NEWS
2022 Music Festival Championships begin at Queen's Hall
The TT Biennial Music Festival Championships 2022 Day One, which began on Monday, were a solemn affair compared to previous years. Owing to covid19 restrictions, the audiences were limited to the performers, their parents/guardians, their teachers and some media. The first day featured solo performers in the piano, string instrument, vocal, spiritual, oratorio, and contemporary religious categories. Read more here
Court orders EMBD to pay Namalco $427m
The Estate Management and Business Development Company (EMBD) has been ordered to pay over $427 million in unpaid fees to a mega-contractor from La Brea, for infrastructure works it performed on four residential communities for former Caroni (1975) Limited. Although Namalco Construction Services was seeking over $1.3 billion through its lawsuit against the State-owned special purpose company, High Court Judge Ricky Rahim ordered less than half the claimed amount, as he partially upheld EMBD’s defence and counter-claim over an alleged “conspiracy” between the contractor and a former senior EMBD official. Read more here
POLITICS
Gopee-Scoon: Await Paria/LMCS CoE for info on diving industry
Minister of Trade and Industry Paula Gopee-Scoon declined to answer two questions on the state of the local diving industry in the Senate on Tuesday. She said this would be inappropriate ahead of the pending commission of enquiry (CoE) into the drowning deaths of four divers, on February 25, at a Pointe-a-Pierre facility owned by Paria Fuel Trading Company. Read more here
Senator: CBTT must ensure people get forex for medicine, sending children to school overseas
Since banks are now T&T’s new “massas” and czars,” the Central Bank should ensure there are regulations to make banks provide foreign exchange to people who need to buy medicine or send children to school overseas, says Independent Senator Dr Varma Deyalsingh. But Public Administration Minister Allyson West has said rather than dictate to banks, Government tries to influence how they do what they do – but didn’t think the state should step in and dictate to banks how to distribute forex. Read more here
BUSINESS
New ASCO appointment leads growth in the Caribbean
ASCO, the global integrated logistics and materials management company, has appointed Deborah Benjamin as managing director for T&T. Benjamin will manage local operations across the Caribbean and South America. ASCO has been established in the region since 2000 and provides logistics, warehousing, marine gas oil, bulk storage and marine services to support the energy industry. “With over 15 years of experience in the energy, retail and supply chain sectors, Deborah’s breadth of expertise will contribute to strengthening ASCO’s position in the region as it continues to grow,” a release stated yesterday. Read more here
T&T’s agriculture needs public private partnerships
AT a time when food security is critical, an injection of $5 billion annually is what is needed in order to keep livestock operations profitable and sustainable. That’s the view of lead agricultural consultant at Tropical Agriculture Consultancy Services Riyadh Mohammed, who said that private sector investment is important as the Government cannot do it alone. Read more here
REGIONAL
‘We welcome your investment’
President, Dr. Irfaan Ali said Guyana’s future development trajectory is predicated on strengthening traditional sectors and building new ones, as he encouraged investors in the United Kingdom to be part of this journey. The Head of State made this assertion while speaking about Guyana’s potential and investment opportunities during his feature address at the Guyana Investment Seminar, held at Carlton House, in London, England on Tuesday. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Gazprom halts gas supply to Poland and Bulgaria as Russia accused of blackmail
Poland and Bulgaria have accused Moscow of "blackmail" after the Russian energy giant Gazprom said it had cut off gas exports to the countries. Poland's deputy foreign minister, Marcin Przydacz, told the BBC that Russia was seeking to "foster divisions" between Western allies. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the move showed Russia's "unreliability" as an energy supplier. The Kremlin insists it is still a reliable energy partner. Gazprom's move follows Poland and Bulgaria's refusal to pay for gas in roubles. Last month, Russian President Vladimir Putin decreed that all energy payments must be made in the Russian currency. Read more here
27th April 2022