NEWS
Anguished relatives identify drivers' bodies – Fresh Trauma
Joseph Henry left the Forensic Science Centre (FSC) building eyes glazed as he hit his hands together in anguish five times, then held his head, looked to the skies and let out a cry of grief. He had just seen the body of his beloved son, Yusuf, lying on a trolley. Henry did not recognise the battered, swollen and oil-slicked body on the trolley. He knew it was his son only because he had distinctive tattoos. Read more here
POLITICS
Gadsby-Dolly continues school tour in East, Central Trinidad
Minister of Education Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly continued her tour of schools across the country on Tuesday, visiting 16 schools in East and Central Trinidad. A statement said she started the tour at Mr Hope Secondary School at 8 am, then headed to Caroni. “Dr Gadsby-Dolly and MOE executives engaged school administrators on matters of safety protocols, infrastructure, attendance schedules and other operational matters at schools,” said the statement. Read more here
Maduro backs Putin’s ‘special military operation’ in Ukraine
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro yesterday expressed his firm support for Russia’s “special military operation” in Ukraine in a telephone conversation with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, according to the Kremlin. “Nicolás Maduro expressed his strong support for Russia’s decisive actions and condemned the destabilising activities of the United States and NATO,” the official statement said. The Venezuelan president also emphasized “the importance of countering the campaign of lies and disinformation launched by Western countries.” Read more here
BUSINESS
Faria: Businesses trading with Ukraine now looking closer to home
Businesses that trade commodities with Ukraine are looking for alternatives closer to home amid the Russian invasion, said former CEO of the TT Chamber of Industry and Commerce Gabriel Faria. Speaking as CEO of Caribbean Advocacy, an advocacy unit that represents businesses locally and regionally, Faria said businesses are now seeking to conduct a practice called “nearshoring,” which is simply looking for commodities in the region. Read more here
Imbert dipped into HSF eight times in 2021
Minister of Finance, Colm Imbert, dipped into the Heritage and Stabilisation (HSF) on eight occasions during the 2021 fiscal year, withdrawing a total of US$894.17 million (about $6 billion) from T&T’s rainy-day fund, according to a report from his Ministry that was laid in Parliament. Of the US$894.17 million withdrawn from the HSF between October 2020 and July 2021, some US$600 million was withdrawn in accordance with the March 2020 amendment of the HSF Act, according to the sixth report of withdrawals from the HSF for the 2021 financial year. Read more here
REGIONAL
US$100M to boost agriculture in the region
President Dr Irfaan Ali has announced a US$100M (Guy$20.7B) Special Concessional Financing Package geared at helping to transform agriculture in the region. President Ali made the announcement during a presentation to the 33rd Inter-Sessional Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM in Belize on Tuesday. The President, who is the Lead Head on Agriculture, Agricultural Diversification and Food Security in the region, during his presentation, outlined an action-oriented and solution-based proposal, aimed at reducing the region’s food import bill by 25 per cent by 2025. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Ukraine crisis: Biden threatens to punish Putin over invasion
US President Joe Biden has told Congress that Vladimir Putin badly misjudged how the West would hit back once he invaded Ukraine. In a primetime speech, Mr Biden vowed "an unwavering resolve that freedom will always triumph over tyranny". Democrats and Republicans reacted to Mr Biden's appeal to show support for Ukraine by rising in unison to applaud. His State of the Union address came as pandemic-weary Americans grapple with galloping inflation. In an hour-long address to lawmakers on Tuesday night, the Democratic president said: "Putin's war was premeditated and unprovoked. He rejected repeated efforts at diplomacy. Read more here
2nd March 2022