NEWS
Snap school poll: Youth want to leave Trinidad and Tobago
In a school hall filled with 200 pupils, about half of them indicated they wished to leave Trinidad and Tobago to study, and of these only one said she would come back to TT afterwards. These were the startling finding of an impromptu poll of pupils done by economist Dr Indera Sagewan on November 4 at Hillview College, El Dorado. Economist Dr Marlene Attz, Barataria/San Juan MP Saddam Hosein and Patriotic Front leader Mickela Panday, along with Sagewan, gave brief presentations on the national budget and then answered pupils' questions. Read more here
Pressure mounts at port: Shipping lines turning away from T&T
Shipping lines are turning away from T&T as ongoing industrial action by workers continues at the Port of Port-of-Spain. Yesterday, workers staged another protest, downing tools and halting port activities once again. The protest started a month ago. Speaking to Guardian Media yesterday, Works and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan confirmed the action and also noted that shipping companies are not coming to Trinidad. “While we don’t have specific figures yet, it’s clear that the ongoing situation at the port is impacting shipping lines. These large vessels don’t head directly to one destination—they stop at multiple ports along their route, each with carefully scheduled arrivals. They also need to account for changing tides, which adds to the complexity,” he said. Read more here
POLITICS
Senator Hislop: Take Tobago autonomy 'step by step'
Government senator Laurence Hislop has said the best path towards greater autonomy in Tobago is a "step-by-step" approach. Hislop was speaking in an interview with Tobago Updates on November 4. The PNM is hosting a public meeting on Tobago autonomy at Calder Hall Multi-Purpose Facility on November 10. Extolling the merits of the Tobago Self-Government Bill and Tobago Island Government Bill, currently before Parliament, Hislop said the bills would allow Tobago to make significant strides in its development. Read more here
Laventille West Youth League chairman denies ‘interference’ at meeting
Jah-Kebba Browne, chairman of PNM’s Laventille West Youth League, has denied that people were “left out” of last Sunday’s voting for a general election nominee or that there was “interference” or “bacchanal” after MP Fitzgerald Hinds received 18 votes to challenger Kareem Marcelle’s 14. “The false information circulating won’t discourage myself or my executive members—they’re going to ‘go hard’ or go home,” Browne added. The Laventille West issue was among those in PNM as Friday’s deadline approaches for submission of nominations from 15 PNM-held constituencies. Read more here
BUSINESS
Primera, NGC sign exploration licence
The TT National Gas Co (NGC) and Primera Oil and Gas Ltd, a subsidiary of Touchstone Exploration, were granted an exploration and production licence for the Rio Claro block, one of the open blocks for oil and gas exploration located southern TT. A release from the Ministry of Energy said the official signing was done on Monday, at the ministry’s office at the International Waterfront Complex head office in Port of Spain. “The agreement to execute this licence represents the culmination of direct negotiations among the Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries, NGC E&P Investments Limited and Primera Oil and Gas Ltd,” the ministry said in the release. Read more here
REGIONAL
Guyana, Japan strengthen partnership in water sector amid climate challenges
In a significant celebration of international cooperation, Guyana’s Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal, highlighted the enduring partnership between Guyana and Japan, focusing on their collaborative efforts in the water sector. Speaking on Monday at the Japan-CARICOM (Caribbean Community) Friendship Year 2024 Event at the Marriott Hotel, he underscored Japan’s contributions to CARICOM nations, emphasising the vital importance of sustainable water access in the face of escalating climate change challenges. Minister Croal pointed out that water is the lifeblood of our planet and, of our own lives. He, however, noted that for many nations, access to clean, reliable, and sustainable water sources remains a profound challenge. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Barcelona hit by new flood as rescuers search Valencia basement car park
The Spanish city of Barcelona was hit by flooding on Monday, as search and rescue efforts continue following devastating flooding around Valencia last week. Spain's state meteorological agency has placed parts of Catalonia on red alert for torrential rain, with local media showing footage of cars partially submerged on a highway. Parts of the Barcelona's El Prat airport, the second largest in the country, have been flooded. More than 80 flights have been cancelled or delayed, while rail services have been suspended. A similar weather event, which hit the Valencia region with a year's worth of rain last week, has caused at least 217 deaths. On Monday, rescuers focused their efforts on searching for missing people in underground car parks. Read more here
5th November 2024