NEWS
Hard Times For God
Hard times have hit just about everyone. The State, workers and taxpayers are feeling the pinch. And, according to religious leaders, churches too. Anglican Bishop Claude Berkley yesterday said the church has had to scale-down its annual Family Day in an effort to save $300,000. “We had to scale down on some of the functions we have planned,” the Bishop told Newsday. “For this year our Family Day on Corpus Christi will no longer take place at UWI. It will instead be observed in individual parishes as opposed to at a central location where there would be less cost for infrastructure and reduced overheads.” He said the Church has determined it cannot afford to spend money on tents, stages, transport costs, audio equipment, and various facilities for children that would have been required at a centralised event. Last year, the event was held at Tobago. Read more…
Please don’t send me to PoS remand
Two men accused of orchestrating a grenade attack on a shop in Barataria last month, have been denied bail after appearing in court between Wednesday and yesterday afternoon. Umar Prescott, 24, of Malick, Barataria, and 29-year-old David Thomas, of Phase Four, La Horquetta, Arima, were not called upon to plead to the charges which fall under the Bail (Amendment) Act 2015. The legislation precludes people charged with offences involving guns, ammunition and explosive devices from accessing bail for 120 days. Prescott, a welder, and Thomas, a construction worker, were charged under the Anti-Terrorism Act for detonating a grenade with intent to cause death or grievous bodily harm and for wounding the two victims of the explosion — Ricardo Harewood and Kristopher St Cyr. Read more…
Axed SSA directors threaten suit
Former high-ranking directors of the Strategic Services Agency (SSA) have commenced legal action against the State for unfair dismissal, with one ex-director claiming he was asked to identify Indians in the agency to fire. The ex-employees are former director of the agency Bisnath Maharaj, former deputy director Keron Ganpat, former director of intelligence Carlton Dennie, former assistant director of information and communication technology Alonzo Flemming, and former assistant director of administration Seukeran Singh, who were all fired by National Security Minister Edmund Dillon. Read more…
POLITICS
‘We are really sorry’
Labour Minister Jennifer Baptiste-Primus yesterday apologised to associations representing police officers, firemen and prisons officers for the State’s failure to consult with them prior to announcing their salary arrears will be paid in bonds or cash at a later date. “There was not the breath of time to engage in the kind of consultation that is required where you sit, you discuss, and the unions discuss and they consult with their own membership and then come back to the table,” the minister said at the post-Cabinet media briefing. “Time did not permit that. We are really sorry about such a situation developing.” Baptiste-Primus said when Minister of Finance Colm Imbert returns from official business abroad next week, he will meet with the associations. “I am quite sure once the Minister of Finance comes back and that meeting is held with the three unions in the Ministry of National Security, I am quite sure there would be a meeting of the minds because bonds have, in the past, been an acceptable form of payment within the Public Service,” Baptiste-Primus said. Read more…
Protective services riled up by $1m faux pas: Dillon fixes ‘big mistake’
The People’s National Movement (PNM) Government will apply the past People’s Partnership administration’s promised $1 million death benefit for all protective services officers killed in the line of duty — and not just police only. That assurance came from National Security Minister Edmund Dillon last night, as he hurried to correct inaccurate statements on the matter by two of his Cabinet colleagues which had immediately sparked fiery condemnation by the Prisons Officers’ Association (POA) and the Fire Services’ Association (FSA). Dillon issued a statement hours after Labour Minister Jennifer Baptiste-Primus told yesterday’s post-Cabinet media conference the death benefit would be applicable only to police officers killed in the line of duty, as that had been the decision of the past PP administration. Read more…
$1M For All
Government will make no distinction between members of the protective services and officers of the military in the $1 million payout for the families of personnel fallen in the line of duty. For the first time, it is being made explicit that the benefit is intended to include members of the Defence Force. National Security Minister Edmund Dillon issued a release last evening, following confusion over which arms of law enforcement would benefit from the arrangement. The statement said: “Minister of National Security Major General (Ret’d) Edmund Dillon, the minister under whose authority the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force (TTDF) and the protective services fall, wishes to categorically state that this caring Government will honour the $1 million compensation package proposed by the previous administration to families of all members of the services slain in the line of duty.” Read more…
BUSINESS
$630.4 m profit for First Citizens
First Citizens Group CEO Karen Darbasie was praised yesterday for steering the bank through the controversy surrounding its initial public offering (IPO). The praises came from chairman Anthony Smart as Darbasie presided over her first annual general meeting since being appointed to the top post at the State owned financial institution. The meeting was held at the Trinidad Hilton and Conference Centre. Smart told shareholders Darbasie had fulfilled the board’s expectations completely. “We as a family at First Citizens were in the news for all the wrong reasons. As it has become obvious, the bank settled down to functioning as an effective and successful financial institution away from the hot lights of media contention,” he said. Read more…
DOMA: Economic situation serious
The Downtown Owners and Merchants Association (DOMA) yesterday expressed concern about the declining state of industrial relations in this country. The association, headed by Gregory Aboud, said in a statement yesterday that the current economic situation is serious and it is not temporary. It was of the opinion that what Trinidad and Tobago needs now is direction instead of accusations and sensible policies instead of threats of disruption. Highlighting that this country's fiscal predicament has been faced by many other countries, DOMA said what will differentiate Trinidad and Tobago from those countries is how it responds to the serious economic plight. Read more…
REGIONAL
Twenty-one individuals indicted for violating RICO Act in Puerto Rico
A 17 count federal indictment was unsealed on Thursday in the District of Puerto Rico charging 21 defendants with racketeering, conspiracy to commit bank robbery, burglary and larceny, interference with commerce by robbery, carjacking, conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances and related firearm offenses. The defendants are: Alfredo Umpierre-Santiago aka Freddie; Luis Ángel Guerrido-Medina aka Viejo; Juan Rosario-Marrero aka Vaquerito; Steven Tapia-Morales aka El Gordo; Elvin Morales-Ramírez aka Chino; Obrayan Hernández-López aka Oby; Luis R. Cotto-Rivera aka Dico; Ivan Martínez-Torres; Enrique Pérez-Rivera aka Henry; David Vargas-Santiago aka Davo; Jahn M. Fermin-Cortés aka Jan; Carlos Fidian Jiménez-Feliz, aka Picachu; José Reyes-Neváres aka Piti; Gabriel Vélez aka Avatar; Yarelis E. García-Ruiz; Javier Ortiz-Nieves aka Javo; Stephanie Herrera-Montañez aka Guri; Karina Alamo-Marrero; Yeisha M. Pedraza-Santiago; Jimmy Molina-Otero aka Tío Jimmy; and Edmanuel Laureano-Spanoz, aka Emma. Read more…
Gov't Eyes Taxes - GCT, SCT Projected To Pull In Bulk Of Increased Revenue
Jamaicans could see an increase in general consumption tax (GCT) and or be required to pay taxes on items now zero rated as the Andrew Holness administration projects to collect $16 billion more in GCT for the new financial year. At the same time, the administration is also eyeing special consumption tax (SCT) as it forecasts a $5.4-billion increase in the amount it will collect this fiscal year when compared with the 2015-2016 financial year. The Revenue Estimates, which were tabled in the House of Representatives yesterday by Finance and the Public Service Minister Audley Shaw, show GCT projected to hike from $141.3 billion in the last fiscal year to $157.1 billion this financial year. The Government is also expected to pull into its coffers $54.4 billion in SCT, up from the $49 billion it collected in the last fiscal year. Overall, the Revenue Estimates are projecting total tax revenues to increase by $34.5 billion this fiscal year over the similar period last year. Read more…
INTERNATIONAL
6 Takeaways: Democrats tangle at New York debate
Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders tangled over her judgment and his grasp of policy in a tense and at times personal debate here Thursday, less than a week before the pivotal New York primary. Held in prime time and on a weeknight -- unlike most Democratic debates -- the CNN-sponsored event was the highest-profile opportunity for both campaigns to make their final arguments before Tuesday's crucial vote in a state where both contenders have strong roots. Clinton is looking to New York to solidify her role as front-runner, while a strong showing -- or a victory -- for Sanders would deal a significant blow to her confidence and bolster his campaign's argument that the party's so-called super delegates should switch their allegiance to him. Read more…
France Creteil: Girls 'tortured 12-year-old' in bullying case
15th April 2016