NEWS
No charges yet for teens, man held in carjacking
Police have not yet charged the two young women, 17 and 18, and a man held with guns after a violent carjacking in Fyzabad. Police said the male suspect was wanted in connection with a series of other crime in several districts. They held the three at Rivulet Road, Basta Hall, in Couva, early on Wednesday, in the stolen car. Read more here
Over 500 businesses shut today in solidarity
Over 500 businesses have announced they will be closed today as murder victim Andrea Bharatt is laid to rest. The decision to shut down comes after over a hundred demonstrations across the country to highlight violence against women and call for legislators to pass necessary laws to cause it to cease. Bharatt, 23, was kidnapped on January 29 and her decomposing body was found in the Heights of Aripo one week later on February 4. Read more here
POLITICS
Tancoo: NLCB operating like ‘runaway horse’
Davendranath Tancoo, chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), says the NLCB (National Lotteries Control Board) is operating like a “runaway horse with no audit and accountability,” despite spending billions in recent years. He was speaking at a virtual PAC meeting on Wednesday morning. Read more here
John: Seems like T&T is last on list for vaccines
It seems that T&T is "number last" in getting COVID vaccines in the region, United National Congress (UNC) deputy leader Jearlean John said last night. John topped the bill of speakers at the UNC's Pavement Report meeting. UNC political leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar who'd been advertised on a poster for the meeting was absent. Read more here
BUSINESS
Ramnarine predicts even lower gas production in 2021
Expect further declines in natural gas production this year and the country is running out of fiscal space are the observations of one economist and a former Energy Minister. Former energy minister Kevin Ramnarine said the country’s natural gas production is expected to further decline in 2021. Ramnarine’s comments came after Finance Minister Colm Imbert revealed that the country’s economy is in peril as a result of a decline in oil and gas production and low international commodity prices. Read more here
Duke to Imbert: Stop looking for battle
Public Services Association (PSA) president Watson Duke has given Finance Minister Colm Imbert until the first week in March to instruct the Chief Personnel Officer (CPO) to meet with union on outstanding wage increases, or else face a major uphill battle. Read more here
REGIONAL
Guyana to become energy capital of the Region
Driven by an energy mix of solar, wind, hydro and natural gas, Guyana could soon become a major player in the energy market, and ultimately the energy capital of the Region, President Dr. Irfaan Ali has said. According to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), access to modern energy services is fundamental to fulfilling basic social needs, driving economic growth and fuelling human development. This is because energy services have an effect on productivity, health, education, safe water and communication services. Read more here
COVID space almost out
The Jamaican Government is in a race against time to bolster its coronavirus treatment capacity with almost 40 per cent, or 133, more beds in weeks as an overflow of patients and high infections among healthcare workers put hospitals on the verge of collapse. Eighty-five per cent (309 out of 362) of COVID-19 beds across the country are occupied, with hospitalisations at a record toll of 198 as at Wednesday. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Trump's defense team expected to finish its arguments in one day
Former President Donald Trump's defense team expects to finish its arguments in the Senate's impeachment trial by Friday night, two sources tell CNN. His lawyers will take the Senate floor on Friday after impeachment managers wrapped up on Thursday, but they are not currently expected to use all of their allotted time. Each side gets 16 hours for presentations. Read more here
Russia warns EU it could cut ties over sanctions
Russia is ready to sever ties with the EU if the bloc imposes new, economically painful sanctions, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says. The EU has raised the prospect of further sanctions amid a row over the treatment of the jailed Russian opposition leader, Alexei Navalny. When an interviewer asked if Russia was heading for a "break" with the EU, Mr Lavrov said "we're ready for that". "If you want peace, prepare for war," he said. He said a break in ties could be triggered by EU sanctions that "create risks for our economy, including in the most sensitive areas". Read more here
12th February 2021