NEWS
Stop cycle of ‘babies having babies’
“The cycle of babies having babies, which has contributed to a lot of ills in our society, must be broken,” says Rennie Thomas-Caines, dean at Queen’s Royal College. Thomas-Caines was among other speakers at the Positive Community, Positive Role Models symposium held at the Enterprise Government Primary School on Saturday. The event was hosted in commemoration of International Men’s Day and International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. Read more here
2nd CoP death threat suspect sent to St Ann’s
An El Socorro, San Juan man was sent to the St Ann’s Hospital for a psychiatric evaluation yesterday, after he became the third person to appear in court charged with making threats against the life of Commissioner of Police Gary Griffith. Kenyon Lewis, 33, appeared before Port-of-Spain Magistrate Sanara Toon-McQuilkin charged with misuse of a telephone. Just as she had done with that last person who appeared before her on a similar charge, Toon-McQuilkin remanded Lewis, a resident of Singh Trace, into custody at the St Ann’s Hospital for an evaluation. The court heard that around 3.30 am last Friday, an E999 operator at the Command Centre received a call from a man who threatened the Commissioner’s life. An investigation was launched and Lewis was arrested in a bar in El Socorro later in the day. The charge was laid by Sgt Williams, of the Port-of-Spain Criminal Investigations Department. Read more here
POLITICS
Young pleased with CAL’s turnaround
National Security Minister Stuart Young said that the only way an airline like Caribbean Airlines Ltd (CAL) can compete in the international market and profit was to acquire better stocks. Last week CAL announced its decision to add 12 Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft to its fleet. Speaking with reporters at the Chaguanas Chamber of Industry and Commerce’s Christmas dinner at the Passage To Asia restaurant on Saturday, Young said he was pleased with the airline’s financial turnaround after a decade. He also maintained that CAL was completely different to Petrotrin and TSTT. Read more here
Energy Ministry hunts 50 engineering grads
Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley says the Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries Franklin Khan is on the hunt for 50 engineering graduates to fill specialist roles within the ministry. Rowley made the announcement as he delivered the feature address at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers' (IEEE) Festschrift Conference at the Hyatt Regency on Monday evening. Speaking to the crowd of engineering practitioners and revered specialists, Rowley said taxpayers had invested a lot of money in the younger generation, but despite many of them attaining their qualifications they are lost within the system and many are now employed. Read more here
BUSINESS
ICATT: International standards need to become law
The Council of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of T&T (ICATT) is hoping public legislation will soon come on stream covering a wider range of rules and regulations. This will enable greater transparency, especially as T&T struggles to improve its corruption perception ranking, the group said. ICATT is the body that represents the country’s tax professionals and is a major stakeholder in tax administration. “The council recognises the limitations of the legislation under which we currently operate. That is the private legislation and its limitations. Read more here
Lok Jack and Ahamad in settlement talks with TTSEC
The key shareholders of Guardian Holdings Ltd (GHL)—businessman Arthur Lok Jack and Imtiaz Ahamad—are in settlement talks with the T&T Securities and Exchange Commission (TTSEC). Read more here
REGIONAL
Narrow Escape! - Trainee Pilot Walks Away From Helicopter After Crash-Landing
Investigators at the Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority, along with the army, have initiated a probe into yesterday's emergency landing by a Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) trainee pilot, who narrowly escaped serious injuries when a Bell 206 helicopter he was flying came crashing down in the vicinity of Dunbeholden in St Catherine. The pilot, a trainee at The Caribbean Military Aviation School, walked away with no major injuries from the twisted metal remains of the training helicopter, which came down about one mile south of Caribbean Estates and even closer to the Phoenix Park community. With the JDF personnel imposing restrictions as to how close the media could get to the helicopter, it was difficult to assess the damage to the Bell 206. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Theresa May's Brexit deal is doomed - Sir Michael Fallon
Trump casts doubt on UK's ability to trade with US post-Brexit
US President Donald Trump has added himself to the chorus of skeptics doubting British Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit plan, saying it isn't clear if the agreement will allow a US-UK trading partnership. "I think we have to take a look at seriously whether or not the UK is allowed to trade. Because you know, right now, if you look at the deal, they may not be able to trade with us," Trump said on the White House's South Lawn. All 27 remaining European Union leaders approved Britain's Brexit agreement on Sunday but May is yet to convince UK Parliament to sign off on the deal. Read more here
27th November 2018