TTMA IN THE NEWS
La Rocque: CSME a ‘work in progress’
Caricom Secretary General, Irwin La Rocque says while the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME) continues to be a work in progress, it is sufficiently advanced to be used more effectively by the regional private sector. The CSME allows for the free movement of goods, skills, services and labour across the 15-member grouping and La Rocque said that it still remains as relevant today as when the idea was first conceived in 1989. “It represents tremendous potential to provide business opportunities for manufacturing, services and agriculture. The CSME has been fashioned to provide the opportunity for us to use our resources—human, financial and natural—to build a competitive economy. Read more here
CSME a work in progress
Caribbean Community (Caricom) Secretary General Irwin La Rocque says while the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME) continues to be a work in progress, it is sufficiently advanced to be used more effectively by the regional private sector. The CSME allows for the free movement of goods, skills, services and labour across the 15-member grouping and La Rocque said that it still remains as relevant today as when the idea was first conceived in 1989. Read more here
NEWS
Slight decrease in cost of a basket of goods
There has been a slight decrease in the cost of a basket of goods, the Consumer Affairs Division (CAD) reported in its latest report of supermarket prices for January to March. According to a statement from the CAD, there were only minor fluctuations in food prices in Trinidad. “From the survey conducted, it was noted that the cost of a basket of goods - which represents the items purchased by a typical family of four (4) on a monthly basis __ has decreased by 0.15 per cent.” Read more here
Man charged for daring jewelry heist
A man who was apprehended and later freed during the 2011 State of Emergency has been arrested in connection with the jewelry heist at RT Jewellers in San Fernando. Several rings and bracelets identified as being stolen from the store were found after police raided the man’s home on Broadway, San Fernando last week. The 29-year-old who has several convictions for robbery, larceny and firearm offences will appear before a San Fernando Magistrate today charged with receiving stolen goods. Read more here
Teen to be charged for killing baby
Police are compiling a file to send to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to lay charges against the 17-year-old school dropout suspected of killing a baby girl in Palo Seco last Wednesday. It is alleged that the teenager also assaulted a female pupil at the Palo Seco Secondary School and attempted to assault a resident recently. The teen was interviewed by police and is expected to be charged with the criminal offences. Baby Raquel George, 15 months old, was found bruised and bleeding by her mother in their home at Palo Seco after she returned from work on Wednesday night. Read more here
POLITICS
Moonilal: Over 100 HDC tenants served eviction notices
If letters threatening eviction were sent to over 100 Housing Development Corporation (HDC) tenants for failing to pay their rent, then the Government might soon have a big problem on their hands, says former Housing Minister Dr Roodal Moonilal. Moonilal yesterday said he received numerous complaints from HDC occupiers and tenants that they received eviction notices for late payments or failing to pay their rent. Read more here
PM off to London, nationals facing UK deportation threat
Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley left for London yesterday and is expected to meet with representatives of the UK diaspora who are eager to discuss Britain’s impending deportation of thousands of West Indians who have not been naturalised in the UK. The West Indians, including T&T nationals, known as the Windrush generation, went to Britain on the Empire Windrush cruise ship in 1948 to rebuild the UK after World War II on Britain’s invitation. Many went with their parents, using their parent’s passports, and have lived in the UK for most of their lives. Despite being invited, the UK government is now considering deporting all those who did not get naturalised. Read more here
Sinanan: Audit on ‘T&T Spirit’
Minister of Works and Transport Rohan Sinanan will be calling for an audit, with respect to the delayed return of the T&T Spirit to the seabridge. Sinanan made the revelation, during Saturday’s blessing of the T&T Spirit, at the Scarborough Port in Tobago. “What I have done is to actively call for an audit of the dry docking, because one, it took some time, much longer than expected,” Sinanan said. The T&T Spirit has been out of operation since June of 2017. Sinanan also confirmed, the passenger vessel the Galleons Passage will not be arriving in May and not at month’s end as previously announced. Read more here
BUSINESS
Businesses get $3.2M for innovation
Six entrepreneurial minds will be awarded a total of $3.2 million—an average of $500,000 each—to undertake projects that will hopefully result in opportunities and economic prosperity for T&T. In recognising their work during a ceremony at the Arthur Lok Jack Global School of Business, Planning Minister Camille Robinson-Regis said in keeping with the values of “limitless possibilities” under the aegis of the Global Skills Promotion Programme, businesses have the opportunity to look at innovative ways to increase exports and employment in the information technology-enabled services (ITeS) sector. Read more here
All eyes on Sagicor and OCM
This week we at Bourse review the financial results of Sagicor Financial Corporation Ltd (SFC) and One Caribbean Media Ltd (OCM) for the year ended December 31, 2017. Growth in all revenue segments contributed to the improved profitability of SFC, while OCM continues to confront significant headwinds to growth. We highlight some key areas of the performances and provide an outlook. Sagicor Financial Corporation Ltd (SFC) Read more here
REGIONAL
Robbing The Innocent - Pastor, Public Defender Say Young Men Losing Jobs Because Of Detention Under State Of Emergency
The Reverend Astor Carlyle, pastor of the Webster Memorial Church in St Andrew, has bemoaned the treatment of some detainees in the ongoing state of public emergency in St James, highlighting that many of those picked up by the security forces have jobs and families that may be affected. Carlyle was delivering the keynote sermon at the United Church's 2018 Easter convocation yesterday, which was held at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St James. The convention was held under the theme 'Disciples of Peace: Renewing and Transforming God's World'. "It must bother us that in the search for some 60 (alleged) criminals, hundreds of our young brothers have been rounded up, some taken off jobs that they hold, and taken into untenable conditions, processed, and expected to return to their homes and families, as if this dislocation will not affect them. As members of the Church, we have the responsibility to restore the relationships of those individuals around us, to reinstate human integrity," Carlyle said. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Xi Jinping sends warning to Taiwan, United States with live-fire drills
Chinese President Xi Jinping has sent a clear message of Beijing's disapproval over growing ties between the United States and Taiwan by ordering live-fire drills in the Taiwan Strait. The drills, to be held this coming Wednesday, will mark the first time the Chinese Navy has held drills with live ammunition in the strait since September 2015, in the lead-up to the self-ruled island's presidential election. Prior to those elections, relations between the two were at a high point after Xi met with then-President Ma Ying-jeou, the first such meeting in history between leaders of the two governments. Read more here
Syria air strikes: Russia 'not tampering' with chemical attack site
16th April 2018