NEWS
Mom: Cop was trigger-happy
Despite her caution to police that her son was bipolar and mentally unstable, Pamela Stuart-Roopchand says a “trigger-happy” policeman kicked down the door to her son’s room and shot him dead on Tuesday. At her Bel Air Road Extension, La Romaine home yesterday, Roopchand told Newsday about the incident which left her only child, 26-year-old Colin, dead. Roopchand said she asked neighbours, at around 5.30 pm, to contact police after Colin began behaving in an abusive manner towards her. Read more here
Father of murder victim calls for hangman’s return
The father of murdered teenager Rinarco Balgobin says the time has come for the resumption of hangings in T&T in a bid to regain control over crime and criminal activities. Balgobin, 19, of Southern Main Road, La Romaine, a member of the PNM’s National Youth League, was fatally shot in the neck and head, as he tried to flee from his attackers, around 4 am on Friday. It was reported that he was killed over a gold chain valued thousands of dollars. Read more here
26-year-old man in custody for death of 20-year-old Christine Chuniesingh
The 26-year-old man who was detained following the death of 20-year-old Christine Chuniesingh remains in police custody and is said to have given a statement on the incident. Read more here
POLITICS
Ramona: Where are Shamfa’s arrival figures from?
Couva North MP Ramona Ramdial, in a statement yesterday, challenged Tourism Minister Shamfa Cudjoe to say where she got her recently-stated figures on tourist arrivals, which Ramdial contrasted with data from a group calling itself TDC Employees Speak. Ramdial said at last week Wednesday’s sitting of Parliament, Cudjoe was asked an oral question on the number of tourist arrivals to TT for January to February for 2016, 2017 and 2018. Read more here
US judge clears Dillon in civil lawsuit
National Security Minister Edmund Dillon has been cleared of any wrong doing by a US Supreme Court judge yesterday in a civil matter brought against him. The judge also ordered that the matter be sealed on the basis that there was too much negative publicity over the matter in T&T. Dillon, who left for the US on Monday, made his final appearance yesterday in a New York courtroom before Justice Laura Vistacion-Lewis. Read more here
Rowley receives Moses report
Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley has received a “full report on the details of the mishap” that occurred at the Organisation of American States (OAS) last month. Read more here
BUSINESS
Yes, you Kansmacker
TT's recycling culture is fairly young but more and more, companies and individuals are "going green", be it by changing the packaging they use or by actually providing recycling options for others. Case in point, Kansmacker Recycling, whose services include its proprietary reverse vending machines (RVMs) to recycle bottles and cans – for schools, retailers and government buildings – and its KanChange.com education and incentives IT platform and application (app). Read more here
OWTU, Petrotrin sign MOA on restructuring
A Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) has been established by the Oilfields Workers’ Trade Union (OWTU) and Petrotrin to establish a working committee to oversee the restructuring of the struggling oil company over the next 18 months. At the OWTU’s Public Policy Breakfast Forum at Paramount Building, San Fernando, yesterday, the union’s president general Ancel Roget gave an assurance to Petrotrin workers and the public that the restructuring exercise will now be in good hands due to the union’s involvement. Read more here
T&T, the ‘free zone’ leader
Finance Minister Colm Imbert said he hopes the rest of the Caribbean stays behind Trinidad and Tobago in free zone legislation. The legislation led to Scotiabank setting up a major back office operation here. Imbert was speaking yesterday during a tour of a Scotiabank operations and shared services back office subsidiary. Read more here
REGIONAL
Common Ground Found At Vale Royal Talks
Prime Minister Andrew Holness and Opposition Leader Dr Peter Phillips emerged from yesterday's resumption of the Vale Royal Talks having found what the parties described as "common ground" on issues of national importance. These included agreement that the Electoral Commission of Jamaica would provide a plan within a month on how to ensure the maintenance of a clean voters' list. "The leaders held frank and in-depth discussions on national security, crime, violence, and public safety as well as discussions on important legislation proposed by the Government," a joint statement read. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Presidential whiplash stokes immigration crisis to justify troop surge
President Donald Trump's aides are caught in a never ending game of catch-up, trying to translate his sudden, impulsive demands into instant policy. They might deny it, but evidence suggests that a hurriedly announced deployment of National Guard troops to the southern border was sparked by a presidential tweet storm, itself apparently provoked by a Fox News story. Just three days after Trump tweeted Sunday about reports showing a "caravan" of Central American migrants trekking across Mexico, his administration is launching a mobilization of troops of undetermined length, rules of engagement and cost. Read more here
HSBC leaks: Spain holds Swiss bank whistleblower Falciani
5th April 2018