DAILY BRIEF
MONDAY 6TH JULY,. 2015
NEWS
Rain wrecks havoc
Heavy rainfall and strong winds resulted in major flooding in various parts of Central, South and East Trinidad, with the roofs of several houses partially blown off in several areas. Areas hard-hit with flood waters rising as high as four feet were Longdenville, Charlieville, Endeavour, Rousillac and certain parts of San Fernando, Princes Town and Sangre Grande. Many residents remained trapped in their homes until the flood waters subsided at about noon yesterday, only to be greeted by another heavy downpour two hours later. The galvanise on some roofs were blown away, causing families to scamper out of their homes in the midst of furious winds and rainfall. Read more...
No sign of soldiers in Enterprise
“Fire coming!” a young man shouted and small groups of men hanging out on a corner at Bhagaloo Trace yesterday afternoon, some with walkie talkies, scattered. A police jeep with three officers, one a woman, cruised down the street and stopped to talk to some of the men. During a T&T Guardian check of the area yesterday, there were none of the soldiers seen on Saturday. Asked if there were soldiers in the area, the police officer driving the vehicle, said after a pause: “Have a good day ma’am.” Residents said the police were patrolling the area regularly and about 12 officers were there earlier in the morning interviewing people. Read more...
Fisherman, 46, missing at sea
FORTY-SIX-YEAR-OLD Tobago fisherman Kenwyn Vincent is missing at sea. Family and friends gathered at Plymouth yesterday hopeful for his safe return. According to Lt Kirk Jean Baptiste of the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard, Vincent went to sea around 8 a.m. on Saturday on the vessel Conqueror, registration TFC 1424, a 23-foot white pirogue. The Coast Guard and the Trinidad and Tobago Air Guard have been conducting air and sea searches and an urgent marine information broadcast has been sent out. Sister of the missing fisherman, Hilda Engler, said she remains hopeful for his safe return. Representative for the area Godwin Adams visited Plymouth yesterday and is also assisting. Read more...
POLITICS
Jack hits President on ‘rumshop logic’
Independent Liberal Party (ILP) leader, Jack Warner, has launched a frontal attack on President Anthony Carmona describing him of being unworthy of office for rejecting criticisms of his handling of the Integrity Commission (IC) as “rum-shop logic”. At an ILP cottage meeting at Enterprise in Chaguanas West constituency last Thursday night, Warner alleged that Carmona was the country’s worst-ever President and must exit office along with Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar. After the IC said it was ending its Emailgate probe, IC member Justice Sebastien Ventour resigned in dissent saying outstanding emails remain to be investigated, while Dr Shelly Anne Lalchan resigned citing “personal reasons”. Read more...
Ramesh, Abdulah team up
Citizens Intervention, a series of public meetings to inform and educate the citizenry on important national issues, was launched yesterday by Movement for Social Justice (MSJ) political leader David Abdulah and head of Democracy Watch, Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj. Abdulah and Maharaj said the meetings were to discuss matters facing the population and it is not meant to morph into a political party. "We feel it is necessary in Trinidad and Tobago to have a serious discussion of the very real and important issues which affect our country and citizens,” said Abdulah. Read more...
BUSINESS
Howai monitoring Greek debt crisis
The Greek debt crisis may not seem to have any bearing on Trinidad and Tobago’s economy but think again.Finance Minister Larry Howai says the situation in Greece could impact this country’s Heritage and Stabilisation Fund (HSF). Yesterday, a significant majority of Greeks voted “No” in the referendum on the terms of their country’s international bailout. The BBC said Greece’s governing Syriza party campaigned for a “No”, saying the bailout terms were humiliating while the “Yes” campaign warned this could see Greece ejected from the eurozone. Read more...
Couva Chamber wants more business space
The need for additional land space to accommodate expanding commercial activity in Couva was the focus of a meeting between Planning Minister Dr Bhoe Tewarie and officials of the Couva Point Lisas Chamber of Commerce. During the meeting at the chamber’s boardroom at Camden Road, Couva, an overview of the Couva Development Plan was presented. Chamber president Liaquat Ali said the plan was initiated in 1984 and there was now an urgent need for a town centre since government agencies are now scattered throughout the district, hampering the smooth flow of business. . Read more...
UWI-Roytec launches executive leadership series
UWI-Roytec and Franklin University recently launched a series of Executive Leadership training at the Radisson Hotel, Port-of-Spain. Targeted towards newly minted managers, senior managers, company executives, department heads and entrepreneurs, the first course in the series focused on strategy, leadership and culture.The two day programme commenced following an official opening ceremony at which Richard Saunders, campus registrar, UWI, St Augustine, delivered the feature address on behalf of Professor Clement Sankat, principal and Pro Vice Chancellor of the UWI, St Augustine and chairman of the board of directors of UWI-ROYTEC. Read more...
Energy officials meet with Ramnarine
Gengwen Sun, chairman, LandOcean Energy Services Limited, David Chen, chairman Range Resources Limited and other officials from Range Resources Limited met with Energy Minister Kevin Ramnarine to discuss the importance of T&T to the companies as their long term plans. The meeting was also attended by Selwyn Lashley, Permanent Secreary in the Ministry of Energy and Richard Jeremie, chief technical officer.Both chairmen spoke about T&T’s quality assets and huge potential. Range Resources Limited, one of the most active companies on land in Trinidad, is the operator in the St Mary’s Block which lies within the Southern Basin of onshore Trinidad and offers a range of opportunities related to block size, production potential and hydrocarbon play types. Read more...
REGIONAL
Caribbean leaders undecided on Commonwealth nominee
Caribbean leaders have still not decided on a consensus candidate for the soon-to-be vacant post of Commonwealth Secretary-General. CARICOM chairman and Barbados Prime Minister Freundel Stuart stated that a decision had not been made regarding the choice of a candidate to be put forward for the position of Commonwealth secretary-general, as there were currently three candidates nominated by various member states in the region.Speaking during a press conference on the final day of the 36th regular meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Stuart claimed that other issues, namely the Venezuela/Guyana land dispute, dominated discussions and “we were not able at this conference to make that decision; in fact we did not even get to the issue”. Read more...
INTERNATIONAL
No! Greek vote shocks Europe
Greece has voted by a big margin against Europe's latest bailout offer, raising the prospect that the country could now suffer a worse economic disaster and lose its place in the euro. More than 60% heeded left-wing Prime Minister Alexis Tspras call to vote "no." He hopes to force Europe to hand over more money with less austerity attached, and cancel some of Greece's enormous debt. Thousands of Greeks celebrated in the streets of Athens after the vote on Sunday. But the result sets Greece on an uncertain path that could force it to abandon the euro and print its own currency -- with huge damage to the economy. Read more...
6th July 2015