NEWS
Charlotteville clean-up almost complete
Clean-up work in Charlotteville is nearing completion following heavy rainfall and landslides that caused significant damage to multiple houses and flooded the entire village on Tuesday. Emergency responders were immediately dispatched after the main road near the Turpin bend was completely blocked, making it impossible for anyone to pass. The Tobago Emergency Management Agency, along with other authorities, quickly responded to assist those in distress. When Guardian Media visited the village early yesterday, workmen were busy removing debris and mud from the street and other areas. Meanwhile, officers from the Trinidad and Tobago Fire Service washed dirt from the road and pavement. A resident whose home was affected by the landslide said there was significant damage to the house. “The porch is what break away and part of the kitchen because it dig out the concrete from underneath and the water come down in the drain, overflow and undermined the wall and break everything underneath the house. Read more here
Woman assaulted over parking space at Gulf City Mall
A Couva woman will be spending Christmas nursing injuries she got when she was assaulted in an argument over a parking space at Gulf City Mall on Sunday. The 18-year-old woman, who wished to remain anonymous, told Newsday she went to the mall to do her Christmas shopping with her mother, boyfriend and sister around 3 pm. She said she jumped out of the vehicle to direct her boyfriend to reverse into a parking spot near TGIF. That's when she said a woman going in the opposite direction tried to rush into the spot, hitting her boyfriend's side-view mirror and stopping just short of her. A young man got out of the woman's vehicle and there was an argument. Read more here
POLITICS
Imbert: Transit sheds for clearing cargo are private
The Minister of Finance, Colm Imbert, has cleared the air on the transit sheds where illegal guns were reportedly stolen. Speaking in the Senate on Tuesday, Minister Imbert said over 150,000 packages ware expected this month, but there were issues with two of the private transfer sheds. “One transit shed was closed down because its security systems were totally non-functional. Unknown persons broke in, tampered with packages, and removed items which we suspect are illegal items—such as guns and ammunition,” he said. He said the Customs and Excise Division was tracking packages of interest identified by international law enforcement and those packages disappeared from that transit shed and could not be found three months later. However, following a newspaper report (not the T&T Guardian) on the matter yesterday, Minister Imbert felt the need to offer clarification. Read more here
BUSINESS
Dragon gas central to T&T’s prospects
While the energy sector was boosted by high commodity prices in 2022, there continued to be growing concerns that declining production and supply of natural gas would not allow T&T to maximise the favourable conditions. This issue lingered for much of 2023, as the Government had to be searching for avenues to bolster the natural gas supply. A potential long-term answer to the supply issues emerged when Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley called a press conference on January 24. On that day he revealed: “The US Government has today approved Trinidad and Tobago’s development of the Dragon field via an OFAC (Office of Foreign Assets Control) waiver from sanctions with specific terms to be finalised. “What this means is that the restrictions on the Dragon gas field development are now relieved and all relevant parties can progress the plans to result in natural gas from Venezuela eventually flowing from these proven reserves to Trinidad and Tobago then onto Caribbean, European and other markets, bringing much humanitarian benefits to the Venezuelan population and greater energy security to the Caribbean region.” Read more here
REGIONAL
Guyana to produce, export red beans, black-eye peas by end of 2024
Guyana is poised to commence large-scale production of red and black eye beans in order to fulfil its domestic food requirements and cater to the regional market through exports. During an address at the Private Sector Commission’s (PSC)’s 31st Anniversary Gala Dinner & Awards Ceremony on Tuesday, President, Dr. Irfaan Ali revealed that not only will Guyana be able to reduce its importation of the legumes, but the country will be able to supply the regional Caribbean market. “By the end of next year, we will be in a position where our red beans and black eye that is [sic] being imported now will be fully produced here in Guyana and we will be in a position to export to the regional market,” he said, adding: “These are not investments by accident, these are investments that are carefully crafted.” Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
European Super League: Uefa and Fifa rules banning breakaway league unlawful, says court
Banning clubs from joining a European Super League was unlawful and Uefa and Fifa are "abusing a dominant position", the European Court of Justice has ruled. It had been claimed by the ESL and its backers, A22, that Uefa and Fifa were breaking competition law by threatening to sanction clubs and players who joined the breakaway league. A ruling on Thursday from Europe's highest court found against the governing bodies. However the court stated: "That does not mean that a competition such as the Super League project must necessarily be approved". An initial report released last December by the ECJ said the rules of football's European and world governing bodies were "compatible with EU competition law". However, the verdict will be seen as a blow to the authority of Uefa and Fifa and how they govern the game. Read more here
21st December 2023