NEWS
Fear over damaged bridge
Barrackpore residents are appealing to Works and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan to ensure that a bridge in their community does not collapse. The bridge, which one resident said is over 60-years-old, has been cracking since November. Since January, Ministry of Works crews begun patching these cracks. Priya Jacob who lives at Cottage Road, Barrackpore, said the residents are afraid to use the bridge. Read more here
One killed, three wounded in drive-by shooting
Almost one year after a deadly drive-by shooting in which three people were killed at Le Platte Village, Maraval, another drive-by shooting occurred on Sunday night where four people were shot— one killed. The deceased was identified as Andre Douglas, 25, of Le Platte Village. The wounded were named as: Jeremy Harewood, 20; Dominic Arburn, 25 and Wendy John, 40, all from the same village. According to a police report, at about 8.15 pm the group was liming at Phillip Trace when a black X-Trail SUV pulled up on them. Read more here
Woman beaten to death with brick in Mayaro
A woman was beaten to death with a brick in Mayaro on Monday night. The suspect is a mentally challenged man. Stacy Ann Campbell, 29, was killed at her neighbours’ house at Radix Village at around 8 p.m. She had been chatting at the home of her neighbour, Yvonne Modeste, when she got up to leave. Read more here
POLITICS
Kamla: Seabridge betrayal by Tobagonian Rowley
Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar said the collapse of the seabridge is a betrayal which was even more tragic because Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley is Tobagonian. She was speaking with the media at a reception for newly inaugurated President Paula-Mae Weekes yesterday at the National Academy for the Performing Arts, Port of Spain. She said the people of Tobago were suffering tremendously through no fault of their own, but it was worse with the sitting Prime Minister being a Tobagonian. Read more here
Rowley denies Speaker offered President post
Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley yesterday shot down reports that Speaker of the House Brigid Annisette-George had been offered a post as this country’s sixth president. Government sources, however, insisted Annisette-George had been offered the post. She left yesterday to attend a Commonwealth meeting in Mauritius, which begins today. Annisette-George had presented then President-elect Paula-Mae Weekes with her instrument of appointment in January at a short ceremony at the Parliament building. Read more here
PM ready to work with Paula
Don’t expect Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley to act as “adviser” to newly-installed President Paula-Mae Weekes, but do expect them to work for the betterment of Trinidad and Tobago. Read more here
BUSINESS
IDB’s new Country Rep to speak at Chamber luncheon
The Inter-American Development Bank’s (IDB) new Country Representative to TT, Rocío Medina-Bolivar, is scheduled to speak at the upcoming TT Chamber of Industry and Commerce (TT Chamber) business luncheon. Medina-Bolívar “will share insights and global perspectives on economic transformation” at the April 18 event at Hilton Trinidad – the theme of which is Make Bold Moves to Change Your Predictable Outcome. Read more here
Composite Index closes at 1,268.63
Overall market activity resulted from trading in 12 securities of which three advanced, five declined and four traded firm. Trading activity on the First Tier Market registered a volume of 240,052 shares crossing the floor of the Exchange valued at $1,767,346.66. GraceKennedy Ltd was the volume leader with 165,808 shares changing hands for a value of $555,316.80, followed by Sagicor Financial Corporation Ltd with a volume of 35,835 shares being traded for $281,055.36. Read more here
AMCHAM, Chamber congratulate Weekes
Two private sector organisations yesterday congratulated former Justice of Appeal Paula-Mae Weekes on her elevation to the position of T&T’s head of state. Read more here
REGIONAL
Long Haul - Spanish Town Residents Urge Government To Pump Resources Into Former Capital
Some small business owners and residents in Spanish Town, St Catherine, are urging the Government to dedicate the requisite resources to fill the void after the state of public emergency is lifted. They said that recent precedence of special emergency measures imposed in other areas suggests that not much is likely to change when the decision is taken to end the state of public emergency now under way in the St Catherine North Police Division, where 48 people have been murdered since the start of the year. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Cambridge Analytica responds after CEO filmed discussing bribery and entrapment
Cambridge Analytica is scrambling to respond after a British television channel aired an undercover report that showed its chief executive discussing potential bribery and entrapment. The Channel 4 report showed CEO Alexander Nix telling undercover reporters posing as prospective Sri Lankan clients that his company could potentially entrap politicians by setting them up with attractive women and filming the encounter. Read more here
Xi Jinping warns any attempt to split China is 'doomed to fail'
20th March 2018