NEWS
Rowley tours several south farms
Technological advancement and innovation in agriculture along with the active involvement of youth in the sector, were among the many features observed by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley who along with a team of officers from the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries (MALF) - toured a series of agricultural and dairy farms in South Trinidad on Monday. According to a release, the tours were to the PCS Model Farm and Agricultural Resource Centre in Couva; High Quality Seedlings and Garden Shop as well as the Marillisa Farm in Penal, were jointly led by Rowley, the Ministry’s Parliamentary Secretary and Senator Avinash Singh. Read more here
Family member has clues to Sheron’s murder—police
Investigators probing the murder of used-car dealer Sheron Sukhdeo said a family member can help them solve the case. Homicide officers said Sukhdeo, 33, had many enemies and had been repeatedly threatened as his empire grew, purchasing million-dollar properties, a fleet of sport and luxury vehicles, and even a private plane. Yesterday, at about 2 pm patrolling officers along the Caroni Savannah Road, near Sheron’s Auto, intercepted a vehicle and found a black plastic bag containing over $20,000 in cash from the occupants. Read more here
Legalise medical marijuana
Independent Senator Dhanayshar Mahabir is supporting the legalisation of medical marijuana, abortion and gay rights. Mahabir is also calling on Government to give all 73 members of Parliament diplomatic passports, a facility which currently is only afforded to ministers and the two presiding officers. Read more here
POLITICS
COP has new national executive
The Congress of the People (COP) has a new national executive as the slate of candidates led by incumbent chairman Jamieson Bahadur was nominated unopposed following yesterday’s nomination day exercise. The party had designated April 15 as election day for the 2018-2020 term while Monday was declared as nomination day for people seeking to contest positions on the nine-member executive. Read more here
Ministry welcomes ruling on highway project
The Ministry of Works and Transport (MOWT) says it welcomes the decision of the Court of Appeal which on Monday dismissed the case brought by Fisherman and Friends of the Sea (FFSO) challenging the decision of the Environmental Management Authority (EMA) to grant a Certificate of Environmental Clearance (CEC) to the ministry for the construction of the Cumuto to Manzanilla Highway. In a statement yesterday, the ministry said the court’s decision had cleared the way for the ministry and its agent the National Infrastructure Development Company Limited (Nidco), to proceed with the construction of this highway in an expeditious manner for the benefit of all citizens, particularly, the people of Sangre Grande, Cumuto and Manzanilla. Read more here
Illegal drug transaction was real
Minister of National Security Edmund Dillon yesterday confirmed that the video of a member of the Police Service allegedly engaging in an illegal drug transaction was real.Speaking in the Senate, Dillon said the person was a member of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) and that the matter was being dealt with by the acting Commissioner of Police, who had referred the matter to the TTPS Professional Standards Bureau. Read more here
BUSINESS
Draconian penalties in Cybercrime Bill
Government Senator Clarence Rambharat yesterday expressed disappointment at submissions given by telecommunication service providers TSTT and Digicel on the Cybercrime Bill 2017. He commented on the matter during yesterday’ s Joint Select Committee (JSC) on National Security chaired by Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi which met to examine the legislation. Read more here
Moruga Hill Rice no longer forgotten
Agri-entrepreneur Mark Forgenie aims to take the Moruga Hill Rice to the world. The hill rice, also known as the African Hill Rice, was brought to Trinidad more than 200 years ago by the Merikins, who were West African slaves. Read more here
REGIONAL
Military Rule - Jamaicans Would Put Army In Charge To Curtail Crime And Corruption, Says Survey
The majority of Jamaicans would support the temporary suspension of their rights and accept military rule under a coup in order to curtail high levels of crime and corruption. That is the finding of a comparative study of democracy and governance, as part of the Political Culture of Democracy in Jamaica Survey in the Americas 2016-17. Professor Anthony Harriott of the Institute of Criminal Justice and Security at the University of the West Indies, Mona, presented the findings in Kingston yesterday. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
New US deal with South Korea: What you need to know. President Donald Trump has his first trade deal. Senior US officials on Tuesday gave details on an agreement in principle with South Korea to revise a trade deal that originally went into effect in 2012. The officials said the agreement was an example of Trump delivering on his promise to voters to negotiate better trade deals for the United States. Read more here
Kim Jong-un was in Beijing, China and NK confirm
28th March 2018