NEWS
Mother detained for questioning after ‘accident’
A 27-year-old woman is assisting the Homicide Bureau in connection with the death of a close male relative, who was initially believed to be the victim in an accident. According to police reports, last Friday, Kieron Archibald was driving along the extension of the Point Fortin Highway near the Berridge Trace overpass in South Oropouche. The car veered off the highway and crashed into an iron railing. At the time, there were four other occupants in the car including the woman and three children. Read more here
‘I had a bad childhood’
A Point Fortin man who posed as a PH driver to prey on women yesterday pleaded guilty to six charges, including robbery, kidnapping, rape and manslaughter. One of his victims suffered fatal head injuries when she jumped out of his car. Jude John Arjoon, 35, admitted to picking up his three victims—two on the same day—on April 28 and May 24, 2005. He has been in prison awaiting trial since his arrest in July 2005. Read more here
Cop confesses: 'I helped Vicky escape'
A police officer in custody in connection with the escape of alleged fraudster Vicky Boodram, has allegedly confessed to assisting her. The officer has allegedly changed his initial statement to police that he knew nothing of an escape plot by Boodram. He had previously claimed to officers of the Professional Standards Bureau when he was arrested on Tuesday that he and a female special reserve police officer were performing officially sanctioned police duties when they picked up Boodram at the Women's Prison, Golden Grove. Read more here
POLITICS
AG: Opposition must back Anti-Gang Bill
Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi said the Opposition had no excuse for rejecting an anti-gang bill drafted by them which could now be even better effected than before by way of better intelligence-gathering. At yesterday’s post-Cabinet news briefing at the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann’s, Al-Rawi said the bill, driven by the demands of the police and the need for public safety, would remedy cases where gangsters boasted online of their deeds, guns and gold chains, and would stymie unrest at Enterprise and the Beetham. Read more here
PM appoints Govt team to find ferry
The hunt’s back on for a passenger ferry. The recent tender exercise for a new Tobago ferry has failed to produce one and a ministerial team mandated by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley to find a vessel immediately is now hunting overseas. Minister in the Prime Minister’s office Stuart Young, confirming this at yesterday’s post-Cabinet media briefing, said an announcement on the matter is expected in a few weeks. Read more here
BUSINESS
AMCHAM speaks out in support of worker protection
The American Chamber of Commerce of Trinidad & Tobago (AmCham T&T) has renewed its call for the protection of all workers against gender-based violence, sexual harassment and victimization in any form. In a media release yesterday, AmCham said they continue to be unapologetic in their stance for the creation of a society where everyone, irrespective of their gender can be safe: safe to work, safe to play, and safe to speak up. Read more here
Roget: Offshore workers deserve better conditions
Offshore workers risk life and limb to ensure oil and gas are properly monetised and, therefore, they deserve better working conditions, president of the Joint Trade Union Movement (JTUM) Ancel Roget said yesterday. Read more here
REGIONAL
Mad Rush! - National Security Ministry Scrambling To Get 100 Cars Locally For Police
The Ministry of National Security is scampering to secure 100 vehicles on the local market "in the shortest possible time" in the wake of an avalanche of criticism by sector groups over a failure by O'Brien's International Car Sales and Rentals Limited to deliver on a contract to supply the Jamaica Constabulary Force with 200 pre-owned vehicles. To date, the supplier has missed the final deadline of November 24, 2017, to make good on the contractual arrangement to deliver the vehicles to the police force, having failed to hand over the cars and pick-ups within two previous deadlines. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Zimbabwe's Mnangagwa gives key cabinet jobs to military figures
White House wanted to publicly shame Tillerson, source says
Reports that the White House has a tentative plan to replace Secretary of State Rex Tillersonthat emerged Thursday were an effort to express President Donald Trump's deep displeasure and publicly shame his secretary of state, a source with direct knowledge of the White House's thinking said Thursday. The hope from the White House, the source said, is to push out the plan to replace Tillerson and then "wait for him to punch out." Read more here
1st December 2017