NEWS
Teacher Killed
Children of a pre-school establishment in St Augustine, not to mention family and friends are today without “one of the best woman one could ever know,” her life violently and tragically snuffed out by a speeding Public Transport Service Corporation (PTSC) 20,000 pound bus on the Priority Bus Route (PBR) as she tried to make it to work yesterday morning. Teacher Sita Yorke Warner, aged 47, was killed when she entered the path of the vehicle while according to police reports, attempting to cross the PBR near St John’s Road in St Augustine. “All I know right now is the bus hit my mother and there was blood everywhere,” a young man said to be one of the woman’s children told Newsday yesterday. The young man who wished not to be named could have been seen sobbing, while being held by close relatives. He along with other relatives was told by police that the woman was attempting to cross the roadway between two parked cars when she stepped into the path of the fast moving vehicle. The driver was unable to stop, and the bus, averaged at about 20,000 pounds, collided with the woman, and dragged her body several feet. Nothing could have been done for her as the bus eventually screeched to a stop. Warner died on the scene. Read more here
Aspiring soldier gunned down in front of his son
Before snuffing his life out, the killer of a Maloney man granted him one last merciful act by allowing him to put down his 13-month-old son. Police said the child stood crying after hearing the shots that ended Daniel Voisin’s life and was picked up by neighbours who after hearing what they presumed were firecrackers heard the child screaming and saw him standing near his slain father. When the T&T Guardian visited Building 19, Maloney Gardens, yesterday, the child, Daniel Voisin Junior, was in the arms of his grandmother, Kathy-Ann Morris-Nottingham, smiling, playing and sipping on orange juice. Police said around 7 am they responded to a report of a shooting in the area and when they arrived found Voisin murdered just outside his apartment located on the first floor. Read more here
Police monitoring political meetings
Acting Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams stated yesterday that the Police Service, in light of recent election-related violence, will continue to monitor political meetings and rallies and prosecute anyone engaged in violent behaviour at these meetings. Williams spoke to the Express yesterday following a charity distribution ceremony at the Police Administration Building, Port of Spain. The proceeds that were distributed were funds raised from the Policemen Could Cook Too event. On Friday night, a driver campaigning with the People's National Movement (PNM) was shot with an air rifle in Chaguanas, and Roald Ramkissoon, one of the party's candidates in the upcoming local government elections, received two letters with threats to himself and his family, according to PNM public relations officer Stuart Young. Young called on those responsible to “cease and desist” from trying to incite violence in the build-up to the elections. He also called for Opposition MP Dr Roodal Moonilal to “apologise and retract” statements he made on Thursday night, urging United National Congress (UNC) supporters to fling roti in the face of Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley. Read more here
POLITICS
Young slams UNC race talk
People's National Movement (PNM) public relations officer Stuart Young yesterday disclosed that threats have been made against the party’s candidate for St James East Jameel Bisnath. As he indicated threats were also made against PNM St James West candidate Raoul Ramkissoon recently, Young condemned attempts by the Opposition United National Congress (UNC) to introduce a racial undertone into the local government election campaign, which entered its last lap this week. Addressing a news conference at the Ministry of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs Tower in Portof- Spain, Young noted Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal’s call to UNC supporters to throw roti at Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley. He also noted Princes Town MP Barry Padarath’s claim that Rowley’s exposure of wastage in expenditure at a October 2014 Divali function hosted by former prime minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, had undertones similar to the 2013 Tobago House of Assembly (THA) election. Young said Bisnath alerted the PNM yesterday to threats with respect to him and the St James East district. Saying the party is treating these matters “very, very seriously,” Young said the, “racial undertone is being proffered squarely by members of the Opposition and that is not going to be tolerated by the PNM administration.” Declaring the PNM believes firmly in the words of this country’s national anthem, Young said, “There is absolutely no suggestion or reference whatsoever to any racial conversation by the PNM.” He added this is reflected in the composition of the Government’s benches in both houses of Parliament. Read more here
Minister on Kamla's Divali dinner: Roti meals at $65 and $75
Roti meals served at a Divali dinner hosted by then prime minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar in October 2014 cost between $65 and $75 per person, while fresh juices, assorted soft drinks and water were purchased for $139,000. But even as he released the details of the invoices to the now controversial topic, titled “roti-gate” in some quarters, Minister in the Office of the Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Stuart Young, insisted the issue was not the event but the reckless spending by the former regime. Speaking at media conference at his Government Plaza, Port-of-Spain office, Young said three caterers were used for the event which catered for 900 people. J&J Roti Plus, Young said, catered food at a cost of $75 per person. The invoice did not specify the contents of the meal but indicated that it was for 900 people at a cost of $67,500. Read more here
Kamla spent $4.3m on functions in 1 year
The former Kamla Persad-Bissessar government spent $4.3 million on four functions— Divali, Children's Christmas Party, Spiritual Baptist Dinner and Emancipation Dinner— held during her tenure at the Prime Minister's residence in 2014/2015. The current Keith Rowley government has spent $1.2 million on the same four functions held at the PM's residence in 2015/2016. This according to figures released by Minister in the Ministry of the Prime Minister Stuart Young yesterday. On average, Persad-Bissessar outspent Rowley by a ratio of almost four to one. The largest item of expenditure under Persad-Bissessar's government was the 2014 Divali function which cost $1.677 million. The largest item of expenditure under Rowley was the Children's Christmas Party in 2015 which cost $452,941.76. The smallest item of expenditure under Persad-Bissessar was the Emancipation Dinner, which cost $611,032.98. Read more here
BUSINESS
bpTT’s Beyond Borders food plan gets ‘thumbs up’
Reduction of the food import bill and diversification of the economy were just two of the positive benefits of the Beyond Borders food initiative identified by Agriculture Minister Clarence Rambharat when he gave remarks at the programme’s Living Exposition hosted by BP Trinidad and Tobago at Government Campus Plaza, Port of Spain, last Friday. Rambharat visited the various booths and sampled the exotic cuisine on offer. “I sampled most of the products here and I can tell you that even though I’m very proud of the booth of my home town, Mayaro, everything here tastes first class. This was a fantastic experience and I applaud bpTT for leading the way in their role as responsible corporate citizens. They have fostered this programme which delivers a myriad of benefits, including reducing the food import bill, diversifying the economy, empowering communities and expanding our local choices,” Rambharat explained. Thousands lined up throughout the day to savour the free samples of culinary delights developed from watermelon, pigeon peas and sweet potato by groups originating from Kernahan Village, Mayaro; Covigne, Diego Martin; and St. Barbs, Laventille. Read more here
JMMB loan portfolio increases
The JMMB Group yesterday reported double digit growth in its loans portfolio which group risk manager Damion Brown said was the result of the rebranding exercise that followed its acquisition of Intercommercial Bank Limited. Brown was part of a panel discussing the economic challenges facing T&T hosted by the JMMB Group and the local chapter of the Global Association of Risk Professionals (GARP) at the Courtyard Marriott in Port-of-Spain yesterday. "We have been seeing an increase in our loan portfolio, a unique position as the market responds to our favourable offerings," he said. On the matter of defaulting customers, Brown said: "For our portfolio we have seen increases in defaults but you do expect, as the economy adjusts, that some customers despite your best effort will get into an unsustainable situation and we willl have in place mechanisms to try and work that out as best as possible." Read more here
ACP sugar group welcomes new study
The African Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Sugar Group says it welcomes the new study on the sugar industry undertaken by the European Union. The “Study on Current and Forecast Market Developments for ACP Sugar Suppliers to the EU Market” sets out a comprehensive assessment of the risks for ACP/EBA sugar producers as a result of changes to the EU sugar regime and it contains a series of helpful. The study was undertaken by United Kingdom-based Cardno/LMC International and funded by the European Union. Sugarra Chairman of the ACP Sugar Group, Samuel Chandler, who is also the Barbados Ambassador to the EU, said the ACP will actively pursue the implementation of the recommendations. The sugar industry is widely recognised as making a significant socio-economic contribution to many ACP states, particularly in generating export earnings and creating employment in rural areas. The ACP Sugar Group includes some of the world’s lowest cost sugar cane producers whose production has been growing over time. It also includes some higher cost industries, where cane production has been falling and the milling sectors are suffering from poor financial performance. Read more here
REGIONAL
New Watchdogs - Tripartite Committees To Monitor IMF Agreement
Even as the Government yesterday announced a three-pronged approach to overseeing the new arrangement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), co-chairman of the Economic Programme Oversight Committee (EPOC), Keith Duncan, is assuring Jamaicans that he intends to be diligent, transparent and honest in monitoring the fiscal and monetary indicators under the new precautionary stand-by agreement with the Fund. Indicating that he would be forthright in carrying out his duties, the new co-chair told The Gleaner yesterday that EPOC would share with the Jamaican public in a timely manner its assessment of the programme. The board of the IMF approved the precautionary standby agreement with Jamaica on November 11. Read more here
Prince Harry begins whirlwind royal tour of Caribbean
Prince Henry (Harry) of Wales touched down to a red carpet welcome on Sunday, November 20, at the VC Bird International Airport in Antigua aboard a British Airways commercial flight as he began his 15-day royal visit of several Caribbean countries, including St Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada, Barbados, and Guyana. Prince Harry (32), wearing a navy suit, white shirt and light blue tie, was met and greeted at the VC Bird International Airport by the governor general, Sir Rodney Williams, and prime minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Gaston Browne. His welcome included a Caribbean band and members of the Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force while he inspected a guard of honour. A highlight of Prince Harry’s visit will be the participation in the 35th anniversary of independence in Antigua and Barbuda and the 50th anniversary of independence in Barbados and Guyana. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
'I was a believer': Face-to-face with ISIS inside an Iraqi prison
For Abdelrahman al-Azy the task was brutal but the justifications were simple. As a member of ISIS, he must follow the instructions of his local emir or commander. The order: to help kill a man in cold blood. As directed, al-Azy drove a fellow ISIS militant to the home of a SWAT member, an elite unit of the Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service. The 23-year-old sat in the car as his co-conspirator stepped out of the vehicle, then shot and killed their victim. At the time, al-Azy says he felt proud of the murder, but now sitting in handcuffs, he told CNN he regrets his actions and believes they were wrong. Al-Azy is one of three men who spoke to CNN exclusively from inside a Kurdish-run prison at an undisclosed location in northern Iraq. Read more here
Turkey withdraws child rape bill after street protests
22nd November 2016