NEWS
MURDER ON THE BEACH
A 14 - year old girl remains incarcerated at the Women’s Prison hours after the hacking to death of her boyfriend Jahsent ‘CJ’ Clement, 22, on a beach in Granville on Tuesday. Clement, a watchman of South Beach Road, Irois Village in Chatham, had gone to the beach to meet her shortly after 5 pm on Tuesday, having earlier received a telephone call from her. While both of them were speaking at the beach, a man sneaked up from behind and chopped Clement to death, police said. Read more…
Pregnant woman on fraud charge
A pregnant woman appeared in court yesterday charged with fraud.
Indira Rangoo-Solomon, 28 faced Deputy Chief Magistrate Mark Wellington on Wednesday and had her case transferred to the Point Fortin court for Friday. Rangoo-Solomon, who is five months pregnant, was arrested on Tuesday and placed on $250,000 bail. Hours later, she sat and waited in the public gallery of the San Fernando Magistrates' Court and then made her way before Wellington as her name was called. Read more…
Jurors hear accused’s alleged confession: ‘I saw them cut her up
One of the 11 men on trial for the murder of businesswoman Vindra Naipaul-Coolman allegedly confessed to his involvement in the crime when questioned by police months after her disappearance. Jurors in the high profile trial learned of the confession allegedly given by Earl “Bobo” Trimmingham, as the police officer who interviewed him testified in the Port-of-Spain Second Criminal Court yesterday. Read more…
POLITICS
Moonilal: Suppression of democracy
Opposition Whip Dr Roodal Moonilal yesterday accused the PNM Government of “the suppression of democracy” through the decision, on Tuesday night, to wind up the Budget debate before two remaining United National Congress (UNC) MPs had a chance to contribute. Moonilal said, notwithstanding a Parliamentary convention that all members of the House of Representatives are allowed to contribute to the debate, Finance Minister Colm Imbert ignored his entreaty on Tuesday night to allow the two remaining UNC MPs to contribute. Read more…
BLATANT UNTRUTH
Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley yesterday accused Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal of telling a “blatant and boldface untruth”. “I have never flown in any part of the country. I have never even been to Tobago since becoming Prime Minister,” Rowley told the Express yesterday morning. He was responding on Moonilal’s allegation during the debate on the budget in the House of Representatives on Tuesday night that he (Rowley) had used a government helicopter to travel to Tobago since becoming Prime Minister. Read more…
Housing Minister announces Cheaper HDC homes coming
Housing Development Corporation (HDC) homes which became more expensive over the last five years may now become more affordable under the new Government. The promise was made by new Housing Minister Marlene Mc Donald in Parliament on Tuesday during her budget presentation. “We will revisit our mandate to provide affordable homes,” she said. Charging there was “policy discrimination” in the distribution of houses under the last government, Mc Donald said in 2008, one of the PNM’s criteria for houses was that the monthly combined income of applicants should not exceed $25,000. In February 2014, however, Cabinet agreed to amend the qualifying income to increase it to $45,000. Read more…
BUSINESS
Chinapoo sounds alarm on import cover
Restoring the business sector’s confidence in the supply of foreign exchange (forex), US dollars in particular, must be balanced with having enough foreign exchange to cover imports. The cautionary note comes from Executive Director of the Unit Trust Corporation (UTC), Ian Chinapoo. “In my first job in banking, we used to run up to US $100 million ‘short position’ (and) cover that position in two weeks. Nobody’s doing that now because they don’t know if they can cover, so that’s a confidence issue but I’m looking at the big picture. If we all don’t respect foreign exchange, it’s not going to be there when we need it.” Read more…
Trouble ahead’ for yachting industry
The yachting industry in Trinidad and Tobago is in trouble, with fewer vessels coming into port for repair and maintenance, which threatens the jobs of 10,000 people. This according to the Yacht Services Association of Trinidad and Tobago (YSATT), which is asking that incentives for the marine sector be provided in the 2015/2016 budget. In a statement, the Association said Government and citizens needed to understand the vital role the industry plays in diversifying the economy and earning foreign exchange. The Association stated that hundreds of yachts visit Trinidad yearly to avoid hurricanes and to repair and maintain their boats, utilising a wide range of maritime facilities and services. Read more…
Enill: We run this country on taxes
Former energy minister Conrad Enill has accused another former energy minister, Kevin Ramnarine, who served in the People’s Partnership Government, of playing politics with the nation’s revenue, costing the treasury billions. Speaking at Eastern Credit Union’s Post Budget discussion at La Joya Complex, St Joseph, Enill said Ramnarine adjusted fiscal incentives for producers in the upstream industry without implementing proper policies and this created problems for the economy. Read more…
REGIONAL
Portia Unwanted - Most Jamaicans Don't Want Simpson Miller Re-Elected
The hesitance, reluctance or downright unwillingness of Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller to communicate with the populace is being blamed for more than half of Jamaicans polled wanting to see her exit the political stage sooner rather than later. The latest Gleaner-commissioned Bill Johnson poll has found that 57 per cent of Jamaicans are of the view that Simpson Miller should not return as prime minister after the next elections are held. Thirty per cent said the once most popular politician in Jamaica should be prime minister, with the remaining 13 per cent declining to proffer a preference. Read more…
St Kitts-Nevis PM to take legal action over predecessor's allegations
Prime Minister Dr Timothy Harris has signaled his intention to take legal action against his predecessor, opposition leader and leader of the St Kitts Nevis Labour Party Dr Denzil Douglas. At a news conference on Tuesday, Harris described as “hogwash,” claims by Douglas that victimization by the Team Unity administration was responsible for the death of the wife of former government minister, Cedric Liburd. Read more…
INTERNATIONAL
Israeli-Palestinian violence: What you need to know
Over the past few weeks, violence in the decades long Israeli-Palestinian conflict has flared up. Bloodshed is not unusual in this part of the Middle East but this particular wave of aggression -- stabbings as well as a shooting and driving into crowds -- is very different from rocket attacks or the orchestrated suicide bombings of the past. Read more…
The dangerous art of the ultimate selfie
15th October 2015