Trinidad Locks Up Its Most Celebrated Entrepreneur — Without Charge

The Arrest at Bayshore

Trinidad and Tobago police carried out search warrants at the Bayshore, Westmoorings home of Dominic Hadeed and his wife Genevieve on June 24. The warrants, signed that same day by High Court Master Valena Guerra-Abraham, led to the detention of the 52-year-old businessman, his 42-year-old wife, and her 69-year-old aunt Star Sabga. The three are now held under Preventive Detention Orders issued under the 2026 Emergency Powers Regulations.

Preventive Detention Orders Signed by Minister

Homeland Security Minister Roger Alexander signed the Preventive Detention Orders on June 26. Dominic Hadeed's order states he is involved in an ongoing conspiracy to assassinate senior members of the Government and other serving Members of Parliament. It adds that intelligence indicates violent intentions, with words to the effect that persons would be shot in their head. The order describes Hadeed as a person of substantial financial means and influence with the resources, access and capability to facilitate serious organised criminal activity. He is to be detained at the Remand Prison, Golden Grove.

Allegations Against Genevieve Hadeed and Star Sabga

Genevieve Hadeed's order alleges she has been credibly identified as participating in an ongoing conspiracy directed at the assassination of members of the Government. It states she made statements to the effect that the death of the Prime Minister, members of government and members of Parliament was required. Both Genevieve Hadeed and Star Sabga are to be detained at the Women's Prison, Golden Grove. The original arrest related to an indictable offence contrary to Section 5(a) of the Offences Against the Person Act, Chapter 11:08.

Legal Challenge Before the High Court

Senior Counsel Faris Al-Rawi filed an urgent habeas corpus application on behalf of the couple. High Court judge Frank Seepersad declined to grant immediate relief and ordered Commissioner of Police Allister Guevarro to explain the legal basis for the continued detention. The application argues that the Emergency Powers Regulations cannot lawfully justify the detention because the couple was arrested during the execution of ordinary search warrants in a conspiracy to murder investigation, an offence not covered under those regulations.

Reported Conditions in Police Custody

The affidavit filed by Al-Rawi described conditions at Woodbrook Police Station. Genevieve Hadeed was held in an 8x6 feet cell with a dirty terrazzo floor, no bedding or furniture, a hole in the floor used as a toilet, no running water, and cockroaches crawling across the floor. Dominic Hadeed, who suffers from sleep apnoea and requires a CPAP machine nightly, was forced to sleep on a bare concrete slab without electricity. Items seized during the search included multiple Apple iPhones, a Samsung phone, an Apple laptop, iPads, flash drives, hard drives and other electronic storage devices.

Context Within Trinidad and Tobago Society

Dominic Hadeed founded Blue Waters, one of Trinidad and Tobago's most successful bottled water companies, and is widely regarded as a celebrated entrepreneur and philanthropist. The detentions come days after Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar endorsed Attorney General John Jeremie's June 10 warning in Parliament that no segment of society, including the so-called one per cent, was beyond the reach of the law. In a country where crime and public safety remain daily concerns for families across Port of Spain, San Fernando and the rural communities, questions about how emergency powers intersect with ordinary criminal investigations touch every household.

Regional Reflections on Emergency Powers

Across the Caribbean, nations such as Jamaica, Barbados and Guyana have at times invoked emergency measures in response to crime or public disorder. Neighbouring CARICOM partners watch developments in Trinidad and Tobago closely because the use of Preventive Detention Orders raises shared questions about the balance between security and the rule of law. For small island developing states already managing cost-of-living pressures, inflation and the after-effects of natural disasters, any perception that legal safeguards are being tested can ripple through investor confidence and diaspora ties.

Implications for the Business Community

Trinidad and Tobago's business community, built on energy, manufacturing, tourism and family enterprises, now faces fresh uncertainty. Entrepreneurs who have contributed to employment and philanthropy find themselves asking how far-reaching the Emergency Powers Regulations may prove when ordinary search warrants lead to preventive detention. The case highlights the need for clear timelines on how these regulations are being phased in and what oversight mechanisms exist to protect due process for all citizens, regardless of means or influence.