NEWS
Son Set to Walk
The 15-year-old Presentation College, Chaguanas student who was the main suspect in a chopping incident in which his mother’s right hand was severed and she was also chopped to the back of the head, may be released from police custody soon. Investigators probing the incident, which occurred last Thursday at the family’s home in Waterloo, Carapichaima yesterday approached the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for advice on how to proceed with the case. Read more here
Devotees ready to fight for temple land
Vowing to protect their temple with their lives, devotees from the Shri Nav Durga Kali Ashram yesterday vowed to mount a legal challenge to stop the State from demolishing any part of their ashram. This after a high-powered team from the Ministry of Planning and Development and Town and Country Planning Division officials visited the mandir at St Mary’s Village, South Oropouche, yesterday. Read more here
Plea to release 82 Venezuelans
Three days before the deportation of 82 Venezuelans, that country’s foreign policy committee wrote to Trinidad and Tobago’s ambassador in Caracas pleading for their release. The letter said the men in detention had committed no crime in seeking a better life. Read more here
POLITICS
Conflicting claims
There are conflicting reports surrounding three of 82 Venezuelans deported on Saturday, after Government said the three had asylum certificates but chose to be repatriated along with their countrymen. Speaking in the Senate yesterday, National Security Minister Edmund Dillon said of those who were deported, three had the certificates and they all volunteered to be sent back home on two separate occasions. Read more here
Dillon, AG meet with UN execs on repatriations
Minister of National Security Edmund Dillon and Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi yesterday met with the United Nations Resident Coordinator Richard Blewitt and Protection Officer of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Ruben Barbado, over last Saturday’s repatriation of 82 Venezuelans.The meeting, held at the ministry’s Port-of-Spain head office, was also attended by Permanent Secretary Vel Lewis and Chief Immigration Officer Charmaine Gandhi-Andrews. Read more here
Kamla promises free laptops, school grants: Better future in 2020
With a general election constitutionally due in 2020, Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar is promising a better future for citizens under her leadership. At the United National Congress’ (UNC) Monday night forum at the Bamboo Settlement Government Primary School, Persad-Bissessar promised to improve the education sector and provide free laptops, a $500 voucher for every schoolchild and $200 grant for every single-parent home. Read more here
BUSINESS
WorleyParsons talks green hydrogen
Green hydrogen and energy efficiency in the region will be the focus of WorleyParsons’ inaugural Caribbean New Energy conference this Friday at the Arthur Lok Jack Global School of Business in Mt Hope. Green hydrogen is hydrogen produced using energy from renewable sources, or is net carbon zero energy through carbon capture or emissions offsets. Read more here
Ghana courts T&T investors
Local entrepreneurs are being encouraged to seize business opportunities in the growing Ghanaian economy where there will be no problems moving US currency out once investments are made there. General manager of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation Dr Kwame Amoah Baah-Nuakoh, responding to questions at a T&T Energy Chamber business consultation at Cara Suites Hotel in Claxton Bay yesterday, said he is hoping T&T investors will assist in building Ghana’s oil and gas industry. Read more here
Forex good news...and bad?
Finance Minister Colm Imbert’s announcement at last Thursday’s post-Cabinet news conference that the Central Bank will soon grant a licence to the EXIMBANK that will allow the export credit agency to sell foreign exchange to manufacturers is very good news for the non-energy export sector. Providing a window to the EXIMBANK to sell foreign exchange to the manufacturers is a pledge that Mr Imbert made in the 2018 budget presentation. It is noteworthy that this pledge is likely to be implemented within six months of it be made. Read more here
REGIONAL
Jamaica Moves Up To Sixth On World Press Freedom Index
Jamaica has moved up two places to sixth on the 2018 world press freedom index released by the France-based Reporters Without Borders (RSF) Tuesday night. It’s highest ranking for a Caribbean country since 2002 when the index was introduced. The index gauges press freedom in 180 countries around the world. "Jamaica ranks among the countries that most respect freedom of information," read a section of the 2018 report. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Kim Wall murder: Danish inventor Peter Madsen given life sentence
Danish inventor Peter Madsen has been found guilty of the mutilation and murder of Swedish journalist Kim Wall, and sentenced to life in prison. Madsen was also found guilty of the indecent handling of a corpse and "sexual relations other than intercourse of a particularly dangerous nature," evidenced by stab wounds inside and outside Wall's genital area. During the sentencing at a court in Copenhagen Wednesday, the judge Anette Burkoe described the crime as "a cynical and planned sexual murder of a severe brutal nature against a random women." Read more here
Asaram Bapu: Indian guru sentenced to life for raping girl
25th April 2018