NEWS

‘People don’t always remember their history’

Merle Albino-de Coteau, Lennox Ling and Jemma Jordan were hailed as the 2019 Honourees for the National Schools Panorama on Sunday at the Queen’s Park Savannah. Merle Albino-de Coteau is a retired director of culture in the Ministry of Community Development, Culture and Women’s Affairs. She is credited with being the first woman to arrange a Panorama selection, in 1969. She is a graduate of Mc Gill University, Canada and the University of the West Indies. She holds several awards for her contributions to music in TT, including the Hummingbird Medal, Kwanza Award and a Sunshine Award from the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Albino-de Coteau is an internationally renowned examiner who has given yeoman service to many spheres of musicians and music enthusiasts around the world. Read more here

Hairdresser shot nine times

A 27-year-old hair­dress­er was shot nine times while she was wait­ing for her boyfriend in Mal­abar, Ari­ma, on Sun­day night. Po­lice said at about 10.30 pm, Tashay Melville, 27, of Champs Fleurs, was seat­ed in a brown Hyundai Elantra at Joseph Av­enue, off La Croix Road, when gun­men opened fire on her. She was shot in the stom­ach, hands and thighs. Read more here

POLITICS

Kamla: War in Venezuela will affect entire region

Fresh, free and fair elections should be held in Venezuela to avert the possibility of war and end the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the strife-stricken country. That’s the view of UNC political leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar, who said any war would negatively affect TT and the rest of the Caricom region. “The majority of the nations of the western hemisphere are in support of free and fair elections in Venezuela and in support of the interim president (Juan) Guaido," she said. "We live and wait in hope that good will come out of this, that there should be no war on our doorstep. Read more here

Prison conferencing facility by year's end - Young

The long await­ed video con­fer­enc­ing fa­cil­i­ty at the Gold­en Grove Prison will be com­plet­ed by the Ju­di­cia­ry. This was re­vealed yes­ter­day by Min­is­ter of Na­tion­al Se­cu­ri­ty Stu­art Young dur­ing a func­tion in Port-of-Spain where he hand­ed over the first batch of 250 stab-proof vests for prison of­fi­cers. In mak­ing the an­nounce­ment, Young ex­pressed dis­ap­point­ment that the fa­cil­i­ty, which will con­sist of sev­en video con­fer­enc­ing courts, is still to be com­plet­ed. While he did not give rea­sons for the project's de­lay, se­nior prison sources told Guardian Me­dia it had been ham­pered by ma­jor con­trac­tu­al is­sues. Read more here

BUSINESS

Chinese contractors competing unfairly

Chinese construction companies are winning bids on State contracts because are offering the lowest prices, but they are bringing in cheap materials that can compromise the structural integrity of these architectural projects, former health minister Dr Fuad Khan said yesterday. Read more here

REGIONAL

Gag Order - Ministry May Muzzle Politically Active Educators

Seeking to make good on his promise to formulate a code of conduct for politically active public-sector educators, the Ruel Reid-led Ministry of Education has outlined a raft of proposed regulations, which include clauses muzzling board chairmen, teachers and principals from criticising the ministry. “Teachers or principals who are politically active are restricted from criticising the programmes and policies of the Ministry of Education in any media, including social media, unless it is in the context of a public meeting of the teachers’ union or any other such non-political forum,” one proposed clause in the concept paper developed earlier this month reads. Read more here

INTERNATIONAL

How convicted pedophile Cardinal George Pell was brought to justice

Cardinal George Pell has joined the ranks of other shamed Catholic priests who betrayed the trust of children who believed they were men of God. The Vatican treasurer, now a convicted pedophile, was a close adviser to the Pope, personally appointed by Francis as the Vatican's minister of Economy and, until October, was a member of the Pope's Council of nine advisers. As a victim of sex abuse, his accuser can't be named under Australian law, but his testimony will be felt at the very heart of the Vatican, which for decades has been accused of ignoring, covering up and denying sex abuse was committed within its ranks. Read more here

Balakot: Indian air strikes target militants in Pakistan

India says it launched air strikes against militants in Pakistani territory in a major escalation of tensions between the two countries. The government said strikes targeted a training camp of the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) group in Balakot. Pakistan said the strikes hit an empty area but vowed to respond. Relations between the nuclear-armed neighbours have been strained since a suicide attack earlier this month that killed more than 40 Indian troops. India accuses Pakistan of allowing militant groups to operate on its territory and says Pakistani security agencies played a role in the 14 February attack - claimed by JeM. Pakistan denies any role and says it does not provide safe haven to militants. Read more here

26th February 2019

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