NEWS
15 charges for state-owned oil company, LMCS in diving tragedy
The Occupational Safety and Health Authority and Agency (OSHA) has been accused of a “double-barrelled” attack on the Paria Fuel Trading Company and two of its senior employees in its prosecution arising out of the 2022 diving tragedy. Paria’s lead attorney Gilbert Peterson, SC, made the accusation after his clients, Paria’s general manager Mushtaq Mohammed, terminal operations manager Collin Piper and the company itself pleaded not guilty to nine of 15 charges against them. Magistrate Alicia Chankar read out the 15 charges to Paria’s Mohammed and Piper and Land and Marine and Construction Services (LMCS) director Kazim Ali Snr on September 11. Read more here
Mother in pain as daughter, 2 grandchildren found dead in tank
A mother is mourning after her daughter and two grandchildren were found dead inside a decommissioned Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) tank in Parlatuvier, Tobago, last night. Police officers from the Moriah Station discovered the bodies of Sarah Smith, 33, of Parlatuvier, along with her three-year-old son Genuine and 18-month-old daughter Phoenix in the water tank, which is near their home. The grim discovery was made during a search operation in the area, which also involved members of the Hunters’ Search and Rescue team. Read more here
POLITICS
Senator: Lawyers not always good managers
Independent Senator Anthony Vieira has said attorneys may not always be suited to perform a dual role as managers. He made this observation during his contribution to the debate on the Miscellaneous Provisions (Judicial and Legal Service) Bill, 2024 in the Senate on September 9. The bill was passed in the House of Representatives on July 3 by a vote of 20-17. Debate on the bill began in the Senate on July 4. The Senate last debated the bill on July 5. Read more here
Saddam warns Procurement Regulator: You could be the next Jaiwantie
An Opposition MP has warned Procurement Regulator Beverly Khan to watch out as she could be the “next Jaiwantie Ramdass” after Khan’s Procurement Report noted non-compliance with procurement law by some frontline ministries to selective tendering of contracts valued over $1.2 billion. Barataria/San Juan MP Saddam Hosein indicated this at Monday’s UNC meeting. Hosein demanded the procurement process for the selection of the person who’s redesigning T&T’s Coat of Arms and whom he alleged was hand-selected. After the Procurement Regulator’s first annual report was laid in Parliament on Monday, Hosein said Procurement Regulator Khan noted in the report that the level of preparedness for the transformative changes brought on by full proclamation of the Procurement Act was grossly inadequate. Read more here
BUSINESS
Terra CEO calls for stamp-duty adjustment
As the chapter closes on the 2024 fiscal year, a call is being made to revise the stamp-duty tax tiers, among other considerations to help address real estate and construction industry costs. According to the CEO of real estate agency Terra Caribbean, Jean Paul de Meillac, addressing the current stamp duty structure could aid in providing low-cost housing. Stamp duty is a tax applied to certain transactions that require legal documents such as deeds of conveyance, deeds of gift, deeds of mortgage, release of mortgage loan, release of life insurance policies, transfer of shares, deeds of lease, deed polls, bonds, and any other deeds that require “stamping” which means users must pay duty. Read more here
800 get $3.5m for home repairs
Approximately $3.5 million has been distributed through the home repair programme for the year so far, Minister of Social Development and Family Services Donna Cox has said. The ministry held a distribution ceremony yesterday for recipients who benefited from the programme, at the Port of Spain City Corporation. The programme benefited 800 people. Read more here
REGIONAL
‘We can be champions of our destiny’
Setting ambitious targets to address climate change, the developing countries in the Global South have spearheaded decisive action, implementing solutions to address devastating effects of climate change. This is according to Guyana’s President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, who, on Tuesday, pointed out that, despite challenges, the Global South is increasingly showing leadership in climate action. Dr. Ali made those comments during a high-level discussion on ‘Restoring Ambition for International Climate and Development: Learning from Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCD), and Its Global Model for Forest Finance’ held at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre. Read more here
UN says Israeli strike on Gaza school killed six of its staff
The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (Unrwa) says six of its employees have been killed in an Israeli air strike on a school it runs in central Gaza. Gaza's Hamas-run Civil Defence agency said a total of 18 people were killed in Wednesday’s strike on al-Jaouni school in Nuseirat refugee camp, which is being used as a shelter by thousands of displaced Palestinians. Israel's military said it carried out a “precise strike on terrorists” planning attacks from the school, and that it had taken measures to avoid harm to civilians. UN Secretary General António Guterres condemned the strike, saying: “What’s happening in Gaza is totally unacceptable.” Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (Unrwa) says six of its employees have been killed in an Israeli air strike on a school it runs in central Gaza. Gaza's Hamas-run Civil Defence agency said a total of 18 people were killed in Wednesday’s strike on al-Jaouni school in Nuseirat refugee camp, which is being used as a shelter by thousands of displaced Palestinians. Israel's military said it carried out a “precise strike on terrorists” planning attacks from the school, and that it had taken measures to avoid harm to civilians. UN Secretary General António Guterres condemned the strike, saying: “What’s happening in Gaza is totally unacceptable.” Read more here
12th September 2024