NEWS
Purchase of sniper rifles for SSA – Erla quizzed
Police brass were sent into a tailspin after Commissioner of Police Erla Harewood-Christopher was detained in connection with a criminal probe surrounding the importation of two military-grade sniper weapons for the Strategic Services Agency (SSA). On January 30, Harewood-Christopher, who is nearing the end of her second year in the post, remained locked for several hours in her office at the Police Administration Building, Sackville Street, Port of Spain, with two officers standing guard outside her door. She was told investigators had questions about her alleged involvement in authorising the importation of the prohibited weapons. Read more here
Mother of 3 gunned down at parlour by ‘customer’
Tenants of Building C in Orchid Gardens, Pleasantville, are traumatised after a woman from the area was murdered in their building. Mother of two Chezerae Kidney-Ramdass, 39, of Apartment 13, was shot dead in her apartment around 3.40 pm on Wednesday by a man pretending to be a customer. She operated a small parlour from her apartment on the ground floor and conducted sales through her bedroom window. Customers would ring a bell to signal that they came to make a purchase. Her brother Jereme Kidney-Ramdass, 40, recalled that he was in his bedroom waiting to watch a football match when he heard someone by the window and the person asked for something. Read more here
POLITICS
Kamla welcomes Caricom observers
Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar welcomed Caricom’s promise to send observers for the upcoming general election in TT, the date of which has not yet been announced by the Prime Minister, in a statement on January 30. However she also called for international election observers. "On September 16, 2024, I wrote to the Prime Minister, stating, 'Independent election observation or monitoring is essential for ensuring election integrity. "'The UNC firmly believes that international and regional observers are needed to ensure that our election is conducted in a free, fair, and just manner, reflecting the true mandate of the people.'” Read more here
Farley: Tobago water woes will always be politicized without autonomy
Chief Secretary Farley Augustine says Tobago’s water woes will remain a political battleground until the island gains control over public utilities. His comments follow a clash between Deputy Chief Secretary Faith Brebnor and government ministers over the state of the island’s water supply during the sod-turning ceremony for a Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) water treatment plant on Wednesday. Brebnor was critical of the Government, claiming that Tobago still struggles with water issues despite ongoing projects and that the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) is excluded from key ministry events. In response, Ministers Marvin Gonzales, Ayanna Webster-Roy, and Pennelope Beckles-Robinson accused her of ignoring Central Government efforts to improve the water supply. Read more here
BUSINESS
Tax amnesty ends today
As the Government’s extended tax amnesty comes to an end today, president of the Greater San Fernando Area Chamber of Commerce (GSFCC), Kiran Singh, says he is awaiting a report from the Ministry of Finance to determine whether the initiative achieved its intended impact. Speaking to Guardian Media yesterday, Singh noted that the amnesty extension provided much-needed relief to businesses navigating economic challenges, allowing them to settle their tax obligations without incurring penalties. Read more here
Javed Mohammed appointed TOFCO president
Javed Mohammed has been appointed the president of Trinidad Offshore Fabricators Unlimited (TOFCO). Mohammed has been with TOFCO since its inception in 2004, initially joining as a Quality Assurance/Quality Control Manager before being promoted to General Manager in April 2016. Read more here
REGIONAL
‘From coastland to hinterland: Budget 2025 bridges development gaps’ –PM Phillips affirms
Outlining a barrage of initiatives, Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips, on the final day of the Budget Debate, passionately defended the government’s spending, pointing to several programmes and policies that have been implemented to advance development and support citizens.
From expanding electricity, to building roads, the Prime Minister noted that the government has a clear strategy to ensure that development touches every community across the country. His rebuttal came in response to Opposition Member of Parliament Volda Lawrence, who sought to question the government’s spending on several projects, which she argued has not been reaching the populace. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Combative Trump blames diversity policies after air tragedy
Donald Trump stood before the White House press room cameras on Thursday to perform a traditional presidential duty – consoler-in-chief during a time of tragedy. He said the country was in mourning, shared his condolences during "an hour of anguish" and paid tribute to first responders and the victims. Then he sharply pivoted - providing yet another reminder of how his new presidency is going to be very different. It will be combative. It will be unscripted. And it will be quick to point the finger of blame. Read more here
31st January 2025