NEWS
Point Fortin taxi driver arrested for 2020 triple murder
A Point Fortin taxi driver suspected of murdering a woman, her son and the woman's church friend three years ago, was arrested on Tuesday. The 36-year-old was arrested weeks after police received a report from an overseas laboratory regarding DNA evidence found at the crime scene. On February 28, 2020, police and fire officers responded to a house fire at Petrotrin Quarters in Guapo. After putting out the fire, they found the bodies of 69-year-old Ceslyn “Linda” Farrell, her son Patrick, 48, and Ceslyn’s church friend Seycelles Hannah, 41, all burnt beyond recognition. Read more here
Patriotic still wants Petrotrin refinery
Patriotic Energies and Technologies director Ozzi Warwick says he is surprised by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley’s assertion that Government cannot find a buyer for Petrotrin’s Pointe-a-Pierre refinery because nobody is interested in it. Rowley made the comment at a media conference on Tuesday where he announced T&T had received permission from the United States to access the Dragon Gas Field. Addressing the status of interest in the refinery, Rowley said, “ We are talking to everybody who knows that we have a refinery, if they’re interested in it. But a refinery nowadays is not something that has a lot of people excited. “But we hope that some day, someone might be interested and the fact that we can’t find anybody interested should tell you something ...”However, Warwick yesterday confirmed that Patriotic Energies remains interested. Read more here
POLITICS
AG: Work continues on Public Procurement Act
Attorney General Reginald Armour says work continues to be done on the Public Procurement and Disposal Of Public Property Act 2022 with the aim of implementing and operationalising the piece of legislation. He said a draft proclamation schedule had been prepared to be taken to Cabinet. The AG was responding to a question by Opposition Senator Wade Mark on Wednesday as he moved a matter on the adjournment of the Senate. Mark asked whether government intended to implement and operationalise the bill or it had been stalled following the submission of 29 pages of comments from the judiciary. “The UNC does not support the submissions made by the Judiciary. The procurement regulator has adequately responded to many of the concerns laid and made by the Judiciary and the procurement regulator has asked that the act in its current form be implemented and operationalised. There would be chinks in the armour, we can adjust, amend, and bring changes, but let us proceed to implement and operationalise the act.” Read more here
Kamla faces motion for change
Some United National Congress members are moving to seek change in the party—again. A motion was filed yesterday to mount a call at Sunday’s National Congress to bring back all former, inactive and “parked up” members and to get a stronger national executive than the current management team. The motion was filed by UNC life members, MPs Dr Fuad Khan and Ramona Ramdial. It is being supported by other UNC stalwarts, including attorney Larry Lalla. Read more here
BUSINESS
Unipet's fuel future: service station company looks to renewable energy
Fuel is a big item on everyone’s budget, but it isn’t the only item. Consumers having to face higher prices at the pumps since last year are now more discerning with how they use their fuel and more demanding on the level of service they get whenever they go to fuel up. This is why Dexter Riley, CEO of the United Independent Petroleum Company (Unipet) – one of the main fuel service stations in the nation – believes that if you are going to pay higher prices for fuel, then you should at least get better value for your money. “We have been living with escalation with everything else for many years,” Riley said. “Responsible consumers, which we all have, look at fuel the same way as they do everything else. They rationalise it and they see if they could get better value.” Read more here
$238m paid for Tobago airport lands
To date, some $237.79 million has been paid out by the Government to residents whose lands have been acquired to facilitate the construction of the new airport terminal and associated works at the ANR Robinson International Airport, Minister of Finance Colm Imbert said yesterday. He said the estimated total cost is around $300 million. Imbert assured all residents whose lands have been acquired to facilitate the construction that all payments for compensation in the Land Acquisition Act will be made in accordance with the law. Read more here
REGIONAL
Teamwork integral to regional development
PRIME Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips, reiterated Guyana’s support for CELAC Member States while addressing issues of inequality and marginalisation. During his address at the Seventh Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the Prime Minister also spoke about finding solutions to ensure the sustainable and resilient development of people across the Region. “Let me reiterate the continued commitment of the Government of Guyana to this regional integration process and to the efforts towards the attainment of sustained economic advancement and growth of our respective states and the region as a whole,” he said. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Three warnings before US boy, 6, shot teacher - lawyer
26th January 2023