NEWS
Private sector still willing to help acquire vaccines
The private sector remains committed to helping the Government acquire covid19 vaccines for the population. Supermarkets Association of TT president Rajiv Diptee made this comment on Thursday. On March 23, in the Senate, Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh said he was working with Diptee and Ansa McAl Group CEO Anthony Sabga III to procure safe World Health Organization (WHO)-approved vaccines for Trinidad and Tobago. Deyalsingh said, "We assure the public that if and when there is a viable outcome, we will alert the public." Read more here
Another batch of 33,600 vaccines coming next week
Trinidad and Tobago will receive another batch of the AstraZeneca vaccine from the COVAX facility by the end of next week. In a release yesterday, the Ministry of Health said 33,600 doses of the vaccine are due to arrive before next Friday. The ministry said this second batch from COVAX and the remaining doses from the batch donated by the Indian government will be held to guarantee a second dose to those who already got their first dose. The ministry said up until Wednesday, 55,895 people were vaccinated. Read more here
POLITICS
Hinds talks security, covid19 with UK envoy
Minister of National Security Fitzgerald Hinds received a courtesy call on Thursday at his ministry from British High Commissioner Harriet Cross to discuss several aspects of national security plus the covid19 pandemic. A statement from the ministry said, "The meeting presented an opportunity for Minister Hinds and Her Excellency Cross to engage in a cordial discourse on opportunities to further optimize bilateral co-operation and implementation on areas of border security, policing and prison reform, as well as other significant areas of mutual interest." Read more here
Pepper spray debate heads to Senate next week
Long-awaited legislation for pepper spray use will be debated in the Senate next Tuesday—and apart from applicants over 18, certain categories of law enforcement will also be allowed to use it in their duties. Plus there will be huge fines, along with jail terms, for misuse of the non-lethal weapon. Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi confirmed developments Wednesday. Proposals for pepper spray use are an amendment to the Firearms Act. It requires only a simple majority of votes—largely Government’s—for passage. Read more here
BUSINESS
C&W appoints Simone Martin-Sulgan as Flow TT’s vice president
Simone Martin-Sulgan is Flow TT’s vice president, telecommunications giant C&W Communications (C&W) announced on Tuesday. Martin-Sulgan is one of the new executive leadership appointments made by C&W, operator of Flow TT. The company also promoted Kurleigh Prescod, a former Flow TT country manager, as vice president of the South Caribbean. They are among four new positions which were a part of an organisational shift that includes new roles for C&W in the Dutch Caribbean, North Caribbean and South Caribbean. Read more here
Tatil acquires Trident insurance in Barbados
Trinidad and Tobago Insurance Limited (Tatil) has announced the successful conclusion of its transaction to acquire Trident Insurance Company (Trident) in Barbados. Tatil’s chairman Ray A Sumairsingh yesterday announced that all regulatory approvals in Barbados and T&T were received. “This cements a move that expands Tatil’s insurance footprint in Barbados and boosts its offerings to the market,” a release from Tatil stated yesterday. Read more here
REGIONAL
$1.1B in medical supplies dumped
Another $1.1 billion in expired medical, laboratory, and diagnostic supplies have been dumped following the completion of an audit of the medical supplies sent to all the administrative regions, according to Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony. Recently, it was reported that the ministry dumped $3 billion in expired drugs and medical supplies from its Materials Management Unit (MMU) and other health facilities, following audits done by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government. Read more here
Construction lobby pushes back at CHEC but Clarke defends exemption order
Jamaica’s chief construction industry lobby has raised concern about a legislative order exempting China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) from procurement rules and which also sets employment benchmarks for local workers. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
As China awaits WHO approval for its vaccines, one country is sending theirs back
When Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte live-streamed himself receiving a first dose of the Chinese-made Sinopharm vaccine on Monday, it was supposed to encourage reluctant Filipinos to follow his lead and protect themselves against Covid-19. Instead, it drew a firestorm of criticism against Duterte -- for choosing a vaccine not yet approved by the country's regulators. Amid the backlash, Duterte on Wednesday asked China to take back the 1,000 doses of the Sinopharm vaccine it had donated to the Philippines and apologized to the public for receiving the unapproved shot. Read more here
Under 40s to be offered alternative to AZ vaccine
Most adults under the age of 40 will be given an alternative to the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine due to a link with rare blood clots. The UK's medicines safety regulator says there have been 242 clotting cases and 49 deaths, with 28.5 million doses of the vaccine administered. But the risk is slightly higher in younger age groups. Low levels of coronavirus cases and the availability of alternative vaccines have also informed the decision. Prof Wei Shen Lim, from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), said they were putting "a high priority on safety" and he expected the move would "serve to boost confidence" in the vaccination programme. Read more here
7th May 2021