NEWS
‘Couva Hospital can save infant lives’
While agreeing with Health Minister Terrance Deyalsingh that the Couva Children’s Hospital did not have a neonatal intensive unit like those at the San Fernando and Port of Spain General hospitals, Fyzabad MP Dr Lackram Bodoe noted that the hospital did possess similar facilities to the Wendy Fitzwilliam Paediatric Hospital at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex. Read more here
Ashmeed had golden heart
McDonald’s Cipriani Boulevard, Port-of-Spain branch manager Ashmeed Mohammed, 38, begged for his life before gunmen shot him three times on Sunday night. The last words heard by Mohammed’s colleagues were, “Oh God, no…no…no.” Three gunshots were then heard. Investigators have described Mohammed’s murder as a “hit”, but up to press time were yet to determine a motive for his killing. Read more here
Vendor gets 15 yrs for manslaughter
Doubles vendor Nizam Mohammed has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for the fiery death of Stephen Anderson Joshua back in 2008. Having already served ten years and 18 days in jail for the matter, he will spend approximately five years behind bars. Read more here
POLITICS
Devant: Her party is ‘a demon child’
Former United National Congress (UNC) minister Devant Maharaj has dismissed the planned political party by Mickela Panday as “a rich girl’s plaything” and a “demon child” that will only serve to split votes in favour of the People’s National Movement (PNM) in the general election. He was commenting on a meeting held by Panday on Saturday in Chaguanas where she was given a mandate by the crowd to form a new party. Read more here
300-plus facing UTT axe—Garcia
An estimated 300-plus workers are being cut from the University of Trinidad and Tobago. While 57 academic staffers have so far received dismissal letters, an additional 287 non-academic staff members are also expected to be dismissed, Education Minister Anthony Garcia confirmed yesterday. Garcia was replying to queries in the Senate from UNC Senator Wade Mark on UTT job cuts. Garcia’s figures signalled an estimated total of 346 staffers will be losing jobs. Read more here
BUSINESS
More revenue for GML from World Cup
Revenue from television rights for the World Cup is expected to improve Guardian Media Limited’s (GML) financial position in 2018, chairman Peter Clarke said yesterday. The increased revenue is the result of an agreement signed in 2015 with DirecTV for free-to-air television rights in T&T of FIFA events, including next month’s World Cup in Russia. He said CNC3 would be broadcasting live football in high definition on “television and digital platforms, together with radio commentary, multimedia content and full newspaper coverage of events.” Read more here
CAL revenue, earnings up
New Caribbean Airlines (CAL) chief executive officer (CEO) Garvin Medera said yesterday that the airline is doing significantly better in terms of revenue and profitability than last year. Speaking at the launch of enhanced economy seats on some CAL aircraft at Hangar 10 in Piarco yesterday, Medera said: “By now, I hope you are all aware of our first quarter results, and that CAL is off to an excellent start for 2018.” Read more here
REGIONAL
Private International School To Open In MoBay
Jamaica's tourism capital is to have its first international private academy come September 3. The co-educational middle and high school, offering an international curriculum, has been relocated from its originally intended site in Rose Hall, St James, to Fairview in the heart of the new business district. Tagged the Rose Hall Academy, the school's permanent home is to be constructed on 13 acres of land donated by developers, Barnett Limited, owned and operated by Mark and Paula Kerr-Jarrett. The lands are located next door to Vista Print on the Fairfield main road. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Danish minister Stojberg provokes Ramadan row
Trump's norm-breaking is leading to a constitutional fight
Donald Trump won the White House by flouting political norms and is determined to break the mold of the presidency. But his escalating battle with his own Justice Department and his refusal to accept the historic boundaries of executive power are leading the nation onto the most treacherous constitutional ground so far of his term. Trump on Monday delivered his order for an inquiry into claims that the FBI infiltrated a "spy" into his campaign -- first touted in conservative media -- to the bureau's director, Christopher Wray, and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein in an Oval Office meeting. Read more here
22nd May 2018