TTMA IN THE NEWS
TTMA and AVGP to collaborate on Rio Caribe Project
The TT Manufacturers Association (TTMA) has announced it is in the “advanced stages of discussions” with the Venezuelan Gas Processors Association (AVGP) on the Rio Caribe Project — an initiative designed to create new opportunities in the downstream gas sector. TTMA president Christopher Alcazar says if successful, this project “will open new doors for the manufacturing sector, given the fact that the Rio Caribe field has commercially extractable quantities of Ethane; a petrochemical that is vital to the plastics industry.” Read more here
TTMA talks energy with Venezuelan association
The Trinidad and Tobago Manufacturers’ Association (TTMA) and the Venezuelan Gas Processors Association (AVGP) are in advanced stages of discussions regarding the Rio Caribe Project- an initiative designed to create new opportunities in the downstream gas sector. In a media release yesterday TTMA president Christopher Alcazar said: "This project, once successfully undertaken, will open new doors for the manufacturing sector, given the fact that the Rio Caribe field has commercially extractable quantities of ethane, a petrochemical that is vital to the plastics industry". Read more here
NEWS
17 homeless after PoS fire
A fire which ignited on Wednesday evening on Basilon Street, Port of Spain, has left four families homeless. Seventeen people, including ten children, who lived in closely stacked houses on Basilon Street were left with little more than the clothes on their backs after their homes were destroyed. “All my clothes, tools and documents are gone,” said Kevon Felix, a 28-year-old taxi driver, “My grandmother just got medication for her eyes and that was burned in the fire too. The only thing I have now is the clothes I am wearing, and my car keys.” Read more here
Heavy agricultural losses
Acres upon acres of crops were submerged in filthy water in Penal and Barrackpore yesterday as a result of overnight and persistent rains during the day. Crop farmer Chabinath Ramnanan was almost brought to tears, as for the second time this year his fields in Penal were destroyed. Bodi, bhagi, tomatoes, eggplants and corn near harvesting were all gone. “I don’t know how I am going to recover from this. Remember we suffered floods in June and I scraped up somehow to plant back. I don’t know how I am going to recover because this is my only source of income and I have a family to maintain,” Ramnanan said. Read more here
'Don't go to school in flood affected areas’
The Ministry of Education is advising parents of pupils living in flood affected areas to keep their children at home. Principals are also being advised to send pupils home if they live in areas being threatened by floods. The advice is coming from Education Minister Anthony Garcia who said on Friday that schools in Barrackpore, Penal, Moruga, Caroni and Manuel Congo, Arima, were among those affected. Read more here
POLITICS
Garcia faces legal action
Embattled Siparia West Secondary School principal Sookoo Sonnylal is threatening to sue the Ministry of Education over a decision to relieve him of duties while investigating a verbal altercation he is alleged to have had with a group of students earlier this month. In a five page pre-action protocol letter sent to Education Minister Anthony Garcia yesterday, Soonylal’s attorneys, Anand Ramlogan, SC and Douglas Bayley, said the ministry acted outside its remit when it replaced him with a school supervisor after a video of the incident was circulated on social media. Read more here
BUSINESS
Samsung bets big on Note 8
The Samsung Galaxy Note 8, which was launched in T&T yesterday is being described as, "the most powerful device on the market" according to Samsung's Manager, Sales, Latin America, Terry Weech. Delivering brief remarks during the mid-morning launch at Trincity Mall, Weech said the response thus far had been overwhelming following the global launch which took place one month ago. Assuring the latest offering had undergone rigorous tests and quality assurance processes, Weech acknowledged, "There is no secret that Samsung had some issues with the Note 7." Read more here
Casino owners to meet minister
A day after a protest at the house of Minister of Finance Colm Imbert, a body representing casino owners will get an opportunity to meet with Minister in the Ministry of Finance, Allyson West at the ministry today. President of the Trinidad and Tobago Members Club Association, Sherry Persad, said in a news release yesterday that the association was invited to a meeting with West. Read more here
REGIONAL
40 Plead Guilty - Call For Increase In Sentence-Reduction Days As More Take Up Offer
Forty persons yesterday pleaded guilty to murder and other violent crimes, triggering a call for the judiciary to expand its Sentence-Reduction Day initiative to all criminal courts islandwide. According to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), 26 persons entered guilty pleas in the Gun Court, while 14 persons entered guilty pleas in the Home Circuit Court during the second instalment of Sentence-Reduction Day. In the Home Circuit, two persons pleaded guilty to murder, four pleaded guilty to manslaughter, while a 17-year-old student was among five persons who admitted to having sex with a person below 16 years old. In the Gun Court, which is held in camera, the cases ranged from illegal possession of firearm to shooting with intent and robbery with aggravation. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Raqqa: US-backed forces declare 'total liberation' of ISIS stronghold
US-backed militias on Friday declared the "total liberation" of the Syrian city of Raqqa, which for more than three years was the de facto capital of ISIS. Speaking at a ceremony held to celebrate the capture of Raqqa, Syrian Democratic Forces spokesman Talal Silo claimed a "historic victory" over ISIS and said the extremist group had suffered a "brutal" defeat. He paid tribute to all those killed and injured in the struggle, as well as all the Syrian factions that battled for 130 days to force ISIS from its key Syrian stronghold and their international backers. Read more here
Brexit: EU leaders pave way for future trade talks
20th October 2017