NEWS
3 visually impaired students pass SEA
Young and visually impaired Arielle Lewis, Jaidon Vincent and Akshay Sirju are not only daydreaming of a bright future ahead. Born visually impaired, the three primary school students made their parents very proud by studying for the Secondary Examination Assessment (SEA) at their respective schools. They sat among their classmates and had fun times like every other child, but when it was time to study, they did not fall short, even though they all have special needs and read and write in Braille. When the SEA results were revealed last week, Arielle, 13, of Valencia, passed for Tranquillity Government Secondary School, and Jaidon and Akshay for Debe Secondary School. Yesterday, they shared their joy with Newsday. Read more here
More dialogue to settle increase in school fees
The newly-elected President of the Inter-Religious Organisation Canon Knolly Clarke believes that there should be further dialogue between the Education Ministry and the Association of Private Secondary Schools aimed at resolving the issue of the school fee paid by the Government to those schools. Speaking to Guardian Media yesterday, Clarke said he was not convinced that the request made by the schools for an increase from the current fee of $1,200 to $5,700 was “unreasonable,” given that “basic supplies for schools, toiletries, materials for labs, et cetera are very expensive, and the request for the increase may not be as exorbitant as we think.” Read more here
Businessman takes bullet for wife
A Barrackpore businessman was critically injured when he jumped in front of a gun pointed at his wife during an attempted robbery on Wednesday night. The 30-year-old man was shot in the upper chest and suffered serious internal injuries. Read more here
POLITICS
Moonilal slams Rowley about turn on HDC gated communities
Former housing minister Dr Roodal Moonilal is demanding answers from government on its recently announced plans to build multi-million dollar houses in gated communities when in the past it stoutly insisted it will not build such costly homes. Moonilal is also demanding to know who the houses are being built for and whether they are being built for relatives and friends of the ruling People’s National Movement (PNM). Last week the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) announced plans to construct houses worth $1.5 million to $2 million in gated communities. Read more here
Ball back in PSC court
There is no Government support for Harold Phillip as the Police Commissioner and it’s back to the Police Service Commission on the issue. That was Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley’s position on the issue as he spoke in Parliament yesterday. He added that Government won’t support the PSC’s nomination of Phillip (deputy Commissioner) for the top post since they wouldn’t accept people who didn’t apply for the job. “...Therefore Harold Phillip doesn’t qualify to get Government’s support,” Rowley added. Read more here
New CoP deal breaker
The “deal-breaker” in the Government’s rejection of Deodat Dulalchan and Harold Phillip for the position of Commissioner of Police is that they didn’t apply for the job, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley stated yesterday. Read more here
BUSINESS
Trafalgar Motors introduces the new Jaguar E-PACE
Trafalgar Motors has launched the Jaguar E-PACE, a compact SUV with an all-wheel-drive system and featuring a variety of technological capabilities. Using hardware and software developed in Jaguar’s digital laboratories, the vehicle's technology provides for connection to devices, allowing seamless access to networks and data. Read more here
High demand for T&T’s cocoa beans
Trade and Industry Minister Paula Gopee-Scoon wants cocoa industry stakeholders to place more emphasis on developing a range of value added products. In an interview at the Cocoa Food Festival hosted by the Montserrat Cocoa Farmers Association at the La Vega Estate, Gran Couva, on Sunday, she said there is more money to be made in creating value added products such as lotions, artisan chocolates and other products that use cocoa extracts. Gopee-Scoon also said that Government is supporting efforts to help identify T&T’s cocoa beans globally as a product from a specialized region. Read more here
Weaker investment returns in 2018
This week, we at Bourse provide an update on the three types of investor profiles – conservative, moderate and aggressive. This year has, thus far, proved underwhelming from an investment perspective for all investor profiles. We examine the performance of all three categories and discuss how investors may position their portfolios for the remainder of 2018. Read more here
REGIONAL
MoBay Mayor To Ask For Extension Of State Of Emergency
Montego Bay's mayor, Councillor Homer Davis, has signalled his intention to call for an extension to the state of emergency (SOE) that has been in place in the parish of St James since January. This would be the third extension since the start of the year, if granted by the Cabinet. Addressing students, teachers and parents at the East Central St James annual GSAT awards function at the Half Moon Conference Centre on Sunday, the mayor delivered his message through Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
91-year-old man beaten with brick, told 'go back to Mexico'
Tears glistened on the black and purple bruises covering 91-year-old Rodolfo Rodriguez's face as he described being attacked by a group of people while going for a walk on the Fourth of July. "I can't walk anymore," Rodriguez said in Spanish. "I'm in so much pain." He'll be turning 92 in September, Rodriguez said, and he's never been hurt like this before, in a life working the fields with cattle and corn. He had traveled from Michoacan, Mexico, to visit his family in Willowbrook, California, a city in Los Angeles County, his grandson Erik Mendoza said. Read more here
Is it opportunity or disaster for the prime minister?
10th July 2018