WHO WE ARE
As one of the frontline Ministries within the Government of Trinidad and Tobago, the Ministry of Trade, Investment and Tourism (formerly Ministry of Trade and Industry -MTI) is leading the drive to position Trinidad and Tobago as a manufacturing base, and the business, trade, and financial hub of the Americas.
The Ministry’s core responsibility is to grow trade, business and investment, particularly through driving the non-energy sectors of the economy. As the pivotal agency for trade promotion and development, the Ministry manages and coordinates the trade process to ensure access to international markets for companies located here.
This is closely tied to another critical mandate — the aggressive development of business and industry. In this regard, the Ministry is formulating more appropriate industrial and services
policies, designed to enhance the capability of the local industrial sector to compete in the global marketplace.
Much of the ministry’s activities are geared towards creating a facilitatory and supportive environment for business, especially through developing the most appropriate legislative framework to support business and investment activities. The Ministry is also responsible for stimulating domestic and foreign investment and is working to upgrade the entire framework for attracting investment — the lifeblood of industrial activity.
The Ministry conducts its affairs and provides required services with the highest regard and esteem for all clients and customers. The Ministry’s stakeholders are located within Trinidad & Tobago, as well as regionally and internationally, and are drawn from government circles, the private sector, and civil society.
SENATOR THE HONOURABLE SATYAKAMA MAHARAJ, MINISTER OF TRADE, INVESTMENT & TOURISM
Senator the Honourable Satyakama “Kama” Maharaj is a distinguished global entrepreneur, mentor, and advocate for inclusive innovation and economic diversification in Trinidad and Tobago and the wider Caribbean.
With a career spanning more than 45 years, Senator Maharaj is widely respected for his contributions to manufacturing, exports, supply chain management, and brand development. He is the founder of a globally recognized beauty brand which he established in 1979 with the vision of creating premium, high-performance cosmetics for women of all skin tones. Under his leadership, the business became an early pioneer in global e-commerce in the late 1990s, building a loyal, international customer base.
Minister Maharaj’s work has earned him several honours, including induction into the World Entrepreneur Hall of Fame in Monte Carlo, and the title of Entrepreneur of the Year in 2016. His company has also been recognized by McKinsey & Company as one of the three oldest Black-owned beauty brands in the world.
Beyond his accomplishments in the private sector, Senator Maharaj has contributed significantly to national development through his service in several public roles, including as Chairman of the Arima Race Club, Chairman of the Betting Levy Board, and Vice Chairman of the Point Lisas Industrial Port Development Corporation (PLIPDECO).
A son of the soil in San Fernando, Senator Maharaj attended San Fernando Boys’ Government Primary School and Naparima College, and today, he remains deeply committed to mentorship, national pride, and regional progress. He is the founder and lead contributor to the Young Entrepreneurs TT Facebook community, a mentorship platform that connects more than 13,000 aspiring business owners across Trinidad and Tobago and the diaspora.
Minister Maharaj holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from York University in Ontario, Canada.
DR. COLIN NEIL GOSINE, MP, PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY
Dr. Colin Neil Gosine is a seasoned business leader and public servant with over 30 years of experience across the finance, insurance and energy sectors. He formerly served as the Managing Director of a leading Insurance Brokerage in Trinidad and Tobago, where he significantly expanded the firm’s portfolio and pioneered innovative insurance solutions both locally and regionally.
Dr. Gosine served as Chairman of the Trinidad and Tobago National Petroleum Marketing Company (NP) and led a major financial turnaround and oversaw key operational upgrades across the national fuel distribution network. His Public Service also includes Board Level contributions at the Export-Import Bank of Trinidad & Tobago (EXIMBANK) and the National Agricultural Marketing and Development Corporation (NAMDEVCO) which supported National Development in Trade and Agriculture. He also served as a former Temporary Senator and made significant and consistent contributions to National Policy making.
Dr. Gosine holds a Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA); a Master of Business Administration (MBA); and dual Bachelor’s Degrees in Mathematics and Administrative Studies.
Dr. Gosine is also the Member of Parliament for the Constituency of Chaguanas West.
MINISTERIAL EXECUTIVES
PERMANENT SECRETARY (Ag.)
Mr. Randall Karim
DEPUTY PERMANENT SECRETARY (Ag.)
Mrs. Ava Mahabir-Dass
HEADS OF DIRECTORATES
DIRECTOR, TRADE FACILITATION (Ag)
Mrs. Susan Singh-Seerattan oversees the Trade Directorate which is one of four technical directorates in the MTI. The Trade Directorate is responsible for the representation and implementation of international trade policies, measures and interactions with foreign organizations. It also supports the growth and development of export-led trade, particularly in the non-energy sector.
Mrs. Singh-Seerattan has been employed with the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) for over twenty-nine (29) years, and has a wealth of knowledge and experience in trade and business development matters, having held the following positions at the Ministry: Economist I, Economist II, Senior Economist, Manager Alliances, and Director Business Development. Her educational background and qualifications include a BSc. in Economics and a Post Graduate Diploma and MSc. in International Relations from the UWI, St. Augustine campus. Mrs. Seerattan also possesses various certifications from the World Trade Organization (WTO), the Commonwealth Secretariat, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) in areas such as; trade in goods, trade in services, trade negotiations, trade promotion, regional trade agreements and trade facilitation.
DIRECTOR, INVESTMENT
Irfan Hosein is a seasoned international trade and investment expert with over a decade plus years of service at Trinidad and Tobago’s Ministry of Trade, Investment and Tourism (formerly Ministry of Trade and Industry). He has played a key role in formulating and executing national strategies focused on investment promotion, economic diversification, and trade development.
Currently serving as the Director of Investment, Irfan previously held the position of Assistant Director, Economic Diversification within the Business Development Directorate. His extensive experience spans investment facilitation, policy development, and public sector reform, acquired through various strategic roles within the Ministry.
Throughout his career, Irfan has been instrumental in developing several transformative initiatives aimed at strengthening Trinidad and Tobago’s investment framework, expanding the non-energy sector, and enhancing the ease of doing business. Notable among these are the Special Economic Zones (SEZ) regime, the Phoenix Park Industrial Estate, and several key reforms geared towards reducing the time, cost and procedures involved in major trade and business processes in the country.
He was a core member of the team that developed the SEZ Policy in 2017 and its subsequent revision in 2019. Irfan also collaborated closely with the Chief Parliamentary Counsel to draft the SEZ Act (2022) and the supporting SEZ Regulations (2023). Following the full proclamation of the Act in July 2024, he has continued to support the operationalization of the SEZ Authority, where he currently serves as a Board Member.
Irfan holds a Postgraduate Diploma in International Trade & Commerce, a Master’s degree in International Studies from the Steven J. Green School of International and Public Affairs at Florida International University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Western University, Canada.
DIRECTOR, INDUSTRY
Mr. Mohammed is currently the Director of Industry at the Ministry of Trade and Industry within the Business Development Directorate. He holds a B.Sc. in Economics and Management Studies and a M.Sc. in Economics from the University of the West Indies with First Class Honours. Mr. Mohammed possesses almost 2 decades of experience at the Ministry in areas of policy, research and planning. He is presently involved in developing and implementing a series of targeted programmes related to business growth and development to facilitate the transformation of the non-energy sector and the diversification of the economy.
DIRECTOR, POLICY AND STRATEGY
Candice Lackhansingh is an experienced trade and industry professional with over 12 years of service at the Ministry of Trade and Industry. She has played a pivotal role in shaping and implementing trade strategies and agreements, fostering business facilitation, and driving programme management initiatives at a senior managerial level.
Currently, Candice serves as the Director of Strategy, Business Facilitation, and Programme Management at the Ministry of Trade and Industry. Prior to this, she held the position of Programme Coordinator, where she headed the Trade Implementation Unit.
Since May 2019, Candice has been a Director on the Board of the Trinidad and Tobago Bureau of Standards.
Before her tenure at the Ministry, Candice worked at the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB), where she specialized in financial management and procurement. She has also contributed to academia as a Part-time Postgraduate Adjunct Lecturer at the Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business and The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine –delivering courses on Trade Agreements and Government Policy.
She is a Certified Change Management Practitioner, accredited by PROSCI, and has maintained her Project Management Professional (PMP) certification from the Project Management Institute (PMI) since June 2013.
Candice holds a Master of Science in Global Studies (International Relations) and a Bachelor of Science in Economics, with a minor in International Relations, from The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine.
CHIEF TRADE OFFICER (Ag.), TRADE LICENCE UNIT
Ms. Sandra Peter-Sarabjit is the Acting Chief Trade Officer of the Trade Licence Unit (TLU) of the Ministry of Trade and Industry. Ms. Peter- Sarabjit assumed duties at the TLU in 2019, having served previously as a Senior Project Analyst with responsibility for the Ministry’s Development Programme.
In her current position as Chief Trade Officer, Ms. Peter- Sarabjit leads a team which has responsibility for the administration of government policies which includes but are not limited to:
- processing of applications for import and export licences;
- processing of applications for the Suspension of the Common External Tariff under Article 83 of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas; and for the Invoking of the Safeguard Mechanism under Paragraph 7 of Article 84 of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas
- regulation of the Imported Used Car Industry in Trinidad and Tobago; the importation of Cement into Trinidad and Tobago; and the Scrap Metal Industry
- examination of Goods Declaration for all imported items listed on the Import Negative Lists
Ms. Peter- Sarabjit is the holder of a BSc (Hons) in Economics and a Masters Degree (Distinction) in Business Administration from the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus. Ms. Peter- Sarabjit has an extensive career of over 25 years in the Public Service and her field of expertise and training are in statistics, project management and operations management.
