NEWS

Navet dam most severely affected by dry weather

The Hollis Reservoir in Valencia, the first to be built by the British, in 1937, with a capacity of a billion gallons, is at its lowest capacity since 1998. The dam, which is usually at a 53 per cent capacity at this time of the year, is at 40 per cent. Though 28 feet at its deepest point, it was now at 20 feet and is producing five million gallons per day (mgd) as compared to 8.4 mgd. At its full capacity, Hollis Reservoir is a virtual sea of dark water surrounded by the lush foliage and greenery of the Northern Range. Now the water mark clearly shows where the level should be on the water tower. Read more here

Entire family wiped out in highway shooting

Po­lice are baf­fled over the mur­der of a San Fer­nan­do fam­i­ly who was found in­side their pick-up along the Solomon Ho­choy High­way, Ste Madeleine, yes­ter­day. Up to yes­ter­day, homi­cide in­ves­ti­ga­tors said they were still try­ing to piece to­geth­er the ev­i­dence col­lect­ed from the mur­der scene, but could not yet es­tab­lish a mo­tive for the mur­ders of George Quin­tero, 53, his wife Carmeli­ta Gar­cia-Quin­tero, 62 and their daugh­ter Marisol Quin­tero, 33. Re­ports stat­ed that around 7 am, a passer­by con­tact­ed po­lice, in­form­ing them that three peo­ple were seen sit­ting mo­tion­less in a red Nis­san Fron­tier pick-up on the shoul­der of the high­way. High­way pa­trol and Ste Madeleine po­lice re­spond­ed and found the pick-up parked on the bridge pass­ing over the Cipero Riv­er. Read more here

POLITICS

PNM: We don’t steal elections

Two officials of the People’s National Movement (PNM) stoutly denied Opposition allegations that the PNM would rig the next general election, simply saying the party has never done this in its decades-old history of contesting elections. On Sunday at the UNC'S 30th anniversary rally at Couva South, Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar stormed, “I want to give Rowley a warning that we know what is going on and what he and his party are planning for elections. We have no intention of allowing him and his cronies to rig the elections now and use the campaign period as a theatrical show and then relegate election day as a sham activity to de-legitimise electoral democracy in TT.” Read more here

Panday, former ministers absent from UNC celebrations

UNC MPs Gan­ga Singh, Fuad Khan and Fazal Karim were miss­ing from last Sun­day’s UNC an­niver­sary cel­e­bra­tions—as well as UNC founder Bas­deo Pan­day who had been in­vit­ed to the event. UNC deputy leader David Lee con­firmed the sit­u­a­tion yes­ter­day fol­low­ing the Cou­va cel­e­bra­tion. Dur­ing UNC leader Kam­la Per­sad-Bisses­sar’s an­niver­sary ad­dress, she’d al­lud­ed to Pan­day and oth­ers who helped build UNC. She’d said, “This is our time to lead by ex­am­ple and to ho­n­our our found­ing fa­thers and our first leader, Bas­deo Pan­day and all those who have laboured over the last 30 years on be­half of our par­ty.” Lee said Pan­day had been in­vit­ed, but there’d been no re­sponse from him. He said the par­ty had al­so in­vit­ed past MPs and of­fi­cials. But Lee couldn’t say how many of those ac­cept­ed the in­vi­ta­tion, though he not­ed for­mer chair­man Dr Ram­per­sad Paras­ram did. Pan­day didn’t re­ply to re­peat­ed calls yes­ter­day. Nor was there re­ply from his daugh­ter Mick­ela Pan­day’s cell phone. Read more here

BUSINESS

Imbert issues licence to NCB to acquire GHL majority

Minister of Finance, Colm Imbert, yesterday issued a licence under the Foreign Investment Act was issued to NCB Global Holdings Ltd (NCBGHL), paving the way for the local subsidiary of the Jamaican banking group NCB to acquire up to 74,230,750 shares in Guardian Holdings Ltd (GHL), a local public company. In a statement yesterday, Imbert said he welcomed the direct foreign investment in T&T’s financial services sector, “especially by a company with Caribbean connections”. Read more here

REGIONAL

Cops Not Suspended - Probes Launched Into Alleged Rogues’ Access To Resources, Escape Of Accomplice

The three policemen who allegedly shot a man to death in St Catherine early Sunday morning before engaging an off-duty colleague in a high-speed chase and a fierce gunfight had been removed from front-line duties, but not suspended, a high-ranking member of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) has revealed. Despite this, acting Deputy Commissioner of Police Fitz Bailey acknowledged that Sunday’s incident marked one of the “darkest days” for the JCF and the nation. “As law-enforcement officers, we have a responsibility to uphold the law, to protect the citizens, and when we now become the assailant, the question is: To whom do the citizens turn?” Bailey said yesterday during an interview on RJR 94 FM’s ‘Beyond the Headlines’. Read more here

INTERNATIONAL

Venezuela's Juan Guaidó declares 'final phase' of operation to topple Maduro

US Senator Marco Rubio has urged Venezuelan military personnel to "fulfill their constitutional oath" and support Guaidó, who declared himself the interim president of the country in January. "After years of suffering freedom is waiting for people of #Venezuela. Do not let them take this opportunity from you," Rubio tweeted early Tuesday. "Now is the moment to take to the streets in support of your legitimate constitutional government. Do not allow this moment to slip away. It may not come again." He also urged police, judicial and political leaders to support the efforts. "Today their (sic) can be no bystanders," he wrote. Read more here

Emperor Akihito: Japanese monarch declares historic abdication

Japan's Emperor Akihito has declared his abdication in a historic ceremony at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo. In his last public address as emperor, Akihito handed over the symbols of power and thanked the public for their support during his 30-year reign. The 85-year-old was given permission to abdicate after saying he felt unable to fulfil his role because of his age and declining health. He is the first Japanese monarch to stand down in more than 200 years. Akihito will technically remain emperor until midnight. His eldest son, Crown Prince Naruhito, will ascend the throne later on Wednesday. A new era - called Reiwa, meaning order and harmony - will begin in Japan's unique calendar. While the emperor holds no political power, he serves as a national figurehead. Akihito has endeared himself to many Japanese people during his reign as he has interacted with those suffering from disease and disaster. Read more here

30th April 2019

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