NEWS
More rain this weekend – Met Office
TT can expect more rains this weekend, coming on the heels of floods in several parts of the country on Monday and Tuesday caused by the Inter Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) and an upper-level trough. The ITCZ is currently over TT and willremain during August and September, says head meteorologist Shakeer Baig. He said while the next couple of days should remain mostly sunny and dry, the odd shower over the Gulf of Paria was expected. Read more here
Some Beetham residents condemn attack on Hinds
Totally uncalled for. That’s how residents of Beetham Gardens responded to flood waters being doused on acting Attorney General Fitzgerald Hinds and councillor Akil Audain during a visit to their community which was under knee-high waters following torrential rains. Yesterday, the residents voiced displeasure at the disrespectful actions by those who turned on their Laventille West MP causing him to make a hasty retreat out of the area on Tuesday. At Seventeen Street, a stone’s throw from where Hinds was attacked, Hildred Morgan, a Cepep worker said was totally against what happened. Read more here
18 held on money laundering charges
To date, the Financial Investigations Branch (FIB) has laid 91 charges of money laundering against 18 persons with a value of TT$14,339,496.96 and US$733,646. Read more here
POLITICS
Rambharat: Country needs mega-farmers
Government has decided to provide lands to those farmers who need to expand their businesses to stimulate economic activity in the agriculture sector. Agriculture Minister Senator Clarence Rambharat announced this during the sod-turning ceremony for Nutrimix’s Next Generation Hatchery, Brechin Castle, Couva yesterday. He said the country did not need mega-farms but mega-farmers, and this was a failure of the administration of lands. Read more here
Young urges security staff members: Think outside the box
New National Security Minister Stuart Young has said that law-abiding citizens far outweigh the criminal elements in society and citizens can therefore create positive changes to T&T through collaboration. He made the statement while conducting a town meeting with staff members of his ministry’s general administration division. The meeting was held at the ministry on Tuesday. He told staff members that they as a body were the ministry’s greatest asset as they provided valuable support to the ministry’s divisions and, in this regard, every single staff member had a significant role to play in supporting the ministry in securing citizens of T&T. Read more here
Hinds reports Beetham incident to police
Police yesterday confirmed that acting Attorney General Fitzgerald Hinds made a police report against the men who kicked floodwater at him and chased him out of Beetham Gardens on Tuesday. Read more here
BUSINESS
Inflation, foreign rates factor on TT rates
The Central Bank says domestic inflation and foreign interest rates are two of the main factors affecting local interest rates. Nicole Crooks, senior manager human resources, industrial and external relations at the Central Bank, said a basic prime lending rate generally represents a reference rate that a bank establishes to guide the interest rates it sets on loans to its customers. "As its name implies, the ‘average basic prime lending rate’ calculated by the Central Bank takes an average of the prime rates set by commercial banks in TT. Movements in prime lending rates give a fairly good representation of the general path of interest rates in an economy. Read more here
Manufacturing sector needs Caribbean market for growth
As T&T gears up for the Caricom Heads of Government meeting in Port-of-Spain this November, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley says the growth of the local manufacturing sector relies heavily on the success of the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME). Speaking at the sod-turning for the Nutrimix Group of Companies’ Next Generation Hatchery in Brechin Castle, Couva yesterday, Rowley said that while T&T is interested in the Caribbean market for trade, there are others who have their eyes on reaping the benefits of the CSME. In order for T&T to benefit, he said there must be a proper presence and advocacy, and it is why the Government has requested and has been granted a Caricom Heads of Government meeting this November with a single agenda of discussing the CSME. Read more here
ANSA McAL reports record first-half revenue
Trinidad and Tobago’s (T&T’s) largest conglomerate by assets ($14.5 billion vs Massy’s $13.4 billion as at June 30) has reported its highest half-year revenue ever, $3 billion, as consumers are buying more cars, drinking more beer products and renting more property. Read more here
REGIONAL
Criminals Running Scared - PM Says Anti-Crime Plan Is Working Very Well
Prime Minister Andrew Holness is guaranteeing that there is an active national security strategy at work that has led to an overall reduction in crime. However, he pointed out that to make the details public was a sure way to ensure failure. Responding to questions at the Government's quarterly press briefing at Jamaica House yesterday, Holness sought to dispel the "false notion" that the Government's anti-crime plan is hinged solely on the ongoing state of public emergency and zones of special operations. He argued that there has been a systematic approach to dealing with crime. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Sweden Muslim woman who refused handshake at job interview wins case
Priest abuse victims detail lifetime of trauma and broken trust
It's been 70 years since Robert says he was sexually abused by a priest. And in the decades since, his wife and family suffered every day. "I couldn't show any affection with my wife," said Robert, now 83. "My children, I couldn't hold or hug." This is the kind of lifelong trauma endured by hundreds of victims at the hands of Pennsylvania priests. In a scathing, 887-page report, a grand jury said more than 300 "predator priests" have been credibly accused of sexually abusing more than 1,000 child victims. "We believe that the real number of children whose records were lost or who were afraid ever to come forward is in the thousands," the grand jury report says. Read more here
16th August 2018