NEWS

Drama for Arts students

Acting Chief Education Officer (CEO) John Roopchan could not give a direct answer on Tuesday when asked whether CSEC and CAPE students could find themselves in jeopardy because of the absence of qualified staff to assess the drama component of the Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA). Concerns were first raised by Victor Edwards, retired curriculum co-ordinator of the VAPA unit, who is insisting there is no qualified officer to legally assess the drama examination, so students could fail their examination. He also warned of legal implications that the appointment of unqualified officers for this department could have. Read more here

Don’t incite people to break the law

Gyrating on someone without their permission is considered an assault and inciting others to do so can be considered aiding and abetting the crime. This is the warning from the public information officer of the police service, ASP Michael Jackman at yesterday’s weekly media briefing. Read more here

21 gun salute at Belgroves

From schoolchildren to the elderly, they lined the streets in scores outside Belgroves Funeral Home in Tacarigua to say farewell to former president George Maxwell Richards yesterday. From the nearby St Mary’s Anglican Primary School, children in uniform, led by teachers and guardians, congregated on the Eddie Hart Grounds to witness the military parade that started and closed the final instalment of yesterday’s State funeral for the well-loved former head of State.  Read more here

POLITICS

Mark tells AG: ‘Get out’

Tempers flared in the Senate yesterday, when Opposition Senator Wade Mark shouted across the floor at Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi. Mark’s outburst to Al-Rawi came while Mark was starting debate on a private motion to annul the Freedom of Information Order 2017. The Order exempts the Strategic Services Agency (SSA) from the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). A similar motion, filed by Naparima MP Rodney Charles in the House of Representatives, was defeated last Friday by a vote of 16 to four. Read more here

AG: Govt to consider appropriate honour

Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar yesterday suggested Government honour former president George Maxwell Richards with the country’s highest academic award and establish a national fund in his name. Persad-Bissessar threw out the suggestion after Richards’ funeral service at the National Academy for the Performing Arts. Read more here

BUSINESS

Johann Borde: New COO for Police Credit Union

Johann Borde, the new Chief Operating Officer of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service Credit Union (PCU) is first and foremost a father. “A father of four, a husband and everything thereafter,” he laughs as we meet two weeks into his new position and office. That family-first position also applies to his view on the working world – in a company and a business that takes a different view of the customer as a shareholder and partner as opposed to a client. The credit union which began operations in 1956 and opened its doors to non-security force members in 1984 is on an aggressive new drive to increase its asset base and offerings to shareholders. The office of the COO is just the start of the process to achieve this. Read more here

OCM Limited registers day’s largest gain

Overall Market activity resulted from trading in 11 securities of which four advanced, two declined and five traded firm. Trading activity on the First Tier Market registered a volume of 125,116 shares crossing the floor of the Exchange valued at $1,566,795.21. JMMB Group Limited was the volume leader with 65,528 shares changing hands for a value of $118,185.23, followed by Unilever Caribbean Limited with a volume of 20,287 shares being traded for $568,036. Read more here

Poverty pretenders prevail in T&T

There are people in Trinidad and Tobago who are pretending to be poor and “masquerading poverty” and accessing social services like food cards, economist and former chairman of the Economic Development Advisory Board Dr Terrence Farrell has said. Read more here

REGIONAL

Sentencing Quarrel - Justice Minister Concerned About Inconsistencies, Top Attorney Calls Criticisms Unfair

Justice Minister Delroy Chuck has admitted that he has concerns about the disparity in the punishment being handed down by High Court judges even as one of the country's top attorneys rushed to their defence. Chuck's admission comes as the judiciary faces tough criticism from law-enforcement personnel over perceived "light" sentences imposed on persons convicted for illegal possession of firearm and ammunition. "There needs to be greater consistency by judges," Chuck insisted yesterday. Read more here

INTERNATIONAL

Trump wall: President's view on Mexico border has changed - Kelly

US President Donald Trump's views on the Mexico border wall have evolved, says his chief of staff, John Kelly. Speaking to Fox News, Mr Kelly also did not deny reports that he had described the president as "uninformed" when he made campaign promises about a wall. The comments were overheard during an immigration meeting on Wednesday, according to US media. A row on immigration between lawmakers and the White House is currently risking a federal government shutdown. Read more here

India tests-fires Agni-V, a nuclear-capable ICBM

India has successfully test-fired a long-range intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), the country's Defense Ministry said Thursday. The nuclear-capable Agni-V is believe to be India's most advanced ICBM. It was fired Thursday morning India time from Abdul Kalam island off the coast of the eastern state of Odisha, the ministry said in a tweet. It called the test a "major boost" to the country's defense capabilities. Read more here

18th January 2018

Back