NEWS
Architect dies two months after shooting
Two months after he was shot while liming, Lebanese building designer Elie Hajaly, 51, has died. Hajaly died at the Port of Spain General Hospital on October 8. He is the second person killed after the gun attack at The Residence nightclub at One Woodbrook Place on August 13. Businessman Nikhil Luthra, 34, of Pelican Road, Lange Park, Chaguanas and Hajaly, 51, of Westmoorings were shot while liming on the patio of the club at about 2.30 am. Luthra died that day. Read more here
Boy, 9, gunned down while playing in Enterprise
Gunmen opened fire at a recreation ground in Enterprise, Chaguanas on Saturday, creating mayhem and ending the life of a nine-year-old child. Police said Jomol Modeste, lovingly called MJ by friends and relatives, was shot in the back around 8 pm while he and other children were running to escape a barrage of gunfire at the African Recreation Ground. Police said a white panel van stolen from a bakery worker conducting sales was used by the gunmen during the attack. Investigators believe gunmen sprayed bullets into the playground indiscriminately but could not say if they were targeting anyone specifically. Jomol was taken to the Chaguanas Health facility but succumbed to his injuries. Read more here
POLITICS
Hosein: PM must speak on Ramlogan/Ramdeen case
Barataria/San Juan MP Saddam Hosein reiterated the UNC's position that the Prime Minister must address the situation which led to the corruption case against former attorney general Anand Ramlogan and former opposition senator Gerald Ramdeen collapsing last week. In a statement, Hosein referred to statements made by Dr Rowley at a PNM public meeting in Diego Martin about him as prime minister having no involvement in the prosecution of anyone in TT. A purported agreement to indemnify Jamaica-born Vincent Nelson, KC, from civil and criminal prosecution in return for a notarised statement led to the case against Ramlogan and Ramdeen being dropped. Read more here
Young defends decision to hand over Nelson’s statement to UK agency
Former Minister in the Ministry of the Attorney General, Stuart Young, is defending his move to hand over a confidential, notarised statement Vincent Nelson, KC, made as part of an indemnity agreement to the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency (NCA) that is conducting an ongoing criminal investigation into two prominent King’s Counsels, local attorneys, including the daughter of a politically exposed person in Trinidad. In a brief statement on his Facebook page on Sunday, Young said he took very careful note of what he observed being reported in the public domain surrounding the criminal charges of Anand Ramlogan, SC, and Gerald Ramdeen and the involvement of Vincent Nelson, KC. He noted the matters surrounding Nelson are sub judice “and accordingly it is prudent for me not to say much or be drawn into attempts to obfuscate the truth or to jeopardise any ongoing legal matters (either criminal or civil).” Read more here
BUSINESS
Pan-American Life closes in on ’19 numbers
Despite the challenges brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic, Pan-American Life Insurance Group (PALIG) is set to regain its 2019 profitability. So said chairman and chief executive officer of the board, José S Suquet, at the company’s tenth anniversary celebration of its establishment in the Caribbean, at the Hyatt Regency hotel, last week. “We are 80 per cent near our 2019 profitability. The good thing is, we did keep our revenue machine going. Our rising revenue was about three to five per cent in 2021 and 2025. Read more here
REGIONAL
Catering consortium to be formed to supply food to oil and gas vessels
A Consortium comprising catering companies from across Guyana is expected to be formed soon to bid for contracts to provide meals and food supplies to floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) vessels. This was announced by President, Dr Irfaan Ali, on Sunday while he delivered remarks at a Youman Nabi service at the Leguan Masjid. During this address, the Head of State said that he instructed Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat, to work on bringing together a consortium of all major caterers in the country. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Ukraine war: Kyiv attacked by 'kamikaze drones', say officials
Russia has hit Ukraine with a wave of attacks, including Iranian-made "kamikaze" drones on the capital, Kyiv. The strikes hit critical infrastructure in three regions, cutting off electricity in hundreds of villages across the country, according to Prime Minister Denys Shmygal. At least seven people have died so far - four in Sumy and three in Kyiv. A week ago, the capital was hit by Russian missiles at rush hour, part of nationwide attacks which left 19 dead. Mr Shmygal said the new strikes had hit regions of Kyiv, Dnipro and Sumy. Russia said it had hit "all designated targets", confirming that Ukraine's "military command facilities and energy system" had been targets. Read more here
17th October 2022