NEWS
MTS blocks cop's attempt to take gun into court
Guards from the Maintenance and Training Security Company (MTS) had to intervene to block an armed police officer from entering law courts at Princes Town on July 26 in contravention of the Judiciary's established ban on guns in court. The Judiciary recounted it all in a statement later that day. "The Judiciary acknowledges an incident which occurred this morning between an officer of the police service (TTPS) and court staff at the Princes Town Judicial Complex where a TTPS officer refused to comply with the Judiciary’s universal screening policy and position on firearms in court buildings. Read more here
Sir Hilary wants fresh approach to T&T's crime problem
University of the West Indies Pro Vice-Chancellor and chair of the Caricom Reparations Committee, Sir Hilary Beckles, has called for a “changing of the guard” to address criminality among black Trinidadians. Sir Hilary made the recommendation while giving an address at the Lidj Yasu Omowale Emancipation Village at the Queen's Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain, yesterday. Used a cricket analogy of "changing the guard," where batsmen choose a fresh guard after scoring 50 runs, Sir Hilary suggested that a good batsman should ask the umpire to change the guard to make it more challenging for the bowler. Read more here
POLITICS
PM: Trinis must claim their Africanness
The Prime Minister hopes that more youth will join future African Emancipation Day celebrations and also revealed that Caricom leaders intended to speak “very forcefully” with one voice at the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting to be held from October 21-26 at Apia, Samoa, particularly on the issue of reparations. Dr Rowley addressed a growing crowd who gathered at Brian Lara Promenade, obliquely opposite the Treasury Building, Port of Spain, eager to begin the Kambule street procession on August 1. Rowley and several of his Cabinet members, along with chair of the Emancipation Support Committee (ESC) TT Zakiya Uzoma-Wadada, the ESCTT’s spiritual leader Equino Moyo, its director of regional and Pan-African affairs Khafra Kambon and the University of the West Indies’ vice chancellor Sir Hilary Beckles were among the invited guests. Read more here
Scotland talks on crime plan with TTPS heads
Minister in the Ministry of National Security Keith Scotland met with the T&T Police Service (TTPS) executive on Wednesday, where he said the major issue discussed was the reduction of crime. Scotland, who was chairman of Parliament’s Joint Select Committee (JSC) on Crime before he was appointed to the Ministry of National Security to deal specifically with the TTPS, has been vociferous about the police doing more to address crime. Yesterday, he told Guardian Media that the safety of the population was paramount for him. “I can’t go into the details of what we discussed but we spoke about issues like police manpower, the tightening of (Police Commissioner Erla Harewood-Christopher’s) crime plan, the reduction of crime and general policing,” Scotland said. Read more here
BUSINESS
CDB seeks to improve public road transport in region
The Barbados-based Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) says increasing administrative capacity, implementing cashless payment systems and user information portals as well as enhancing accessibility for vulnerable populations, form part of a comprehensive framework aimed at sustainably improving public road transportation in the region. It said that the a virtual development of sustainable public transport systems workshop held earlier this week, underscored the fact that public transportation in many of regional countries currently faces challenges such as inadequate service, unreliability, poor organisation, and limited accessibility for vulnerable populations. Other transport services, such as route taxis, contribute to traffic congestion, pollution, and sometimes violence among and against operators. Additionally, transport infrastructure, such as bus stops, terminals, maintenance facilities, is highly susceptible to climate change impacts, the CDB said. Read more here
Guardian Holdings profit up 6%
Insurance and financial services conglomerate Guardian Holdings Ltd has reported that for the six months ended June 30, 2024, the group recorded unaudited profit attributable to equity shareholders of $401 million. This exceeded the prior year’s restated results of $378 million by $23 million or 6%, chairman Robert Almeida said in the group’s published statements yesterday. Read more here
REGIONAL
‘We are free as Guyanese and nothing will stop us from being free’
PRESIDENT, Dr. Irfaan Ali delivered a powerful tribute to the enduring legacy of those who fought for freedom and a call to continue their fight for equality.
He was a special guest at the 186th emancipation celebration on Thursday, held at the New Amsterdam Technical Institute’s tarmac in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne). In his address, President Ali emphasised that the fight for freedom was not just a battle for the liberation of a single group of people but for all of humanity. “We are free to love each other. We are free to uplift each other. We are free to celebrate each other. We are free as Guyanese and nothing will stop us from being free,” he proclaimed. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Americans freed in Russia prisoner swap reunite with families
Three Americans who were freed in a prisoner swap deal with Russia, including Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, have arrived back on US soil. Mr Gershkovich, 32, was one of 16 people swapped for eight Russian prisoners in what has been described as the biggest exchange since the end of the Cold War between Russia and the West. The exchange at an airfield in Turkey also included the release of former US marine Paul Whelan and Russian-American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva. Read more here
2nd August 2024