NEWS
No new charges for A&V official
A senior official of A&V Oil and Gas was released shortly after 9 pm on Saturday after spending more than 48 hours in police custody. He was charged on Thursday night by ASP Chandool of the Professional Standards Bureau with obstruction of justice and was scheduled to appear before a San Fernando magistrate on Friday. However the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions advised the police to do a second identification parade because a new witness had come forward. Read more here
Lewis: I will not return to Port
She hasn’t “run” from the Port—but she’s not reconsidering returning. Former Port Authority chairman Allison Lewis, who resigned from the Port Authority Board last Friday, was firm on that yesterday following reports that Government officials were hoping she’d reconsider. Word of Lewis’ resignation was broken in the Parliament last Friday evening when UNC MP Roodal Moonilal said he’d just received word that the Port chairman had resigned. Read more here
Killed after getting $7,000
For the past couple of weeks, Melissa Tricia Emmanuel had been carefully planning a birthday lime that was to take place at her Arima home this coming Sunday. She would have been 37. Now instead of her family assisting her in organising that celebration, this week they are planning for her funeral. Read more here
POLITICS
Kamla not willing to meet Mickela
Mickela Panday said she will not be daunted by the refusal of United National Congress (UNC) political leader Kamla Persad -Bissessar to meet with her. Last week, Barataria MP Dr Fuad Khan called on all former high profile members of the party to return. In a media release yesterday, Panday – the daughter of UNC founder Basdeo Panday – said she was told by Khan on Friday that he spoke with Persad-Bissessar, “regarding whether she would be willing to meet with various members of the party including myself, in the interest of uniting the party and, during that conversation, Mrs Persad-Bissessar stated unequivocally that she is unwilling to meet with me, or certain other members.” Read more here
Moonilal: PM is harmless 70-year-old with some illness
The war of words between Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal and Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley transcended the walls of Parliament yesterday as he described Rowley as a harmless 70-year-old man with some illnesses. Moonilal said he was not afraid of Rowley and considered confronting him to find out what were the PM’s grievances with him. However, he threatened that should Rowley direct another violent outburst at him, he may report it to the police. Read more here
‘...PM behaved like a gangster’
Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley behaved like a gang leader in the Parliament, says Opposition MP David Lee, who questioned why the People’s National Movement (PNM) is not assisting Government Minister Maxie Cuffie with his medical bills. Read more here
BUSINESS
Push for gender parity
Is the business community doing enough to speak out against sexual harassment in the workplace? Are the necessary steps being taken to ensure that organisations are safe and comfortable for all genders? These were the questions which were brought to the fore by president of Amcham T&T, Mitchell De Silva, during the Women’s Leadership Conference Agenda, themed #PressforProgress, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Port-of-Spain, on Friday. Read more here
SBTT stumbles, GHL improves
This week, we at Bourse evaluate the most recent financial results of Scotiabank Trinidad and Tobago Ltd (SBTT) and Guardian Holdings Ltd (GHL), which belong to the banking and non-banking sectors respectively. While higher loan provisions resulted in lower earnings from SBTT, GHL reported positive earnings. Read more here
REGIONAL
HIV Surge - Young Jamaicans Drive Up Numbers
Risky behaviour, inter-generational sex, and dwindling public-education campaigns are said to be factors contributing to a recent increase in HIV among Jamaica's young people. While figures for 2017 are not yet available, the 2016 Ministry Of Health HIV Epidemiology Report shows just over 2,000 newly diagnosed or reported HIV cases, up from 1, 222 new cases in 2015. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
South Korea moves to ease Chinese jitters over US-North Korea talks
South Korean officials will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday, as part of an effort to bring jittery regional powers on board with US President Donald Trump's stunning decision to accept a face-to-face meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Seoul's lead envoy, National Security Advisor Chung Eui-Yong, will meet Xi in Beijing, as a parallel delegation heads to Tokyo to brief Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on the attempts to open talks with Pyongyang on its nuclear and missile program. Read more here
Kathmandu airport crash: At least 40 dead as US-Bangla plane veers off runway
12th March 2018