NEWS
33 employees made redundant
Nineteen men, all unionised employees of Oilbelt Services Limited with in excess of ten years’ service each, stood with letters of redundancy in their hands yesterday evening, contemplating how they were going to break the news to their families. Read more here
Pay Me My $5Mil
Former CL Financial honcho Carlos John is suing his former boss, former CL Financial chairman Lawrence Duprey for unpaid loans amounting to $5.1 million. Duprey, who initially accepted liability, is now denying owing John any money and is calling on him to provide proof. But before Duprey can change his defence, he first has to convince Justice Frank Seepersad that he can do so. Read more here
POLITICS
Garcia sends in more support
Teachers at the Ste Madeleine Secondary School could soon face disciplinary action over their recent lunchtime protest action to highlight their dissatisfaction with the principal’s running of the school. Read more here
Moonilal: We know lobbyist, he likes goat roti
Oropouche MP Dr Roodal Moonilal is claiming that the lobbyist retained by Government to seek its interests in the United States had previously offered his services, over a meal of dhalphourie (roti) and goat, to the Peoples Partnership when it was in government. The offer, however, was denied. Read more here
BUSINESS
Today is World Consumer Rights Day
Trade and Industry Minister Paula Gopee- Scoon has called for solidarity within the international consumer environment. Speaking on the occasion of World Consumer Rights Day (WCRD) which is being observed today, the Minister said the WCRD is an opportunity to reinforce the rights and responsibilities of consumers; highlighting market injustices which may seek to undermine these rights. Read more here
Blue food supply under forex threat
Market vendors and blue food lovers are set to suffer as Trinidad and Tobago’s supply, which is heavily complemented by the small islands of the Eastern Caribbean, is now under threat of being cut off, agricultural economist Omardath Maharaj said in telephone interviews and e-mailed analysis last week. Eastern Caribbean governments in a very diplomatically worded communique, released March 3, expressed their discontent with T&T as foreign exchange is not being made available for their farmers who export to Port of Spain to get paid. Read more here
REGIONAL
UN expert urges more aid for Hurricane Matthew victims in Haiti
An independent United Nations expert on human rights today welcomed the recent completion of the electoral process as “remarkable progress” for the island nation, while he also urged the authorities to address the situation in prisons, and redouble efforts to help Haitians affected by Hurricane Matthew and the 2010 earthquake. Read more here
IAPA condemns attacks on and intimidation of journalists in Colombia and Mexico, cyber attacks in Venezuela
The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) has condemned acts of aggression and intimidation against journalists in Colombia and Mexico, and online attacks on a Venezuelan independent portal, matters that will be taken up at the organization's midyear meeting to be held March 31 to April 3 in Antigua, Guatemala. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Airline passenger's headphones catch fire midflight
(CNN)Australian authorities will investigate why a pair of battery-powered headphones caught fire two hours into a flight between Beijing and Melbourne, blackening and blistering a female passenger's face and hands. The women was sleeping and listening to music about two hours into the trip when she heard an explosion. Read more here
Donald Trump's 2005 tax return leak reveals $38m bill
US President Donald Trump paid $38m (£31m) in tax on more than $150m (£123m) income in 2005, a leaked partial tax return shows. The two pages of tax return, revealed by US TV network MSNBC, also showed he wrote off $103m in losses. It gave no details on income sources. The White House said publishing the tax return was against the law. Read more here
15th March 2017