NEWS
EMA tackles illegal quarrying
The Environmental Management Authority (EMA) will co-ordinate state agencies to curb environmental ruin by illegal quarrying and squatting in northeast Trinidad. After two recent stories by Newsday on environmental ruin at Toco, and condemnation by Planning Minister Camille Robinson-Regis, the EMA yesterday issued a statement promising action. The statement said the EMA recently did surveillance of areas in north-eastern Trinidad being ruined by illegal quarrying and squatting. Read more here
Police, Prison bodies keen on paradigm shift
Members of the protective services are keeping an open mind over Stuart Young’s appointment as National Security Minister. Speaking with Guardian Media hours after Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley announced the Cabinet reshuffle yesterday, Police Social and Welfare Association and Prison Officers Association officials expressed optimism over the move. In a telephone interview on CNC3’s Morning Brew programme, Police Social and Welfare Association president Inspector Michael Seales said he felt that the decision was taken by Rowley to coincide with the Government’s nomination of former national security minister Gary Griffith to the post of Commissioner of Police. Read more here
Suspect in ex’s murder: Manhunt for cop
Police are now searching for one of their colleagues in connection with the shooting death of Parliament clerk Mariana Moonisar. Mariana, 29, was gunned down inside her father’s vehicle at Esperanza, Couva, last Friday evening. Her father, Roopchan Moonisar, was shot in the neck and survived. Read more here
POLITICS
Deyalsingh dismisses UNC health claims
Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh on Sunday dismissed claims from United National Congress MPs Dr Tim Gopeesingh and Dr Lackram Bodoe about discrimination taking place in TT’s health sector. They made their claims during a news conference at the Opposition Leader’s Office in Charles Street, Port of Spain. On Gopeesingh’s question about “serious misconduct” by him regarding the non-renewal of a radiologist’s contract at the North West Regional Health Authority, Deyalsingh said the court has already ruled there was no substance to that claim. Read more here
Dillon shrugs off Security sacking
“I’m always up for challenges.” That’s the position of an unperturbed former national security minister Edmund Dillon who moves into his new job at the Housing Ministry today. Dillon and others affected by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley’s latest set of Cabinet changes commented yesterday on the development. Read more here
Meet Your Crime-Busters
Trinidad and Tobago has a new dream team in its crime-fighting arsenal- National Security Minister Stuart Young and Police Commissioner Gary Griffith — who both vowed yesterday to give their best in service to country. Read more here
BUSINESS
Mixed business response to Cabinet reshuffle
Daphne Bartlett, president of the San Fernando Business Association, says new National Security Minister Stuart Young should be responsible only for that ministry given its strategic importance. “What concerns us is that the new Minster of National Security has a very heavy burden. There are already over 300 murders. The Prime Minister took someone with two important portfolios and put him in such an important ministry. Will he be there to decorate the ministry? I think that he should handle the Ministry of National Security alone,” she said. Bartlett hopes Young and newly appointed Commissioner of Police, Gary Griffith, are able to work effectively together. Read more here
DOMA: Young best man for job
The Downtown Owners and Merchants Association (DOMA) believes incoming National Security Minister Stuart Young is “probably best man for the job”. DOMA said in a news release yesterday that Young was an accomplished attorney-at-law and a successful litigator locally and internationally and had taken a very serious approach to his ministerial responsibilities so far. Read more here
REGIONAL
Break Cycle Of Violence - INDECOM Boss Makes Plea For Social Change In Independent Ja
Terrence Williams, head of the Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM), is decrying independent Jamaica's failure to effectively deal with the problem of crime and to provide security and justice for its people. Arguing that Jamaica has had a long history of violence, Williams says that the country must break that tradition. According to the INDECOM commissioner, in 1962, Jamaica had one of the lowest murder rates in the world with 3.9 per 100,000. However, in 2005, that figure rose to the highest in the world with 58 per 100,000. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Lombok quake: Rescuers search collapsed mosque for survivors
Trump warns countries against doing business with Iran as sanctions kick back in
President Donald Trump has warned that countries doing business with Iran will "NOT be doing business with the United States" as his administration reimposed sanctions on Iran Tuesday. In an early morning tweet, Trump described the measures as "the most biting sanctions ever" and warned they would "ratchet up to yet another level" in November, when US sanctions on Iranian oil will be reimposed. "I am asking for WORLD PEACE, nothing less!" Trump added. Read more here
7th August 2018