NEWS
Criminal Students
Criminal students are among the population of the Chaguanas North Secondary School and Minister of Education Anthony Garcia, yesterday pledged to have them removed. As a start, Garcia revealed that 24 students — identified as ring leaders in the delinquency that has plagued the school — are to be sent home with immediate effect. Following a return visit to the school yesterday, this time along with Minister of National Security Edmund Dillon, Garcia told reporters, “I have taken a decision, a definite decision, that I will not tolerate indiscipline and violence in our schools. My mantra is no school indiscipline, no violence in schools.” Dillon also said the country may have to consider boot camps for delinquent students as Garcia said he will be looking at ways in which the students who are removed from the school could be reintegrated into the system. Read more...
Roget urges firms: Cut profits, not workers
As thousands of citizens face the breadline because of T&T’s current economic slump, Joint Trade Union Movement (JTUM) leader Ancel Roget says employers should cut their profits instead of laying off workers. At a media briefing at the George Camps Complex, California, yesterday, Roget said while unions understood the effects of low oil prices on the country’s revenue, workers alone should not bear the brunt of financial adjustments. Read more...
Acid attack on mom of three
Armed with a bottle of acid, a knife, rope and duct tape, a San Fernando man allegedly attempted to kill his ex-lover on Monday. The victim, Rachael Chadee, was doused with acid, then forced to consume some of the corrosive liquid by the suspect. Chadee, 35, a mother of three, was also cut on the face with a knife during a struggle with the man, before he escaped through the same window he had used to enter the house. Read more...
POLITICS
Garcia reports to Senate Teachers, students scared
Education Minister Anthony Garcia yesterday told the Senate that teachers and students at the Chaguanas North Secondary School are scared. Garcia made this disclosure as he spoke in the Senate about efforts being made to restore normalcy at the school in the wake of a threat that was averted at the school last week. Speaking in the Senate hours after he visited the school as he responded to a question from Opposition Senator Wade Mark, Garcia said the ministry’s Student Support Services Unit provided counselling to teachers and students at Chaguanas North Secondary School. “The teachers are scared in some instances to interact with students,” the Minister said. Read more...
Deyalsingh: Payments made to pharmacies
Payments to pharmacists for July to August 2015 have been processed and were due to be out between yesterday evening and today, whereas payment for subsequent periods are being processed, Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh said yesterday. Deyalsingh was replying in the Senate to questions from Opposition Senator Wayne Sturge. Sturge had noted statements by the Pharmacy Board president regarding the stated intention of a growing number of pharmacies to “withhold” CDAP services. Sturge asked Deyalsingh what would be done in the short term to alleviate hardships to the vulnerable. Read more...
Gopeesingh: PM should apologise
Prim Minister Dr Keith Rowley should apologise for calling children “monsters”, since his words have the power to cause distress and resentment among parents who are working hard to prevent their children from falling victim to the many social problems plaguing the country. This was the call yesterday by former education minister Dr Tim Gopeesingh in response to Rowley’s statement in Tobago on Monday, during the National Consultation on Education, where he said that “parents were breeding monsters and sending them to the teachers”. The Prime Minister’s position has found support from some, but the use of the word “monster” has been criticised by many on social media who said he did not consider the many reasons driving youth violence, or suggest policies targeting at-risk youth. Read more...
BUSINESS
Digicel surprises teacher
Disbelief, shock and joy, were some of the emotions felt by Ramraj Gobindah on Thursday February 18, when he went to the Digicel Head Office after receiving a call advising him to collect his prize of a Samsung Galaxy S6 handset. Welcomed by Digicel endorsee Ravi B as well as other Digicel team members Gobindah was momentarily confused upon opening the handset box to see the key for the Hyundai Tuscon SUV – the final prize in the company’s ‘Carnival Sure’ promotion. “This is a total shock to me,” a broadly smiling Gobindah stated.
“I am blown away and very happy that because of Digicel I am now the owner of a brand new vehicle. Read more...
UWI economist on high food imports: Redeploy Cepep workers to boost agriculture
Senior lecturer and co-ordinator of the Trade and Economic Development Unit at the University of the West Indies, St Augustine, Dr Roger Hosein is calling for the reallocation of 80 per cent of the workforce of Cepep to agriculture to ease chronic labour shortages in that sector. He was speaking yesterday at a Financial Planning: Budget and Inflationary Measures Workshop hosted by the Institute of Banking and Finance at the headquarters of the T&T Chamber of Commerce in Port-of-Spain. Read more...
Govt to finance budget deficit by borrowing
Finance Minister Colm Imbert said Government would be financing its budget deficit from borrowings on the local and external financial markets.Responding to a question from Opposition Senator Wade Mark yesterday in the Senate at Parliament Chamber, International Waterfront Centre, Port of Spain, Imbert said the Government had not yet finalised the quantum of borrowing from the local and foreign markets. Imbert also disclosed that Trinidad Generation Unlimited (TGU) had paid Government to date, US$300 million for monies advanced for the construction of the power plant in La Brea, leaving a balance of US$251 million. Read more...
REGIONAL
Bahamas foreign minister called 'a danger to democracy'
Bahamas Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration Fred Mitchell is a “political disgrace” and a “danger to democracy” all Bahamians should fear, attorney Fred Smith QC charged on Monday. Smith was responding to comments Mitchell made regarding the release of two Cuban men from the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services last week. “Bahamians should be terrified of Fred Mitchell,” Smith said outside the Supreme Court. “This man has aspirations to be the prime minister. God forbid.” Read more...
Casserly Switches To PNP, Gives $1.5-Million Tax Plan Thumbs Down
Businessman Patrick Casserly has switched allegiance from the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) to the People’s National Party (PNP), and has cast doubt on the JLP’s personal income tax plan in his wake. But on the eve of the country’s 17th general election, when nerves are frayed and anxiety soaring, the JLP seems not to be rattled by this latest development. “When we talk about the $1.5-million threshold, that is so tremendously attractive. It is a great campaign strategy, but I just don’t know how we are going to pay for it,” Casserly said of the JLP’s income tax plan while speaking on ‘Cliff Hughes Online’ on Power 106 FM yesterday. Read more...
INTERNATIONAL
Nepal passenger plane crash kills all 23 on board
Trump scores big win in Nevada
Donald Trump notched a resounding win in the Nevada caucuses Tuesday, channeling the roiling anger of Republican voters against the establishment and sweeping almost every category of the electorate to build his dominance in the delegate count. It was a stunning show of momentum for his campaign, one that made it increasingly difficult to imagine a scenario where any other GOP candidate wins the Republican nomination. "We love Nevada," Trump said during his brief victory speech at his party in Las Vegas late Tuesday night. "We will be celebrating for a long time tonight." Read more...
24th February 2016