NEWS
Speed limit also for cops, says Remesar
While Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley has assured his drivers will be traversing at the required 80 kilometres on the highways, head of the Police Social and Welfare Association, Insp Anand Ramesar, says there was no provision in law for officers to drive above the speed limit anyway.In a telephone interview, Ramesar said: “There is no law. Everybody is governed by the rules of the Trinidad and Tobago, without exception, unless the law states. “If a policeman is found wanting while driving he will be judged like any other driver in Trinidad and Tobago, including in an official police vehicle. “There is no exception. If in hot pursuit then that will be up to a judge or a magistrate’s discretion. Read more here…
‘...We stand by our president’
First vice president of the Public Services Association Christopher Joefield says the PSA is standing by its president Watson Duke. “The Public Services Association stands firmly behind (Duke) in this whole matter and we will see after the process has been concluded where this will end.” See more here…
POLITICS
AG: Audit on Ramdeen over value for money
The reference made by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley that Opposition Senator attorney Gerald Ramdeen was a “person of great interest” to the State was in the context of an ongoing audit being conducted by the Attorney General’s office. AG Faris Al-Rawi emphasised that neither his office nor that of the PM had the authority to probe anyone, adding that was the role of the police. At a press conference at Piarco Airport on his return to the country, Rowley was asked about the concern raised by Ramdeen about Justin Junkere following news of Junkere having a State brief from the AG’s office. Read more here…
No-confidence motion against Al-Rawi
The opposition’s no-confidence motion against Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi will come up for parliamentary debate between next Thursday and next month, Leader of Government Business in the Lower House Camille Robinson-Regis said yesterday. The Opposition last week filed a motion of no-confidence concerning the AG after he successfully piloted the Strategic Services Agency (SSA) bill to passage last Tuesday. The controversial bill seeks to expand the remit of the SSA to collect information on a wide range of matters rather than dealing with drug interdiction only. The SSA has the power of wire-tapping following application for a warrant. The Opposition has argued that the bill violates fundamental freedoms including privacy and requires a three-fifths majority for passage, rather than the simple majority via which it was passed. Read more here…
TDC boss fired over directors’ concerns
One week after Dennise Demming was removed as chairman of the Tourism Development Company Limited (TDC), the Ministry of Finance has sought to clear the air on what led to her termination. In an interview with CNC 3 last week, Demming, who was fired earlier this month from the post she has held since last year claimed the termination arose “out of a total misunderstanding of the role and function of the board and the boards of State enterprises.” Read more here…
BUSINESS
IMF predicts economic growth for Guyana
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) says real economic activity expanded by three per cent last year in Guyana and is predicting a four per cent economic growth this year. The Washington-based financial institution, which earlier this week concluded an Article IV consultation with the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country, said that lower export commodity prices and budget delays weighted down on activity, while the opening of two new large gold mines helped support growth. It said consumer prices contracted by 1.8 per cent in the 12 months ending in December 2015, reflecting lower import prices and a one-off increase in value added tax (VAT) exemptions. Read more here…
REGIONAL
Caribbean islands warned as Venezuela collapses
The mayor of Chacao in Venezuela’s capital Caracas has warned that Caribbean islands and Colombia may suffer an influx of refugees from Venezuela if food shortages continue in the country. Español Ramón Muchacho said that people have been reduced to hunting cats, dogs and pigeons for food. “As hunger deepens, we could see more Venezuelans fleeing by land or sea to an island,” Muchacho said. Venezuela saw a new wave of looting last week that resulted in at least two deaths, countless wounded, and millions of dollars in losses and damages, as desperation sets in among hungry residents and the country appears to be on the verge of complete collapse and chaos. Read more here…
Liberty Completes Acquisition Of Cable & Wireless
Liberty Global has completed acquisition of Cable & Wireless Communications Plc, a deal said to be worth US$7.4 billion. CWC businesses will fall under the LILAC Group, which encapsulates Liberty’s operations in Latin America and the Caribbean. The combination grows LiLAC’s customer base to 10.049 million, spanning mobile and telephone, video, and broadband subscribers. Total assets are valued at US$10.2 billion. Read more here…
INTERNATIONAL
Canada wildfire: Oil workers urged to leave Fort McMurray camps
What to watch in Kentucky, Oregon
Washington (CNN)If Bernie Sanders is going to catch Hillary Clinton, he'll need to narrow the delegate gap -- significantly -- on Tuesday night. Two Democratic presidential primaries are taking place: Kentucky, with 61 delegates up for grabs, and Oregon, with 74 delegates. For Sanders, erasing Clinton's lead in pledged delegates (currently 1,722 to 1,424) will take winning about two-thirds of those that remain. That's to say nothing of Clinton's huge edge among superdelegates -- a project Sanders is saving for later. Read more here…
17th May 2016