Does anyone else have good suggestions?

Poll included so we can get an idea of Redditors by general location.

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What exactly is their sustainable packaging plant? How does it affect our country? Is this because business owners aren't able to access USD? Any other thoughts on this?

Do you believe The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago should abandon or substitute it's currency? Please note we do not have to completely abandon the TTD but substitute it; dollarization.

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Hi folks see title ^

I really and dearly miss chamba chai mix and I don't even know if they make that product anymore. I've only heard one person say the Chai Latte Mix isn't good but I don't want to waste my money. Those who have had Chamba Chai and the Chai Latte Mix is there a big difference?

Am not even Hindu nor have any kids going to the school and I am Presbyterian and am outrage by this shit. This is backwards behavior.

Now I not trying to bring about an all out argument about religions in TT subreddit. It's just a question I was wondering about. Please be respectful.

For the ppl who have never been to Divali Nagar what do you think it's about?

Reason I asked is because I invited a friend to come with me to the Nagar tonight. She wasn't interested and that's not a problem. So I posted some of the activities, foods, dance competition from the Nagar on my WhatsApp. She was very in shock and confused. Apparently she thought Divali Nagar was a big prayers like event??

So that had me curious to see and ask what other ppl may think it is. What do you think Divali Nagar is please?

So I am not Hindu but I do enjoy the Divali Nagar and the fun of Divali day while helping out my Hindu family members. Anyway that's just some background.

Some parts of Trinidad are well known for specific foods. There are 14 Municipal Corporations. In your opinion what food matches where? What’s the best food scene in each area?

For reference: Port of Spain San Fernando Arima Chaguanas Diego Martin Point Fortin Siparia Couva Tabaquite Talparo Mayaro Penal Debe Princes Town Sangre Grande San Juan Lavantille Tunapuna Piarco.

https://newsday.co.tt/2024/10/26/transport-commissioner-new-number-plate-system-will-combat-crime/

TL;DR:

• Transport Commissioner proposed a new number plate system to tackle vehicle-related crimes, such as fraud, theft, and road safety violations.
• The new plates will include the national flag, QR codes, and a company logo, with companies required to register with the Transport Division.
• A robust tracking system will monitor plate production, employee activity, and flag any plate discrepancies, aiding law enforcement.
• Artificial intelligence will be used in cameras to identify vehicles by color, make, and model, and detect counterfeit plates, enhancing security measures.

Do you think this will work, or even be implemented?

Feel free to ask ah Trinbagonian a question!

Need advice, recommendations, suggestions or looking for something in particular? Everything and anything goes!

Please keep criticism and derogatory remarks out of this thread, if you have an answer then respond, if you don't... then don't.

Hi this is a question about small business.

I am incorporating a new private limited company here in Trinidad and noticed that the Companies Act that T&T follows states we must have 2 directors. In several other countries, such as UK (which T&T's law closely follows), you need only 1 director. My question is - Has anyone ever managed to have a company here with only 1 director? It seems very foolish to enforce the rule of 2 directors.

Do you think the Companies Registrar (Ministry of Legal Affairs) can make an official exception of sorts to allow this 1 director instead of 2 to happen? I want to serve as the owner/shareholder and director as well and find that to be sufficient for this new company. This 'rule' to have yet another director complicates things for me and now I will have to pay them etc. It is also difficult for me to find someone interested. I also worry if they will have 'power' in the company to do damage to it, thus I wonder if I should make ammendments to the articles of ammendments for the articles of incorporation (by-laws). I'm not clear about that, sorry but am I over-thinking this?

I understand when a company owner might want more than 1 director, even several, but in my case I only want one and that is a perfectly NORMAL happening worldwide. Is there any work around for this problem? (And no I do not want to be a sole trader as the Limited Company is the only way to get the protection I want). I thank you for your time.

Bryan.

I'll preface this by saying that I understand our health care system is free, compared to many other countries, and many things are subsidized etc. With that said, it's still laughably unbelievable to experience how silly our health care system is first hand.

A very very good friend of mine got pregnant recently this October 2024. She took several tests which confirmed it plus the usual symptoms. Puking, fatigue, feeling upset etc.

Unfortunately, she started bleeding heavily about a week after the tests she took. She went to Mt Hope to get it checked out as the amount of blood was definitely pointing towards a miscarriage. Yall, These unbelievable people at that hospital, gave her a ultra sound date of July 2025, when her expected delivery date would be June 2025. Yall hear me? She is showing signs of a miscarriage, and they gave her an ultra sound date for a month after her would be expected delivery date!! What a joke!

For years I struggled with this one. Cheese? Outrageous! But. Callaloo and macaroni pie is a major comfort food for me, so maybe the combination is not as wild as it sounds. Anyone ever tried it and can report back? I want to make it but also don't want to make it and hate it, thus wasting food.

Eyes went wide when I saw these. Into the cart immediately. Definitely worth it for the approximately ~7 TTD I paid. Used a quarter of one to make some curry beef. Gonna make pepper sauce with the rest of the whole ones.

so fed up . When I tell people Im half trini and a quarter Venezuelan everyone always thinks im lying because Im white . My family immigrated to Canada , and when I was 13 , we moved back to Trinidad . I'm a tan blonde with blue eyes due to my mothers genes and have a Canadian accent when I speak English , so people never seem to believe I’m from Trinidad . My Venezuelan grandfather taught me Spanish when I was very young so I was always fluent in English and Spanish but still nobody believed I was from the carribean 🥲 To this day , I still have a small Canadian accent even after growing up in Trinidad . Fellow white Trinis anyone ? So sick of dealing with this

This year, local coffee makers Hong Wing & Sons are celebrating their 103rd Anniversary! ☕️

In 1921, Hong Wing & Sons was opened by Chinese-Trinidadian Chang Hong Wing, and quickly became the first large-scale coffee manufacturers in Trinidad and Tobago, offering both roasted ground coffee and whole bean coffee.

Their first location was established on Broadway Street in Port of Spain, but due to the growing popularity of their products within the first two decades, the company needed to expand to larger premises. They relocated to their current address of #57 Prince Street, where manufacturing has taken place for over 70 years.

Hong Wing and Sons was one of the earliest companies in Port of Spain to use machinery run by electricity, and this allowed them to provide large quantities of high-grade drinking coffee. At that time, the company also operated as Wholesale and Retail Grocers, where they sold various grocery items.

Over the years, Hong Wing and Sons passed on to Mr. Henry Chang Wah Yow, the son of Chang Hong Wing. Since then, the company has been run by four generations of the Hong Wing family.

This photo showing an advertisement for Hong Wing & Sons Coffee is courtesy of the book “Trinidad - Who, What, Why” by Lloyd Smith (1950). This book is part of the National Archives of Trinidad and Tobago Rare Books Collection.

References: Smith, Lloyd Sydney ed. Trinidad: Who, What, Why. 1950.

“History.” Hong Wing & Sons Ltd., 11 Aug. 2016, https://www.hongwingcoffee.com/history/

From the National Archives of Trinidad and Tobago Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/nationalarchivestt

Hey all,

Has anyone ever done long term parking at the airport? I have a 15 day trip coming up soon with some weird departure and arrival times. I also live rather far from the airport so I'm looking into parking at the airport to save me from bothering someone or taking a TTRS (where drivers have been famous for randomly cancelling rides). Getting stranded is not in my plans.

I have experience parking and using the system to pay on a short term basis (dropping off someone or getting food). However my concern would be the safety of my car on the long term, especially given the less than stellar lighting conditions in the car park. Not to mention I've never really seen any cameras around. Does anyone have any success or horror stories? Or both? I have no issues with the pricing, so long as my vehicle will be there and intact when I get back.

Also, I came across this Instagram page called Park N Fly TT (LINKED HERE). Any info or experiences with them? They seem fairly new so I'm also cautious of that.

Leaving the house to run errands or go about your business feels like a gamble these days and I'm not talking about crime. No matter where you go; if it's a quick run to the grocery or going to a medical appointment, there's at least a 50/50 chance of encountering a dismissive, disrespectful or impatient person whose role it is to assist you and this experience is becoming far too familiar.

It could be a nurse acting like you're bothering them when asking for help, it could be an attendant at the grocery blatantly ignoring you when you're talking to them, a store supervisor/ assistant dismissing you when you ask for an item, rudely saying they don't have it, just for you to wander around the store and see it's clearly there.

This attitude has become so common that when you meet someone pleasant and helpful, you are immediately taken aback and that person feels like a much needed breath of fresh air.
This attitude is also not dependent on age, career, gender or race and is becoming a common and almost expected aspect of the average Trinidadian's character, especially in the work place

Yes we as people are allowed to get upset and can become impatient even at work, it happens, but when interacting with people or assisting them is a main part of your job, you cannot greet people with an ignorant attitude right off the bat. It makes you look bad, it makes your place of work look worse and when the person on the receiving end is not a local it gives the people of our country a reputation.

Persons working customs at the airport are a perfect example of this. They are the first people tourists interact with and their harsh way of handling them unrelated to the execution of their job, can affect the tone of a tourist's visit and how they interact with others while they are here. If it affects people who are only visiting, imagine how the impact it will have on those exposed to it on multiple occasions on the daily basis.

So how do we address this problem especially when it comes to public sectors and customer service? The straight answer: consequences
It's most likely that persons feel comfortable being blatantly disrespectful and openly unprofessional at their work place because there are no consequences. They get away with a slap on the wrist if it is even addressed to begin with. Employees aren’t afraid of being held accountable, whether that’s through warnings, reduced pay or job termination. There are no consequence, no change. If they can do the bare minimum at their job and its accepted then that is what they will do.

This can be corrected if those consequences are implemented by the employers of these carefree employees much to the employers benefit as poor public service is bad for business and public relations.
It can also be corrected by the people on the receiving end of poor service, customers have the right to call out unprofessional behavior and highlight how it reflects poorly on the business or institution.

Only by demanding accountability and respect from persons who continue to show none to others, can we begin to see improvements in the attitude of people in our country, everywhere we go.

I was watching this old British show called the thin blue line and one of the actors was a trinidadian man Rudolph Malcolm Walker. Working with Rowan Atkinson aka "Mr bean". I just wanted to know some other trinidadian actors in big roles that yall could think of.