NEWS
Army boats for sea bridge?
Minister of Works and Transport Rohan Sinanan is considering all options — including use of Army vessels — for cargo transport on the sea bridge to replace leased cargo vessel Superfast Galicia, which exits service on April 18. The military transport vessels were purchased from Dutch firm Damen by the previous administration. Read more here
Relatives held
A major question surrounds what happened in a car minutes before Melissa Mohammed-Ramkissoon, 33, of Cedar Hill, Claxton Bay, was shot in the head and driven to the Chaguanas Police Station by a close male relative on Tuesday night. Read more here
Ministers shy away from pointing fingers
Both acting Prime Minister Colm Imbert and Minister Stuart Young yesterday steered clear of casting any blame on industrial protests as a reason for bpTT's decision to not construct the Angelin platform in the country. Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley is on vacation. Read more here
POLITICS
Colm defends Dillon in ‘Krysis’ meeting
Minister of National Security, Edmund Dillon, denied that he and ACP Wayne Dick, had tried to stymy Enterprise personality, Abdul “Krysis” Wakeel, during a recent walkabout to meet residents of the troubled area, replying to Newsday’s query at yesterday’s post-Cabinet news briefing at the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann’s. In Facebook postings prior, Wakeel had alluded to police corruption in Enterprise, and at the walkabout had vowed to tell all, but some persons claim Dillon had constantly interrupted Wakeel’s statement, with Dick’s body-language being intimidating. Read more here
Ex-minister blames red tape, protests
Former energy minister Kevin Ramnarine says while bpTT's decision to not build its Angelin platform in La Brea is disappointing, it should come as no surprise. He contends the country, the people of La Brea as well as many families, contractors and suppliers have lost out as a result. Read more here
BUSINESS
bpTT not building Angelin platform
A “difficult” decision by bpTT will mean a lost opportunity for workers at local energy service companies, primarily TOFCO, as “the Angelin platform will not be fabricated in Trinidad.” In a statement issued late Wednesday afternoon, bpTT said this decision, “was necessary to preserve Angelin’s project schedule.” “Although the Angelin platform will not be fabricated in Trinidad, bpTT is committed to maintaining an option of fabrication in-country for future platforms and will be working with local service providers on key competitiveness factors such as productivity.” Read more here
REGIONAL
Antigua-Barbuda strongly objects to being listed as a tax haven by Illinois
Antigua and Barbuda on Wednesday registered strong objections with the US state of Illinois, which has introduced legislation listing Antigua and Barbuda and ten Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries along with six other Caribbean jurisdictions as tax havens. Read more here
BVI financial services increase transparency and efficiency
“The British Virgin Islands (BVI) has continued to take steps towards increasing the level of its transparency as well as enhance international cooperation capabilities and efficiency,” Leon Wheatley, Asia representative of the BVI’s Financial Services Commission, told the 300-plus attendees at the Companies Registry’s Corporate Governance Roundtable, held in Hong Kong. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Military analyst explains Tomahawk missiles
Russia and Syria have condemned the first US military strike against the Syrian regime, launched after a chemical weapons attack that killed dozens of civilians earlier in the week. The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, denounced the strike on a Syrian airfield as "act of aggression" Friday and said it violated international law. Western leaders backed the US action, saying Syrian President Bashar al-Assad had brought it on himself. Read more here
Syria war: World reaction to US missile attack
World leaders have been responding to US President Donald Trump's overnight missile strikes on a Syrian government air base suspected of launching a chemical attack on a rebel-held town on Tuesday. Read more here
7th April 2017