TTMA IN THE NEWS
TTMA views 2018 with optimism
President of the Trinidad and Tobago Manufacturers Association, Christopher Alcazar, says he is optimistic about what the year ahead has to offer. As a nation and for businesses, he said the main focus must be to maintain competitiveness. “Outside of this, our industry will wither and fade away like they have in other countries who have lost this focus,” Alcazar told Express Business via e-mail last week. Read more here
NEWS
Dominican students to be placed in classes
Students from the hurricane-ravaged island of Dominica who are seeking admission into schools in TT will not be denied the opportunity to continue their education, says Education Minister Anthony Garcia. Garcia gave this assurance on Tuesday after reports that a parent who relocated from Dominica and now lives in Central Trinidad is unable to get her three children admitted into local schools. Read more here
3 in court for murder of reserve cop
Three men accused of murdering Special Reserve Police officer Richard Babwah and robbing the owner of a Chinese restaurant appeared in court jointly charged with the crimes yesterday. Keane Osei Simmons, 25, a father of a six-year-old, Shawn Scott, 34 and Shurland Jones, all of Maloney, appeared Magistrate Debby-Ann Bassaw-Nancoo in the Arima Second Magistrate’s Court charged with murder, robbery with aggravation, possession of a firearm and possession of ammunition. Read more here
9 Cuban protesters held for obstruction
Nine of the 18 Cuban dissidents who have been protesting outside the United Nations office were last night taken into police custody after they again refused to leave the streets and accept housing accommodation from the Living Water Community. Read more here
POLITICS
AG: ‘E-mailgate’ far from over
Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi yesterday said the “e-mailgate” saga is far from over. Al-Rawi made the statement at the final post-Cabinet news conference for this year at the Diplomatic Centre in St Ann’s. He said the Opposition United National Congress (UNC) has consistently been proven wrong that the matter is over and the former People’s Partnership (PP) government has been vindicated. “The e-mailgate saga was tied into the Section 34 issue,” Al-Rawi said. Read more here
Leave my private life alone—Young
Minister in the Office of the Attorney General and Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister “has the full support of his Cabinet team.” This from Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi in the face of reports of a personal matter involving Young and questions about a conflict of interest relating to his private accommodation. Read more here
School fights part of growing up, says Minister
Education Minister Anthony Garcia says fighting in schools is all a “part of life” and he accused the media of blowing these incidents out of proportion. Garcia made the statements while addressing a ceremony for eight newly appointed school supervisors, held at the Ministry of Education's St Vincent Street headquarters yesterday. In recent times, a number of incidents of violence and bullying involving school children have been videotaped and circulated on social media. Read more here
BUSINESS
Trini wins tech award for countering fake news
Trinidad-born, twenty-nine-year-old Stefan Uddenberg along with his three friends are expected to appear before US Congress in 2018 after becoming winners of the YHack competition earlier this month. The four created a browser to detect fake news and won the prize for, "the best hack to counter Fake News" at the YHack Challenge. Read more here
Sagicor slams IMF report
Regioal insurance giant Sagicor Financial Corporation (SFC) yesterday rejected as “grossly inaccurate and indeed recklessly careless” comments attributed to a draft International Monetary Fund (IMF) report, which suggested the insurance company was being inadequately regulated and made comparisons between Sagicor and CLICO, the T&T-headquartered company that collapsed in January 2009. Read more here
REGIONAL
Killed For Protecting Her Teen Daughter
A 22-year-old man has pleaded guilty to murder after detailing for police investigators how he chopped a St Mary woman to death after she reported to the police that he was having a sexual relationship with her teenage daughter. Kenroy Hayles pleaded guilty in the Home Circuit Court in downtown Kingston yesterday to killing Olivene Erica Brown, 34, in the small community of Fontabelle district in July last year and is to be sentenced on January 19. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Which countries are most vulnerable to US pressure over UN Jerusalem vote?
The US faces an embarrassing loss in the United Nations General Assembly Thursdaydespite comments by President Donald Trump suggesting countries that vote against the US could face repercussions. Egypt called for a vote at the UN General Assembly after the US vetoed a resolution put to the Security Council rejecting Washington's decision to recognize Jerusalem and relocate its embassy there. The US cannot veto General Assembly motions, which require a simple majority to be adopted. "We're watching those votes," Trump said Wednesday. Read more here
Melbourne crash: Driver arrested after hitting pedestrians
21st December 2017