MILLIONS TO REPAIR AIR GUARD HELICOPTERS

The question on every taxpayer's mind: Are we finally getting our money’s worth?In the latest 2026 budget allocations, the Ministry of Defence has been granted $39.2 million—a significant portion of which is earmarked for the repair and maintenance of the Trinidad and Tobago Air Guard’s four AW139 helicopters. For years, these high-end machines have been at the center of a national debate over cost, maintenance failures, and operational readiness. With millions already spent in past years on preservation and service contracts, the public is asking: Why are we still paying for repairs instead of seeing them in the sky?