NEWS
Roget: Publish Paria, NiQuan accident reports
JTUM President Ancel Roget was applauded by fellow trade union leaders on Tuesday when he demanded that the Government publicise the reports of the accidental deaths of workers at the NiQuan plant and Paria pipeline both at Pointe-a-Pierre. He was addressing a briefing at the Communication Workers Union (CWU) office in Port of Spain. In a June 15, 2023 fire at NiQuan, worker Allanlane Ramkissoon died from burns, while in February 2022 divers Rishi Nagassar, Kazim Ali Jr, Fyzal Kurban and Yusuf Henry died after being sucked into an undersea pipeline. Read more here
Mother, daughter killed in their home.. Soldier wanted in connection with attack held in Arima
The sound of screams and crying filled the air at the Shorelands residential community in Glencoe yesterday afternoon, after relatives arrived at the scene of the murders of Calida Schamber, 43, and her 66-year-old mother Carmelita DeLeon. At the same time, police from various operational units were searching several forested areas in and around Arima for the man believed to have committed the heinous acts, who is also a soldier. After a nationwide manhunt, police arrested the suspect along the Blanchisseuse Road in Arima at 8.35 pm. Police said the attack happened just after 11 am, when the man, who was known to Schamber, jumped the wall of the premises and shot both women before escaping. Relatives who were in the house at the time heard the gunshots and on checking found the bodies of the mother and daughter lying in pools of blood. Read more here
POLITICS
Government plans state funeral for Panday
There will be a state funeral for former prime minister Basdeo Panday. The Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) made this announcement in a statement on Tuesday. Panday died in the US on Monday. He had travelled to the US for medical treatment in mid-December. The OPM's statement said, "Mr Panday was the fifth prime minister of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and served in that capacity from November 9th, 1995 to December 24th, 2001. A state funeral will be held in honour of the late former prime minister." The OPM added that further details would be provided at a later date. Read more here
ECA: Panday an ‘eminent statesman’ whose destiny remained bound to country
"Mr. Panday will be remembered as a visionary and fearless leader committed to the growth and development of Trinidad and Tobago," is how the Employers’ Consultative Association (ECA) remembered former Prime Minister, Basdeo Panday. Mr Panday died on January 1 at the age of 90. "We have lost an eminent statesman whose destiny remained bound to the country he served," the lobby group said on Tuesday. The ECA hailed Panday as a pioneering figure within the trade union movement, having served as a past President General of the All Trinidad Sugar and General Workers' Trade Union (formerly All Trinidad Sugar Estates and Factory Workers Union), and was the co-founder of the United Labour Front. Read more here
BUSINESS
Parisot-Potter resigns from Massy
Angelique Parisot-Potter, the executive vice-president in charge of business integrity and group general council has resigned, according to a notice of resignation by Massy Holdings Ltd to the TT Stock Exchange on Tuesday. The release said the resignation took effect on December 27, 2023. Last month, during the conglomerate’s 100th annual general meeting, Parisot-Potter raised an issue with practices of the leadership of the company in a 13-page document, which included “bizarre rituals” costing the company thousands of dollars in foreign exchange. She raised a particular issue with what was described as a “leadership programme,” which involved frequent travel to Fort Myers, Florida. She claimed the rituals involved in the programme included training Massy employees to communicate with the dead and to self-heal with “white light energy.” Read more here
ECA: Employers must obey minimum wage law
The Employers Consultative Association yesterday called on employers to obey the new minimum wage law. The law, which came into effect on Monday, stipulates that no worker in T&T, including migrant workers, should be paid less than $20.50 per hour, or $164 for an eight-hour day. With the new minimum wage of $20.50 in effect, ECA chief executive officer Ronald Ramlogan said it is not optional as it is now law. Ramlogan said the change in the law was announced in the 2024 budget presentation delivered by Minister of Finance, Colm lmbert, in October. That means business owners had ample time to put things in place, he said. “We would encourage employers to adhere to the law and ensure they comply with what is a legislative requirement for those who are covered by the Minimum Wages Act and the Minimum Wage Board that supports the minimum wages,” said Ramlogan. Read more here
REGIONAL
More funds to be directed towards enhancing local defence capability
As Guyana forges ahead on its development path, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and President of Guyana, Dr. Irfaan Ali, has declared a robust commitment to bolstering Guyana’s defence capability, revealing plans for increased investments in both material and human resources for the Guyana Defence Force (GDF). In a year-end interview, the Head of State acknowledged the evolving nature of threats, pointing out the need for a proactive response to safeguard Guyana’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. He stated: “As we grow, the threats are going to become more sophisticated, and the criminals are going to become more sophisticated.” Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Ukraine war: They sang of victory - then a Russian rocket struck
Death came suddenly from a clear blue sky, as it often does now in Ukraine. In August, a Russian rocket slammed to earth killing two young women as they sat on a bench in a playground, in the shadow of a church. Their names were Kristina Spitsyna and Svitlana Siemieikina, and they are among the more than 10,000 civilians who have lost their lives since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022. The UN believes the actual number of men, women and children who have been killed is "considerably higher". Russia's war in Ukraine is now a constant. The horror has become familiar. Many deaths are not reported in detail, but we wanted to tell the story of the lives, and last moments, of just two of those killed. Read more here
3rd January 2024