NEWS
Son Stabbed To Death
Mother's Day ended in tears for a Penal mother of three when her son was fatally stabbed in the neck during a fight he had with a close relative in the kitchen of their Gopie Trace home. The victim has been identified as Sham Sieunarine, who would have celebrated his 31st birthday on June 16. A weeping Flora Sieunarine yesterday told Newsday that her son was a frequent drinker, who would turn beast whenever he got drunk. She said that Sunday was no different as instead of wishing her a happy Mother’s Day, Sham stole a duck and chicken from the yard and went with friends to make a cook. The 57-year-old woman revealed that for years, she and a 60-year-old male relative endured both physical and mental abuse from Sham whenever he got drunk. Mrs Sieunarine said that both she and her male relative were awakened from sleep at 10 o’clock on Sunday night by the sounds of Sham cursing and kicking on the front door. Read more...
Baby’s death ruled accidental
The death of two-year-old Jacob Bastaldo has been ruled accidental. Pathologist Dr Valery Alexandrov said yesterday after an autopsy on the child’s body that the injuries were consistent with a fall. The child died on Friday at the Chaguanas Health Facility and his grandmother, Sharmaine Bastaldo, had suspected foul play in his death. Alexandrov said from his examination the injuries were caused after the child fell on Wednesday injuring his head and abdominal cavity. Alexandrov said the death was accidental due to the child sustaining a combined abdominal trauma and minimal injuries to the head. Read more...
No pay for 2 fortnights: workers block roads
Thousands of motorists were tied up in traffic yesterday after a small group of former workers with OAS Construtora blocked the roads in San Fernando and South Oropouche, to demand outstanding wages and benefits. Approximately 36 former workers were involved in the action, which led to the arrest of at least one protester, who was charged with using obscene language. The blockade of the road leading into San Fernando, at Golconda, happened shortly after daybreak. After midday, the protesters went to Mosquito Creek and dragged debris across the bridges. Police began clearing the roads around 1.30 p.m. Spokesperson for the ex-workers, Alastai Ramharack, said workers have not received two fortnights’ salary, retroactive pay and severance benefits. Read more...
POLITICS
Independent Senator Skips Meeting
Independent Senator Taurel Shrikissoon yesterday did not attend a meeting called by Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi for Independent Senators on the SSA Bill. “I had another engagement scheduled,” Shrikissoon told Newsday last night. “I communicated this as soon as I got the invitation.” The senator predicted today’s sitting will be a “good sitting” but did not want to state what his position in relation to the Bill was. “I don’t want to tell you that yet,” he said. The Senator confirmed he already has a position and has prepared a presentation, should he be called upon to speak. “I have a position but as long as there is room for further information being provided in the debate, we remain open,” the senator said. Read more...
Independents blank AG’s SSA meeting
While several Independent Senators didn’t attend yesterday’s meeting with the Attorney General on the Strategic Services Agency (SSA) Bill, the Opposition UNC has reluctantly agreed to meet with the AG on the bill this morning. This, as Senators prepared to debate the controversial bill this afternoon where several Independents are expected to air their views on it. In debate last Tuesday, Independent Senators Dr Dhanayshar Mahabir and Melissa Ramkissoon rejected the bill. The Opposition, also panning the proposed law, cited concerns about the SSA director being a political appointee, called for amendments to allow an independent oversight body to supervise the SSA and urged deeper examination by a Parliament select committee. Read more...
T&T and Ghana sign agreements
Trinidad and Tobago has signed a government-to-government agreement with Ghana, as well as a natural gas memorandum of understanding (MOU) which would see both countries jointly identifying and developing commercially and viable natural gas projects. The signing took place in Ghana yesterday as Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley and his delegation continued their official visit to the West African nation. Read more...
BUSINESS
Insufficient gas from NGC
State-owned National Gas Company (NGC) has about 20 per cent less gas to supply its customers than is currently required. This was revealed by the company’s consultant and technical adviser Frank Look Kin during a two-hour meeting yesterday with the Joint Select Committee of Parliament on State Enterprises at J Hamilton-Maurice Room, Tower D, International Waterfront Centre, Port-of-Spain. The meeting was chaired by Independent Senator David Small. Look Kin was responding to a question about challenges facing the company from JSC member and Minister of Social Development and Family Services, Cherrie-Ann Crichlow-Cockburn. Read more...
Senior Counsel heads TATT
Senior Counsel Gilbert Peterson now heads the board of the Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (TATT). Peterson and seven other directors were presented with their letters of appointment during a brief ceremony at the National Library and Information System (Nalis), Port of Spain yesterday. Read more...
REGIONAL
Barbados blacklisting by EU last year unfair and unwarranted, says PM
Prime Minister Freundel Stuart has described as “unfair and unwarranted”, the European Commission’s 2015 blacklisting of a number of countries, including Barbados, as uncooperative tax jurisdictions. While delivering remarks at the commemorative ceremony for Europe Day 2016 and the 40th Anniversary of the European Delegation’s presence here, Stuart said Barbados was surprised at the blacklisting. The prime minister told his audience: “There are reports that in the wake of the so-called Panama Papers, the prospect of another list looms. I trust that this will not materialise and that the European Union has by now recognised that the financial services sector is a vital element of the economies of a number of Caribbean countries, touching their very existence. “Harm to that sector unleashes a sequel of negative economic and social impacts on our development efforts which cannot easily be repaired, and which undermine legitimate initiatives at alternative options for development to replace those of old.” Read more...
Missionaries Not Scared - Americans Pledge To Continue Work In Jamaica Despite Murders Of Countrymen
Glenmore Hinds, deputy commissioner of police, expressed confidence yesterday that the police will soon make a breakthrough in the killings of two United States (US) missionaries in St Mary just over a week ago. At the same time, a senior member of the clergy in America has indicated that his organisation will not scale down its mission to Jamaica as a result of the gruesome incident. Yesterday, Hinds told The Gleaner that a team of senior local police investigators and their US counterparts were analysing additional information they collected after revisiting the scene where the men, Randy Hentzel and Harold Nichols, were killed. "Investigators, both local scene-of-crime and our US counterparts, revisited the scene on Saturday and are now analysing collected material, and we are also canvassing for witnesses," he said. "We are analysing the information that we have collected and reviewing all we have had so far, but we are confident that we will make a breakthrough soon," Hinds sought to assure the nation. Read more...
INTERNATIONAL
Philippines election: Maverick Rodrigo Duterte wins presidency
World leaders scale back rhetoric on Donald Trump
It is not only the Republican establishment confronting the once-unthinkable reality that Donald Trump is the presumptive GOP presidential nominee. World leaders who previously dismissed and ridiculed the former reality TV star also are adjusting to a new normal. British Prime Minister David Cameron, who at one point called Trump's proposed ban on Muslim foreigners entering the United States "divisive, stupid and wrong," said Thursday at a press conference with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe that Trump "deserves our respect" for making it through the primaries. Abe, whose country was aghast at Trump's idea of Tokyo acquiring nuclear weapons, was unable to suppress a smirk at his host's comments. Read more...
10th May 2016