NEWS
UWI Professor of Molecular Genetics and Virology Christine Carrington has told the population that any covid19 vaccine administered in TT will be safe. Her assurances were supported by statements from epidemiologist Dr Avery Hinds and nurse Grace Sookchand, manager of the Health Ministry's expanded programme on immunisation, about strategies for the vaccine's administration. Read more here
Social Development Minister: Know your HIV status
Social development and family services minister Donna Cox is encouraging people to know their HIV status and not be afraid of getting tested. She made the statement on the occasion of World Aids Day, December 1. In a release, the ministry said Cox led by example and got herself tested at its HIV-Aids co-ordinating unit’s testing drive for staff and clients of the ministry. It said the testing drive was one of the many activities hosted by the unit in achieving the first pillar of the UNAIDS 90-90-90 target – that 90 per cent of all people living with HIV will know their status. Other activities included an online HIV-Aids ribbon hunt, an HIV knowledge passage, a virtual/phone competition and an online word search, all targeting ministry staff. Read more here
POLITICS
Kamla slate attacks Bharath, Ramdial
The United National Congress lost St Joseph by only 800 votes in general election and if leadership challenger Vasant Bharath had been assisting and everyone was together, the constituency might have become UNC's 20th seat says Neil Gosein. Gosine, a candidate on the Star slate of incumbent Kamla Persad-Bissessar, spoke at a Couva South meeting last Sunday, as the UNC's election approaches on Sunday. Read more here
Sex predators targeting young girls . CoP urges society to report heinous acts
In the past seven days, 11 cases of sexual assault against minors have been heard in the local courts. Yesterday, five men appeared before courts in Port-of-Spain and San Fernando respectively to answer to various such charges. In Port-of-Spain, the Magistrates’ Court heard a case where a 43-year-old Diego Martin man faced a series of sexual offences against two female minors, aged 11 and 13, who were his friend’s children. Read more here
BUSINESS
Trinidad Tourism launches new website
Trinidad Tourism Ltd (TTL) paid $250,000 to revamp Destination Trinidad’s website. Tourism, Culture and the Arts Minister Randall Mitchell made this disclosure following the launch of the website yesterday at the Hilton Trinidad. Read more here
REGIONAL
$57b NHT Rescue - Gov't Clawing $11.4b Annually Over Five Years To Cushion COVID Collapse
The Andrew Holness administration will be seeking $57 billion over the next five years from the National Housing Trust (NHT) to help cushion the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic. That proposal will be among three critical pieces of legislation to institutionalise transparency in Jamaica’s fiscal affairs that Finance Minister Dr Nigel Clarke is expected to table in the House of Representatives this afternoon. Read more here
Tourism breathes again
The tourism sector, which has been devastated by the restrictions imposed to mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, finally has a chance to breathe again as per the newly gazetted COVID–19 emergency measures, which take effect from Tuesday. According to paragraph (6) section (1)(r) of these new measures, hotels and other accommodation, including interior lodges and resorts and tour companies are now listed as essential services, which are allowed to operate 24 hours each day. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Climate change: Temperature analysis shows UN goals 'within reach'
A new analysis, seen by the BBC, suggests the goals of the UN Paris climate agreement are getting "within reach." The Climate Action Tracker group looked at new climate promises from China and other nations, along with the carbon plans of US President-elect Joe Biden. These commitments would mean the rise in world temperatures could be held to 2.1C by the end of this century. Previous estimates indicated up to 3C of heating, with disastrous impacts. But the experts are worried the long-term optimism is not matched by short-term plans to cut CO2. Read more here
The Wuhan files
A group of frontline medical workers, likely exhausted, stand huddled together on a video-conference call as China's most powerful man raises his hand in greeting. It is February 10 in Beijing and President Xi Jinping, who for weeks has been absent from public view, is addressing hospital staff in the city of Wuhan as they battle to contain the spread of a still officially unnamed novel coronavirus. Read more here
1st December 2020