TTMA IN THE NEWS
TTMA: Non-energy manufacturing sector sustained the economy
Despite a permanent closure of three per cent of businesses, the TT Manufacturers Association (TTMA) said the sector has been resilient when compared to other regional producers during the pandemic. Newsday reached out to the TTMA via e-mail last week to get an idea of how the sector was coping with TT’s latest covid19 restrictions — a state of emergency and curfew to curb rising positive cases. As meetings between various stakeholders and government were being held to find health and economic solutions, the TTMA said it was the non-energy manufacturing sector which sustained the economy. Read more here
NEWS
Police break up private Valsayn zess, arrest 26
Twenty-six people were arrested on Sunday at a Real Spring, Valsayn house for breach of public health regulations. According to a police release, the group included six Venezuelans and 20 locals who were having a party at the house. The group was between the ages of 20 and 40. Police said they were on patrol in the St Joseph area between 7.30pm on Sunday and 1 am on Monday, when they came across the private party. Read more here
T&T a ‘virtual ghost town’
Commissioner of Police Gary Griffith yesterday hailed the 19-hour curfew—which began at 10 am Monday and ended this morning at 5 am - as a success. As promised by the Police Commissioner, his charges were out in full force for the Indian Arrival Day holiday yesterday as the curfew took effect. Before restrictions kicked in, however, there were long lines at some gas stations as frantic motorists waited to have their gas tanks filled. Read more here
POLITICS
Caricom trade ministers to discuss covid19 vaccines
TRADE and Industry Minister Paula Gopee-Scoon will lead Trinidad and Tobago’s delegation to virtually participate in regional discussions on trade policy at the 52nd Ministerial Meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) from June 1-2. This was said in a release from the ministry. High on the agenda will be discussions taking place at the World Trade Organization (WTO) regarding a proposal for a waiver on intellectual property rights for patented pharmaceutical products including covid19 vaccines. Read more here
Former Minister—Give differently-abled access to COVID vaccines
Special arrangements should be put in place for differently-abled individuals to get the COVID-19 Vaccine. This call was made by Dr Glenn Ramadharsingh, the head of the Dr Glenn’s Foundation for Special Children when he delivered hampers to families of needy children on Saturday afternoon at Freeport and Penal. Ramadharsingh said, “I think more needs to be done for the differently-abled community during the pandemic. We are shut-in and they are doubly shut-in because they have no avenues to recreate, they can’t go anywhere, they end up being depressed.” Read more here
BUSINESS
Govt issues digital certificates of origin
ExporTT Ltd commenced the issuance of Digital Caricom Certificates of Origin (COOs) to exporters through the Single Electronic Window (SEW)—TTBizLink, on May 17, according to a news release from the Ministry of Trade and Industry. ExporTT, one of the first agencies to start using the SEW, issues COOs for goods to be exported to countries which have free trade agreements (FTAs) with Trinidad and Tobago and Caricom. Read more here
REGIONAL
‘Investments futile once there is irresponsibility’
Empirical data shows that Guyana’s Capital, Georgetown, has long been prone to flooding, especially during the rainy seasons And while it is no different this time around, efforts by the government to mitigate the impact of the natural disaster are being affected by what the President, Dr. Irfaan Ali referred to as ‘irresponsibility’ on the part of some city workers directly involved in the management of pumps and sluices. In an impromptu visit to several pump stations across Georgetown and on the outskirts of the city late Sunday evening, President Ali, who was accompanied by Board Chairman of the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), Lionel Wordsworth found pump attendants sleeping, sluice doors closed, and pumps switched off. Read more here
Constitutional lawsuit claims tribunal is unfair arbiter of labour disputes
The Jamaican Redevelopment Foundation (JRF) Inc has filed a constitutional lawsuit against the 46-year-old Industrial Disputes Tribunal (IDT) claiming that it is not an independent and impartial arbiter of labour conflicts. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Peru more than doubles its official Covid-19 death toll, leaving it with world's worst death rate
Peru has more than doubled its official death toll from the Covid-19 pandemic following a government review of the figures, leaving the country with the highest coronavirus-related death rate per capita in the world. Peru's prime minister announced Monday that the death toll from March 1, 2020 to May 22, 2021 had been revised up to 180,764. The previous figure was 67,807, which is 2.6 times lower. Speaking at a press conference on CNN affiliate TV Peru, Violeta Bermudez said the updated figures were based on advice taken from a panel of Peruvian and international experts. Read more here
Brazil Covid: Deaths plunge after town's adults vaccinated
A Brazilian town has seen a 95% drop in Covid-19 deaths after almost all adults were vaccinated as part of an experiment, researchers say. Serrana, with 45,000 inhabitants, saw cases plunge after a mass vaccination with the Chinese-developed CoronaVac. The team said those who had not been vaccinated were also protected by the reduction in the virus's circulation. The findings suggest the pandemic can be controlled after 75% of people are fully dosed. Brazil has been hit hard by the pandemic, with nearly 463,000 deaths. The country is struggling with a slow vaccination campaign due to insufficient jabs, while the average of daily deaths and cases remains high amid a lack of co-ordinated measures to curb infections. Read more here
1st June 2021