The decriminalization of limited quantities of cannabis in Trinidad and Tobago has created an important occupational health, safety and industrial relations challenge for employers. While decriminalization has changed the legal environment surrounding personal cannabis possession, it has not removed an employer’s responsibility to maintain a safe workplace, particularly within safety-sensitive industries.

OBJECTIVES OF THE SESSION: At the conclusion of the programme, participants should be able to: 1. Understand the difference between decriminalization, legalization, workplace permission and fitness for duty. 2. Understand the occupational effects of cannabis on attention, judgement, coordination, reaction time and decision-making. 3. Distinguish between drug detection, recent use and impairment. 4. Understand the strengths and limitations of urine THC testing. 5. Examine the DOT, FAA and NDASA approaches to marijuana in safety-sensitive work and consider their relevance to Trinidad & Tobago. 6. Consider whether different standards should apply to safety-sensitive versus non safety-sensitive employees. 7. Understand the potential role of oral-fluid/saliva testing in identifying more recent cannabis exposure. 8. Introduce a Structured Impairment/Reasonable Suspicion Assessment for situations where impairment is suspected. 9. Understand the role of laboratory confirmation and the Medical Review Officer. 10. Provide employers with a framework for reviewing and modernizing their Substance Abuse/Drug and Alcohol Policies.

Presenters:

Dr. Narendra Samlal, Occupational Health Physician, Occumed Limited

Dr Ravi Bhagaloo, Occupational Health Physician

Emergency Medicine Physician, Occumed Limited

Presenters:

Dr Wayne Ramgoolam, Managing Director, Occupational Medicine Specialist, Occumed Limited

Dr Ishta Rampersad, Director, Occupational Medicine Specialist, Occumed Limited

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A crisis is understood as a sudden, unexpected event with unpredictable and undefined impacts and consequences that can threaten the enduring viability of an organisation, with potentially long-term adverse effects on its relationships with key stakeholders.

As part of the AMCHAM T&T 2026 HSE Conference, this practical, interactive Crisis Communication Workshop will put participants at the centre of the communication challenges organisations face when things go wrong.

The workshop will explore how to communicate effectively with the media and a range of other critical stakeholders while managing uncertainty, sensitive information and intense public scrutiny.

Participants will explore the discipline and techniques of message management, the art of the holding statement, and how to communicate calmly and credibly in volatile situations. They will also examine the unpredictability and speed of social media, along with practical tips and techniques for protecting organisational trust and reputation.

Importantly, the session will examine the legal implications of crisis communication—including what organisations and their representatives need to consider before information is released across traditional, digital and social media channels.

Participants will work through realistic crisis scenarios, make communication decisions under pressure, and experience the challenge of facing the media when all the answers may not yet be available.

This workshop is particularly relevant for HSE/HSSE professionals, business leaders, communications and public affairs specialists, HR managers, legal and risk professionals, and anyone who may be called upon to communicate on the frontline during a crisis

Presenters:

Sheldon Daniel, Leadership Coach and Specialist Adviser in Organisational Alignment, Strategy Implementation and Leadership Competence

Presenters:

Iain Daniels, Barrister, 2 Hare Court London

Donna P. Singh-Ramsammy, Specialist Adviser in Strategic Communications, Brand Positioning and Reputation Management