NEWS
Sunday morning murder in Morvant
A Paradise Heights, Morvant man is TT’s latest murder victim, after being shot near his home on Sunday. The man has been identified as Akeem Caballero, of Building E, Paradise Heights, Morvant. Another man, identified as 22-year-old Isiah Mandley, of Ninth Avenue, Barataria, barely escaped death after being grazed by a bullet. Police said at around 9.15 am on Sunday, Caballero and Mandley were liming near building B with friends when a masked man armed with a gun came from behind building B and opened fire on them. Read more here
Montrose Govt spreads Christmas cheer
Montrose Government Primary School delivered an enchanting evening filled with festive cheer on Saturday night at Presentation College, Chaguanas, during a Christmas concert themed The Greatest Gift. The concert showcased the extraordinary talents of its students, blending music, dance and heartwarming performances. The programme began with a touching poem by the infants, setting the stage for the night’s spirit of love and joy. The audience was treated to captivating solos, including O Holy Night by Standard Two student Sienna Gobin and a stunning violin rendition of Silent Night by Standard 3’s Sahar Kaur Gill. Maya Seale, a Standard 4 pupil, charmed everyone with Santa Tell Me. Read more here
POLITICS
Browne denies replacing PM as Diego residents complain: Rowley left us behind
Even as Foreign Affairs Minister Senator Dr Amery Browne rubbished rumours of being in line to replace the Prime Minister as MP for Diego Martin West, residents in the constituency say they feel they have been left behind by Dr Rowley. Browne took to social media to dispel the rumours on Sunday. “I wish to categorically state that I have not been approached by the constituency of Diego Martin West with respect to nomination as an electoral candidate, and I have had no such conversations or intentions or ‘blessings,’” Browne said in a post on his Facebook page. Read more here
PNM to face stiff opposition on Tobago autonomy bills
The Opposition is today expected to echo Tobago calls for more consultation on the two Tobago autonomy bills and most estranged United National Congress MPs aren’t supporting the bills. “If the Rowley-led PNM had any serious interest in Tobagonians and Tobago affairs, they’d not have simply left these bills at the Committee Stage in Parliament idling for the past three years and only now try to put the gear on drive. They could have had further consultations as I requested over the past three years,” said estranged UNC MP Dinesh Rambally, who yesterday said the bills won’t get his vote. “Talking down to Tobagonians didn’t work in the last Tobago House of Assembly elections and it won’t work moving forward in the imminent general elections.” Read more here
BUSINESS
Tourists are staying longer...at Airbnbs
Tourists are staying longer in T&T. But they aren’t staying in traditional hotels. For much of this year, many on social media would have come across travel blogs featuring visitors to T&T. Most recently, many would have seen blogger Chelo Abbe post videos hailing how safe he felt spending time in T&T and how much value he felt he got for US$50 and US$20 in Port of Spain. Read more here
Two bidders to submit proposals for port project
The Port Authority of Trinidad and Tobago has announced that two bidders have been pre-qualified and will be invited to submit proposals for the Port of Port of Spain’s Public Private Partnership (PPP) Project. Read more here
REGIONAL
Balance among economies, science and ecology required for sustainability
Finding a balanced, inclusive approach to global resilience, particularly in the areas of energy, climate, and food security will be required if countries are to meet their sustainable targets. This is according to Guyana’s President, Dr Irfaan Ali, who recently underscored the necessity of addressing the pressing questions surrounding the transition to renewable energy, pointing out that these issues cannot be ignored if the world is to move towards a just and resilient future. Dr Ali, who has been Guyana’s voice on the international stage for this and other crucial issues, was last week awarded by the Wilson Center’s Latin America Programme for his efforts in environmental and biodiversity sustainability, as well as climate action. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
'You can breathe': On the streets of Damascus after Assad
There was a snarl of cars when we arrived. We could hear chanting. Someone was waving a rebel flag. Overnight news that Damascus had fallen and Syria's president had fled spurred Syrians in Lebanon to rush to Masnaa, the border crossing closest to their capital. We'd been planning to spend a day reporting from there, but packed a small overnight bag when we heard the Syrians had abandoned their side. Maybe we would be able to get to Damascus ourselves. Amid the excitement around us was a tall man with curly hair who was trying to go the other way. I could see he was crying. Read more here
9th December 2024