NEWS
CAL operating normally
Operations at Piarco Airport and the ANR Robinson Airport in Tobago are normal, according to corporate communications manager at Caribbean Airlines (CAL) Dionne Ligoure. CAL increased its domestic flights to support the number of passengers affected by the disruption of the ferry service and to reinforce its service on the airbridge. Ligoure said despite reports otherwise, all ferry passengers with confirmed bookings were accommodated on the 40 flights, on which a total of 2,756 seats were made available. Read more here
Customs officer held with US$150,000 cash
A Customs Officer was yesterday charged for allegedly receiving a package containing US$149,960 in cash. According to a police report, the money was concealed in seven packs of Haynes vests. The seizure took place at the Amerijet Caribbean Express Bond in Piarco. Read more here
‘Cabo Star’ congestion
Dozens of trucks loaded with goods bound for Tobago were forced to wait close to two hours yesterday when the Cabo Star cargo vessel arrived in Port of Spain packed with vehicles — but no drivers to offload them. Read more here
POLITICS
State to reclaim Dulalchan’s land
Agriculture Minister Clarence Rambharat said he has instructed that the land which was “granted” to acting Deputy Commissioner of Police Deodat Dulalchan by letter in Felicity “be terminated.” Three people have been suspended pending an investigation by the Public Service Commission into the issue of the land— Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture Angela Siew, Commissioner of State Lands Paula Drakes and the Deputy Commissioner of State Lands Bhanmatie Seecharan. Read more here
Judge to Judge
Government has decided to go to court, which is comprised of judges, to determine whether or not judges are entitled to sabbatical leave. Read more here
BUSINESS
We generate value for T&T
BPTT has responded to the call by the Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley for the renegotiation of LNG contracts by saying it is not impossible to align its shareholders’ interest with that of the government. But the company would only talk yesterday about negotiating the Train 1 contract which is about to expire. In a carefully worded statement to queries from the T&T Guardian, bpTT did not deal with the PM’s central call for the renegotiation of contracts years before they are due to expire. Read more here
REGIONAL
No Voters' List Money - Phillips Raps Gov't For Not Funding The Cleaning Of Electors List
Opposition Leader Dr Peter Phillips has suggested that former director of elections Orrette Fisher was pressured out of his job because of his agitation for a reverification of the current voters' list. In his contribution to the Budget Debate in Parliament yesterday, Phillips also accused the Andrew Holness administration of using its control of the public purse to impede announced plans to clean up the voters' list. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Russia to expand American 'blacklist' after new US sanctions
Russia will expand its own "blacklist" of Americans in response to new US sanctions announced by the Trump administration, a Russian minister said Friday. The Trump administration confirmed Thursday it was enacting the new sanctions on Russia, including individuals indicted last month by special counsel Robert Mueller, in a sweeping new effort to punish Moscow for its attempts to interfere in the 2016 US election. Russia will use "the principle of parity" as it responds, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Friday, as quoted by state news agency RIA Novosti. Additional measures are not ruled out, he added. Read more here
Syria war: Thousands flee twin offensives in Afrin and Ghouta
16th March 2018