NEWS
Police, prison reps cool with lie detector tests
Representatives of both police and prison officers on Monday told Newsday they supported a call for the conducting of mandatory lie detector tests to try to weed out officers who tip off criminals. Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi, in piloting a bill on wire-tapping last Friday in the Senate, promised to draft a law soon to allow the testing of officers. Read more here
Cop shot at home
A WPC is in critical condition at the San Fernando General Hospital after being shot by her husband on Wednesday morning. Police said the man, who is also a sergeant, allegedly shot the woman after reading text messages on her phone. The shooting happened at their Mohess Road home in Penal. Read more here
Split in Cabinet over stage in sea
There appears to be a growing rift between at least two members of the government over the construction of a stage in the sea at the Karukera One Love Music Festival with the Minister in the Ministry of Education Lovell Francis squaring off against Agriculture Minister Clarence Rambharat. Read more here
POLITICS
Govt all talk, no action
An economist has criticised government for not taking agricultural diversification more seriously. Dr Indera Sagewan was speaking on the findings of a report by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC). The report which was published last December is titled “Policy actions to facilitate upgrading of the agricultural sector in TT.” Read more here
Ramesh: Repeal Sedition Act
Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj, SC, said if he was attorney general now, “I would have to advise Cabinet that the Sedition Act be repealed.” The former AG made this statement during a news conference at his Irving Street office in San Fernando on Monday. Read more here
BUSINESS
Businessman’s trucks torched
Carnival is usually a lucrative time for entrepreneurs and small business owners, but one Barrackpore trucker is having a sour season after an arsonist torched his two trucks. Shiva Balkaran, the owner of Shiva’s Transport lost two trucks with 40-ft trailers, which he planned to convert to music trucks for Carnival Monday in Port-of-Spain. Read more here
REGIONAL
CARICOM launches Administrative Tribunal
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, Feb 17, CMC – The Caribbean Community Administrative Tribunal (CCAT) was launched here on Monday with the President of the Trinidad-based Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), Adrian Saunders saying it represents the region’s commitment to upholding the rule of law. Read more here
PNP Says Sorry - Opposition Regrets ‘Homophobic’ Broadside Against Terrelonge
Following a wave of criticism resulting from “homophobic” political banter uttered by senior People’s National Party generals (PNP), the party has said sorry. At a party meeting at the Cedar Grove Academy in Portmore, St Catherine, on Sunday, Horace Dalley, Mark Golding, Dr Dayton Campbell and K.D. Knight strongly endorsed the PNP’s standard-bearer for St Catherine East Central, Dr Winston De La Haye, but they also made controversial comments that caused the party to issue a statement yesterday. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Trump's pardon spree deepens crisis gripping American justice
(CNN)President Donald Trump just appointed himself America's judge and jury, casting even deeper doubts on whether the nation's impartial justice system can withstand his expanding political assault. "I'm actually, I guess, the chief law enforcement officer of the country," Trump said Tuesday, after setting off alarm bells with a flurry of pardons and commutations. Read more here
Coronavirus: Passengers leave Diamond Princess amid criticism of Japan
Hundreds of passengers who tested negative for the new coronavirus have begun leaving a quarantined cruise ship in Japan amid heavy criticism over the country's handling of the outbreak. One Japanese health expert who visited the Diamond Princess at the port in Yokohama said the situation on board was "completely chaotic". Read more here
19th February 2020