Permanent Secretary Profiles

Mr. Videsh Maharaj

Permanent Secretary (Ag)

Mr. Videsh Maharaj is an accomplished executive leader in the public service with extensive experience in economic policy, investment promotion, and international trade. He currently serves as the acting Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of National Security, where he oversees critical portfolios related to Homeland Security, Immigration, Defence and Public Safety. His leadership supports the Ministry’s mandate to safeguard national resilience, enhance border protection, and ensure coordinated law enforcement responses across agencies. Prior to his current appointment, Mr. Maharaj served as the acting Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and the Arts, where he led national strategies for tourism recovery, cultural development, and international branding of Trinidad and Tobago. He also held the post of Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Education, guiding infrastructure modernization and school safety policies. Throughout his career, Mr. Maharaj has demonstrated a strong commitment to national development, having served in various senior roles at the Ministry of Trade and Industry, including Director of Investment, Senior Investment Specialist and Senior Economist. He has successfully negotiated international investment agreements, facilitated strategic projects, and led public sector reforms that foster economic diversification. Mr. Maharaj holds a Master of Science and a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the University of the West Indies. He is also internationally certified in investment promotion, trade negotiation, project management, and public policy from institutions including UNCTAD, WTO, and the Protocol School of Washington. A strategic thinker and effective communicator, Mr. Maharaj is driven by a deep sense of duty to public service and national advancement. He is also actively involved in youth mentorship and community development and enjoys cricket, football, and hiking.

Mr. Narine Charran

Permanent Secretary (Ag)

Permanent Secretary (Ag.) Narine Charran is a proficient public servant with over 30 years of experience in the Public Service. His expertise ranges from project planning; macroeconomic analysis and tax policy; debt management as well as formulation, development and implementation of Government Policy. Mr. Charran joined the Ministry of Defence on June 2, 2025, as Permanent Secretary (Ag.) having served as Permanent, (Ag.) in the newly formed Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs, the Ministry of Youth Development and National Service and the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries. At the Ministry of Youth Development and National Service (2023 to 2025) PS (Ag.) Charran was responsible as Accounting Officer for the development and implementation of appropriate youth programmes and policies to encourage the development of our over 500,000 youths; the monitoring and encouragement of the Cooperative Sector and Credit Unions, Friendly Societies and Entrepreneurship in the country; Transition Homes; and National Service through the development and implementation of programmes and policies which develop and encourage civic mindedness and national pride. At his brief time at the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries (October 2023), PS Charran was responsible for the efficient production, processing, and marketing of food and non-food farm products; managing the nation's marine renewable resources and land/water resources for farming sustainably; formulating and implementing policies to develop the sector; providing support for good agricultural practices; and strengthening organizational capacity and human capital. Mr. Charran joined the Public Service in 1995 and has since served in various technical and managerial capacities at the Ministry of Local Government, the Inland Revenue Division, the Ministry of Public Utilities, the Ministry of Housing and the Ministry of Finance. He was appointed Senior Economist in the Ministry of Finance in 2011 in the Economic Management Division (EMD) and moved up the ranks to Assistant Director (Ag.) and Director (Ag.) EMD.  In 2020, he was appointed Manager of the Debt Management Division with responsibility for the management of the Government Guaranteed debt portfolio of the state sector, production of debt statistics, debt service, and Government and Non-Government Guaranteed debt financing. Mr. Charran was appointed Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance in January 2023 where he was responsible for the monitoring of the entire State Enterprise Sector in the Investments Division.  PS Charran is a seasoned Economist with a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the University of the West Indies. He also has extensive training in macroeconomic analysis and forecasting, policy formulation, financial management, climate change and leadership in the Public Service.