NEWS
OWTU injunction against Petrotrin in court today
With weeks before state-owned Petrotrin begins laying off some 5,000 workers, the pending action was yesterday threatened with an injunction, the hearing for which is carded for today in the Industrial Court, Port of Spain. The Oilfields Workers’ Trade Union (OWTU) filed the injunction yesterday and sought an urgent hearing, citing the April 3 memorandum of agreement as the ground on which the union is asking the court to halt Petrotrin’s planned retrenchment. Read more here
OWTU seeks to block Petrotrin firings
While Government has begun processing a $2.6 billion retrenchment payout to 3,400 Petrotrin refinery workers the Oilfield Workers’ Trade Union (OWTU), in a surprise move yesterday, filed an application at the Industrial Court, Port-of-Spain, to bar the termination of the company’s workforce. The matter will be heard at 10 am today in court. The hearing will coincide with the start of the OWTU’s three-day protest march beginning in San Fernando and ending in the capital city on Friday. Read more here
PDA: 'Gas stations will be forced to shut down'
Gas stations will be forced to shut down because it is too costly to operate given the hike in super fuel, says president of the Petroleum Dealers Association (PDA) Robin Narinesingh. Read more here
POLITICS
Imbert: No taxes for two years
Finance Minister Colm Imbert has promised no new taxes for at least the next two years. “What we’ve tried to do this year is consolidate. That’s why we have not raised taxes and we have no plans in the next two years to increase taxes. I just want to let you know that now because we think we have increased taxes to the point that is a stable level; there would be diminishing returns if we sought to increase income and corporation taxes,” Imbert told the audience at the TT Chamber of Industry and Commerce’s annual post-budget forum. Read more here
UNC joins union protest march today
From courtroom to highway today. After the Oilfield Workers’ Trade Union (OWTU) filed Industrial Court action yesterday to block Petrotrin’s termination of workers, the union hits the road today on a three-day march from south to north. OWTU Education/Research officer Ozzi Warwick yesterday said those undertaking the march will largely be OWTU general council members plus labour leaders. The first leg begins at 9 am from the Pointe-a-Pierre roundabout. Read more here
Imbert: Diesel increase would hurt more
The Finance Minister has defended the Government’s increase of the price of super gasoline by $1 per litre, saying yesterday the subsidy money saved for 2019 will instead beef up social assistance programmes that benefit lower-income brackets. Read more here
BUSINESS
Why is Moruga being favoured?
Moruga has certainly been in the news recently as just last week, the hardworking Minister of Trade, Paula Gopee Scoon, Agriculture Minister Clarence Rambharat and the MP for the area Lovell Francis hosted a function to celebrate the company behind Moruga Hill Rice, which received $317,500 from the Ministry of Trade’s Research and Development Fund. Read more here
REGIONAL
End Assault On Students - Authorities Vow To Stem Robberies, Sexual Attacks And Violence Against Kingston Central Schoolchildren
Terrified students who attend schools within the Kingston Central region can soon breathe easier, as the relevant authorities are moving quickly to protect them from robberies, as well as sexual and physical assaults on the streets. Student leaders and principals from eight Kingston high schools yesterday converged at St George's College on North Street to urgently address safety concerns and find solutions to protect the youth while travelling. The meeting was prompted by a recent spate of robberies and other serious offences against students in the capital city. The introduction of covert security personnel, especially along the North Street corridor, is one of the methods that will be employed. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Sanctions on Iran: International Court of Justice rules against US
Nobel Prize in Chemistry awarded for pioneering work in evolutionary science
The 2018 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to Frances H. Arnold and the other half jointly to George P. Smith and Sir Gregory P. Winter on Wednesday for their work harnessing the power of evolution to develop new proteins used in drugs and medical treatments. In announcing the award, the Royal Swedish Academy said that this year's prize "awards a revolution based on evolution," and goes to scientists who "applied the principles of Darwin in the test tube." Read more here
3rd October 2018