NEWS
Fishermen want compensation
“Compensate us,” this was the cry echoed by boat owners, fishermen and vendors from Orange Valley, Freeport area as reports of a rapid decrease in fish sales continue to surface in recent times due to the reported fish kill along the western Peninsula. Yesterday the frustrated boat owners, fishermen and vendors were joined by councillor for the area Anand Seepersad where they staged a meeting to highlight their concerns. The group assembled at the Orange Valley Community Centre. Vice President of the Orange Valley Fishing Vendors Association, Andy Hosein said fishermen and others were suffering as a result of the decrease in fish sales. “Not only are the fishermen affected, it is everyone involved in the fishing industry, the boat owners, the vendors and others. There are only talks of the fish being contaminated, but there are no talks of compensation,” Hoesin said. He further added that the fishermen are not responsible if results from the tests on the fishes are positive or negative. “The fishermen cannot contaminate the fish, we are not at fault, it is the industries are at fault and day by day, month by month we are not getting no income to provide for our families and to date no one is speaking about compensation,” he said. Read more…
Cedenio erases 24-year old record
Machel Cedenio ran the race of his life to finish fourth, just missing out on a bronze medal, in the men’s 400 metres final at the Rio Olympics last night. In the process, Cedenio erased Ian Morris’ 24-year old record with a smashing 44.01 performance, in a race which was won by South Africa’s Wayne van Niekerk in a new world record time of 43.03. The previous record was held by American Michael Johnson, with a time of 43.18 seconds which was established in Sevilla, Spain, 1999. Pre-race favourite and defending Olympic champion Kerani James finished second in 43.76, while American LaShawn Merritt grabbed the bronze, clocking 43.85, just ahead of Cedenio. Read more…
Prankster gets ‘buss head’ and beating
A celebrity prankster who suffered a “buss head” and a beating at the hands of soca couple Fay-Ann Lyons-Alvarez and Bunji Garlin (Ian Alvarez) in St Lucia at the weekend, stated on his Facebook site yesterday that neither was in on the joke. Prankster Trebor Robinson, who goes by the monkiker “Queenzflip”, was seen in a video clip making the Facebook circuit yesterday that caused a wave of questions as to whether Bunji was actually beating him. In the video, Robinson emerges from a hotel bathroom, later revealed to be in a room at The Landings, where the couple was booked to stay, clutching a bleeding head. He enters a common area and is confronted by Bunji, with Lyons-Alvarez close behind. Queenzflip is heard saying several times, “It’s a joke”, as Lyons-Alvarez explains that she found the man in the bathroom.
Bunji asks, “But what he doin here” and tackles Queenzflip, wrestling him to the floor and doling out several blows. Read more…
POLITICS
Williams’ daughter to unveil plaque
Erica Williams- Connell, daughter of this country’s first prime minister Dr Eric Williams, will unveil a plaque in her father’s honour at the Prime Minister’s former residence at 11 Mary Street in St Clair on August 19. A release from the Catholic News Media Services said this residence now serves as the home of the Apostolic Nuncio and Holy See-Vatican Ambassador, Monsignor Nicola Girasoli. Williams-Connell will chair the tribute with the patronage of the Office of the Prime Minister. A commemorative booklet with official messages, documents and historical photos will be distributed to participants. Read more…
Changes to Gate programme UWI principal: Medical programmes over subscribed
Government’s decision to stop funding medical students at St George’s University (SGU), Grenada will definitely impact the quality of education that will now be offered at regional campuses in St Augustine, Mona and Cavehill—with senior officials now expressing concern over the anticipated student increases and whether or not the respective faculties are equipped to handle it. Government’s decision to discontinue funding new students in the medical programme at SGU effective August 2016, was announced by Education Minister Anthony Garcia on August 3, as he presented the new changes for the Government Assisted Tuition Expenses (Gate) programme. He said the changes were necessary in light of the local economic downturn, which made it difficult to sustain the programme in its current form. While the minister has stressed that the changes have not been cast in stone, he remains firm that it was too costly to continue funding students at SGU as he explained that it was costing government three times as much to send one student to SGU, as compared to any of the UWI campuses. Read more…
BUSINESS
Mitsubishi project good for TT
Japanese Ambassador to TT, Mitsuhiko Okada, says the construction of a Natural Gas to Petrochemical Complex in La Brea by the Mitsubishi Corporation of Japan will positively impact this country’s economy, through increased foreign exchange earnings and boosting employment. Okada made this observation following the signing of an amended agreement between the Government, the Mitsubishi Corporation. Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Company, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, the Massy Group of Companies and the National Gas Company (NGC) at the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) in St Clair on Monday. A statement issued following Thursday’s post-Cabinet news conference at the OPM said both the Government and the stakeholders in the complex, underscored the importance of this petrochemical downstream project to TT. The project has reached its 20 percent completion target at this stage. Okada indicated the project is Japan’s largest single investment in this country. The project is now proceeding apace, after being re-negotiated over the past few months. The Governments of TT and Japan have both indicated their commitment to the project. Read more…
Young bankers warned to avoid fraud
Local banks continue to wrestle with excess liquidity and the overall slowdown in borrowing by the business sector even with interest rates at all-time lows, says Nigel Baptiste, managing director at Republic Bank Limited. Speaking at the 2016 Graduation Ceremony of the Institute of Banking and Finance of T&T at the T&T Chamber of Industry and Commerce in Westmoorings, he said: “We grapple with a changing customer demographic, high staff turnover across the industry and greater opportunities for fraud and money laundering from an increasingly interconnected world. Why am I telling you all of this? “The qualifications in banking and finance you are obtaining will certainly not make you an instant expert to tackle challenges in the financial services sector. The qualifications in banking and finance you are obtaining today give you a unique opportunity to further prove yourself within whatever organisation or team to which your belong. Read more…
REGIONAL
Grenada becomes embroiled in Caribbean knighthoods scandal
Following allegations that British public relations consultant Anthony Bailey used promises of donations and unofficial honours to obtain a knighthood in Antigua and Barbuda, accusations have now surfaced that he also obtained a knighthood from Grenada in similar circumstances. According to an article by Ned Donovan in Britain’s Mail on Sundaynewspaper, the Commonwealth secretary general, Baroness Patricia Scotland is also facing further embarrassment over her links to Bailey, who has referred to her as one of his “dear friends”. Officials at Buckingham Palace have repeatedly warned Bailey, who calls himself “Sir Anthony”, to stop masquerading as a British knight on the basis of his Antigua and Barbuda honour. British citizens with foreign knighthoods are not allowed to use their titles in the UK. Read more…
The Greatest - Bolt Sprints To Historic Third Olympic 100m Title
Everything stood still. even the lottery draw in Jamaica was delayed, but Usain Bolt hit the jackpot last night, continuing his dominance in the sprints. He entered the Olympic Stadium track to Earth-moving screams and with arms spread wide, quite like the iconic Christ the Redeemer statue that overlooks the city. He left it in very much the same way that he arrived: on top. Usain Bolt is the first man to win three Olympic 100m gold medals and now takes his tally to seven, with Jamaica improving to two gold and a bronze after three days of track-and-field action at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. "I am happy and proud of myself," Bolt told The Gleaner last night. "I came here to show the world again that I am the best, and this is a good start." Justin Gatlin, the determined American - like he did at the 2013 and 2015 World Championships - had to settle for the silver medal. If he keeps collecting silver at this rate, his only rival will be Judas Iscariot himself. Read more…
INTERNATIONAL
Trump to lay out plan for combating radical Islamic terrorism
Donald Trump on Monday will lay out his strategy for defeating radical Islamic terrorism, painting the fight as an ideological struggle on par with that of the Cold War. In Ohio, the Republican presidential nominee will lay out proposals to combat ISIS and prevent terrorist attacks in the US, including banning individuals from countries with heavy terrorist footprints where the US government cannot adequately vet visa applicants and increasing cooperation with willing Middle Eastern allies, a senior Trump campaign official said. Trump is also set to make clear in his prepared remarks that the US will abandon any ambitions for nation-building or spreading democracy in the Middle East, expanding on his criticism of the Iraq War while on the campaign trail. Read more…
Zephany Nurse baby-snatcher jailed in South Africa
15th August 2016