NEWS
Bullets For Scoolboys
Two teenaged schoolboys were shot dead in a lonely, bushy track off St John’s Road in St Augustine on Tuesday afternoon in an incident police investigators say was linked to a drug deal which had gone sour. The victims have been identified as Daniel Hall, 16, of Tunapuna and Stephan Singh, 17, of Enterprise, Chaguanas. Hall was a Form Four student of the Aranjuez North Secondary School and school officials confirmed that he had attended classes on Tuesday prior to being murdered. Singh sources said, attended the St Augustine Secondary School. Police officers who were called to the scene after residents of St John’s Road heard rapid gunfire, came across the bodies of Hall and Singh, with the latter suffering a gunshot wound to the back of the head. Read more...
T&T is latest on Zika advisory list
T&T is the latest Caribbean country to be added to the Center for Disease Control’s (CDC) Zika advisory. The country as well as the Marshall islands were added on Tuesday. T&T announced its first confirmed case of the Zika virus last week. In December, the first local transmission of the Zika virus infection was reported in the Caribbean. According to the CDC website, local transmission means that mosquitoes in the area have been infected with Zika virus, spreading it to people. Since then, the Zika virus has been reported in Barbados, Jamaica, Aruba, Haiti, Martinique and the US Virgin Islands. The CDC advises women who are pregnant to consider postponing travel to any area where Zika virus transmission is ongoing. “If you must travel to one of these areas, talk to your doctor first and strictly follow steps to prevent mosquito bites during your trip. Read more...
Acid attack: mom warns women to leave abusive relationships
The mother of Rachael Chadee, who was doused with acid by an ex-lover, has appealed to young women in abusive relationships to walk away. Leela Chadee, who was also attacked by the man, said too many women return to relationship like this, hoping the person would change. “But they do not change. This man began threatening my daughter and her children years ago. At the beginning, my daughter thought he would change, but then things got worse. And by the time we started acting, it had already escalated,” she said. Read more...
POLITICS
Mayor Valentine leads East Dry River clean-up
Newly appointed Port-of- Spain Mayor Keron Valentine and members of the City Corporation came out in full force yesterday to clean-up the East Dry River, in an effort to eradicate the Aedes Aegypti mosquito, which is the carrier of the Zika Virus and other diseases. Speaking with Newsday during the clean-up campaign, Mayor Valentine said the East Dry River is an area where the Aedes Aegypti mosquito can be found and is a major concern especially to those living in the capital city. “The Port-of-Spain Corporation came out here to enforce and drive home the point that we are serious about the Zika Virus in the capital city. The East Dry River is an area which is a major concern to us, and we are treating with clogged water courses, build up of debris and silt, overgrown grass, a pile up of garbage and among other things,” he said. He also stated that they were faced with a large number of street dwellers living in the East Dry River. “We have to remove them because it is not safe, it is unsightly and they engaged in all types of activities that is not normal, and it is in their own best interest,” the Mayor said. Valentine indicated that he has been liaising with the Ministry of Social Development concerning the issue with street dwellers to find ways in which they can treat with the issue. Read more...
Farrell’s team looking at CNMG report
The findings of the public consultations on state-owned CNMG are being studied by the Terrence Farrell team which is examining state enterprises, Communications Minister Maxie Cuffie said yesterday. He said Cabinet, which had sent the findings to the team, is awaiting an opinion on it. The consultations had been held last year to gauge views on CNMG in a bid to plan for its future. Cuffie said he had not yet received the resignation of outgoing CNMG-GISL chairman Helen Drayton who resigned recently but added that she had worked very hard and delivered on time on the commitment to do a plan for CNMG. Read more...
New mayor, Kamla no-shows at forum
New Port of Spain Mayor Keron Valentine and Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar were no-shows at a forum to discuss violence against women at The University of the West Indies yesterday. The forum was organised by Professor Patrick Watson, University Director of the Sir Arthur Lewis Institute of Social and Economic Studies (SALISES). Manager of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service Victim and Witness Support Unit Margaret Sampson-Browne was one of the panellists, as well as Dr Gabrielle Hosein, lecturer/coordinator, Graduate Studies Institute for Gender and Development Studies, The UWI. Also on the panel was Amilcar Sanatan, MPhil student at the Institute for Gender and Development Studies. Persad-Bissessar had cancelled attendance prior to the event, while Valentine cancelled at the last moment. Read more...
BUSINESS
Gerry Brooks leads 9 companies
National Gas Company (NGC) chairman Gerry Brooks, is also the chairman of eight subsidiary companies, Minister of Energy and Energy Industries Nicole Olivierre disclosed in the Senate on Tuesday. During Senate Question time, the Minister noted the NGC group of companies comprises 23 companies, 17 subsidiaries, five companies in which it held minority shareholdings.
Brooks, the Minister said, is chairman of eight subsidiaries, namely: the National Energy Corporation of Trinidad and Tobago; Phoenix Park Gas Processor Limited; La Brea Industrial Development Company Limited; NGC CNG Company Limited; NGC NGL Company Limited; Trinidad and Tobago NGL Limited; NGC Petrochemicals Limited; and NCG Pipeline Company Limited. Read more...
Shell Trinidad sends workers home
Close to 80 employees of Shell Trinidad Limited will soon be on the breadline. News of the layoffs was reported by Guardian Media Ltd’s television outlet, CNC3, after a memo sent out to staff on Tuesday by Luis Prado, country chairman. Prado wrote: “For a number of years, we have implemented many measures to try to improve and sustain the plant’s ability to be more competitive in the Caribbean lubricants market. However, after doing a significant regional portfolio review, we have made the difficult decision to close the Point Lisas plant.” Prado said the decision will affect 50 Shell employees and about 30 contractors. He said the plant will cease operations in June and will be sold as an industrial facility. Read more...
Good time to look at work ethic
The current recession is a perfect opportunity for this country to recalibrate its work ethic and productivity, The University of the West Indies lecturer and economist Dr Roger Hosien has said. Speaking at a seminar titled “Finding solutions to T&T’s chronic poor work ethic culture”, at the Hilton Trinidad and Conference Centre, St Ann’s, yesterday, Hosein said employers must sit with their staff and let them know the gravity of the situation. Read more...
REGIONAL
Barbados introduces incorporated cell company legislation
On Wednesday, Barbados passed legislation that enables the creation of incorporated cell companies (ICCs). Intended to complement its segregated cell legislation, the introduction of incorporated cell companies provides investors with the ability to separate assets and liabilities within a number of financial service activities. The legislation is expected to come into effect before month end. "The government of Barbados understands the critical importance of its international business sector and the need to introduce new and relevant legislation to underpin its growth," said Donville Inniss, Barbados' minister of industry, international business, commerce and small business development. "Incorporated cell legislation provides businesses with the ability to effectively structure specific operations by placing them within separate incorporated cells -- legally separating the risks and assets of one operation from those of another incorporated cell." Read more...
SHOWDOWN! Candidates Hours Away From Finish Line
After an eventful political campaign that intensified over the last two weeks, an epic electoral contest looms large today on the country's colourful political landscape. As the Electoral Office of Jamaica (EOJ) pronounced its readiness, the much-anticipated showdown between the People's National Party (PNP) and the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) is rushing to its climax. With both major parties in a statistical dead heat, anticipation is high as Jamaicans head to voting booths across the island. JLP leader Andrew Holness is hoping to upstage PNP President Portia Simpson Miller, who turned back his challenge four years ago. Of the 152 candidates nominated in the 63 constituencies across the island, 126 are standard-bearers of the island's two major political parties. The PNP and JLP have each fielded 63 candidates, while the remaining 26 candidates are either representing the National Democratic Movement or are independents. Read more...
INTERNATIONAL
BBC abuse reports: Staff 'knew of Savile and Hall complaints'
Exclusive: Inside the hellish prison where Nelson Mandela was held
Before we even see the cell, we can smell it. It's the suffocating stench of 86 men squeezed into a room built for 19. A warden shoves a key into a rusted iron grate. "Get back," he shouts. The inmates stumble backwards to allow the door to swing open. The cell is a rectangular room with bunk beds stacked three tiers high. In one corner the detainees share a toilet and cold shower, but often the best they can do is a bucket. Read more...
25th February 2016