TTMA IN THE NEWS
TTMA: Grant Dominica waiver
Support for Dominica and criticism of TT is growing, as the Trinidad and Tobago Manufacturers’ Association (TTMA) is the latest entity to comment on this country’s recent refusal to support Dominica’s request for a two-year waiver of its annual Organisation of American States (OAS) contribution. Read more here
NEWS
Shutdown ends: NGC signs new agreement
State-owned National Gas Company (NGC) said yesterday that it had signed a new natural gas supply agreement with Caribbean Nitrogen Company (CNC), ending a nine-week production stoppage at the Point Lisas-based ammonia company. CNC closed the ammonia plant on January 24, following the breakdown in its negotiations with NGC for a new natural gas supply contract. NGC cut off the natural gas supply. Read more here
‘I feel like I stranded in my own country’
Although Caribbean Airlines staff worked overtime for the Easter long weekend to fill the gap of the collapsed ferry service, transporting over 13,000 passengers on the domestic airbridge, there were still scores of ferry passengers who had to camp out at the airport in Tobago for hours to catch a flight. Read more here
Galleons may arrive in May
The Galleons Passage vessel, which Government is hoping could revive the comatose seabridge, may be delayed by an extra month as information posted by Sea Transport in China yesterday, revealed the vessel will arrive in TT sometime in May. Newsday tracked the boat yesterday at about midday and at that time, it was docked at 6 pm (TT time) at the port of Honolulu in Hawaii. Read more here
POLITICS
I know of no such meeting
There is even more confusion surrounding last week’s diplomatic blunder in which T&T voted against Dominica’s bid for a waiver of its Organisation of American States (OAS) contributions for the next two years, as Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley directly contradicted the contents of a news report this weekend in which Dominica’s Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit is quoted as saying that he would be speaking with Rowley. Read more here
BUSINESS
TT moves to forge stronger commercial ties with Saudi Arabia
As the Trinidad-Saudi Chamber of Commerce (TSCC) moves to forge stronger, commercial ties between Trinidad and Tobago and Saudi Arabia, the First Annual Trinidad-Saudi Arabia Business Forum “Supporting Regional Investment Collaboration” was held last Wednesday at the Hyatt Regency. Read more here
Brands vs generic drugs
Medical professionals need to understand that people cannot afford expensive, brand-name drugs in this economy, and unless there is hard, solid evidence that it does not work, they should prescribe the generic version of the drug. That was the opinion of Jameel Rahaman, a pharmacist for over three decades. Read more here
REGIONAL
Regional citizenship firm tied to Iranian national arrested for evading US economic sanctions
An advisory firm that plays a major role in promoting the citizenship by investment (CBI) programs run by Grenada and Saint Lucia, and also was similarly involved in the corresponding program in St Kitts and Nevis, is said to have facilitated the issue of St Kitts and Nevis passports to an Iranian national arrested last month for evading US economic sanctions. Read more here
Trinidad and Tobago PM called on to address ‘foreign policy disaster’
Political scientist Dr Maukesh Basdeo has called on Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley to address what he described as a “foreign policy disaster” when the country voted against hurricane-ravaged Dominica’s plea to have its contributions to the Organisation of American States (OAS) waived for the next two years. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Winnie Mandela dies at 81...
South African freedom icon Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, the former wife of the late South African president and revolutionary Nelson Mandela, and for decades one of South Africa’s most prominent and polarising figures, died yesterday at a hospital in Johannesburg. She was 81. Her family confirmed the death in a statement and said she had been hospitalised for an illness earlier this year. Read more here
Fiji PM: Climate change threatens our survival
Fiji's prime minister has said the Pacific island nation is in "a fight for survival" as climate change brings "almost constant" deadly cyclones. Frank Bainimarama said Fiji had entered a "frightening new era" of extreme weather that needed to be confronted. His comments came after Cyclone Josie caused deaths and flooding on Fiji's main island, Viti Levu, at the weekend. Read more here
3rd April 2018