NEWS
Missing mom found
Three siblings who on Monday walked into Newsday’s offices asking that a story be done on their mother who had been missing for a week were yesterday breathing sighs of relief over the news that she was found and is safe . Relatives of 38-yearold labourer Rhonda Kelly Hinds contacted Newsday indicating that the mother of three was found unharmed early yesterday morning. Reports are that at about 3 am, Hinds who is a labourer and who had been missing since two Tuesdays ago, walked into a police station in Police North Eastern Division. The woman was questioned as to her whereabouts for the past week by officers. After being interviewed, Hinds was allowed to leave and made her way to her Caura home and into the arms of her relieved, weeping children sons Rhondelle, ten, and Kylon, 14, and daughter Bridgette, 14. Read more…
Colleagues claim threats
Two days after four employees of the Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo Regional Corporation (CTTRC) appeared in court on fraud charges, municipal police yesterday had to stop a meeting in which one of the accused was allegedly a participant, after three of the accused still reported for duty. Following that meeting at the CTTRC’s technical building, it was reported that Fraud Squad investigators returned to the Railway Road, Couva compound. CTTRC chairman, Henry Awong, told the T&T Guardian last night that those who showed up yesterday: County superintendent Maniram Mohess and engineer Barry Samaroo will report to the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development’s Port-of-Spain office today, while checker Ian Gokool was sent on leave by CTTRC acting CEO Charmaine Dookie. Read more…
Carter tops freestyle swim heat in national record time but water woes for Chow, Lewis
Team Trinidad and Tobago competed on waters of varying description at the 2016 Olympic Games here in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, yesterday…and had varying results. First, Felice Aisha Chow rowed in the lagoon at Lagoa Stadium, finishing fifth out of six competitors in her women's single sculls quarter-final, and will now contest the C/D semi-finals in a bid to secure the highest possible minor placing. Read more…
POLITICS
PM’s memoirs to be released
Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley’s memoirs, “From Mason Hall to Whitehall”, is due to be released next month. The Prime Minister alluded to this in a post on his Facebook page dated August 7. In that post, Rowley said the back cover of the book, “is a nod to my own history, and the history of Tobago.” Read more…
Khan orders more corporation audits
Local Government Minister Franklin Khan says audits for other regional corporations will begin at week’s end. He made the comment yesterday following the court appearances on Monday of four Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo Regional Corporation (CTTRC) employees on corruption charges. Speaking to reporters at a Caribbean Industrial Research Institute (Cariri’s) seminar, Khan said the allegations were a cause for concern. “Four officers from the CTTRC, public servants I might add, have been charged with accusations of corruption and I don’t want to comment on that in any detail because it is before the courts but it really does not look good in terms of the corporation and its management.” Read more…
Sport minister sends congrats to Olympians
Minister of Sport Darryl Smith has sent his congratulations to the Trinidad and Tobago athletes who have competed in the Olympic Games. Smith said yesterday he was in contact with the athletes via WhatsApp and continues to lend his support. Regarding swimmer Dylan Carter, 20, who although winning his heat did not qualify for the semi-final round of the men’s 100 metre freestyle event, Smith said he could be the face of Trinidad and Tobago swimming taking over from George Bovell. “I sent him a WhatsApp congratulating him, he is the one whom there is great hype for to take over from Mr Bovell who I think, this may be his last. Dylan also lives in my constituency, Diego Martin Central, Blue Range so I am a big fan, I know him quite well. For a first time, he won his heat, he did what he had to do, unfortunately it wasn’t enough in terms of time, I think it was a good learning curve. In the WhatsApp conversation he was pleased, he was loving the experience and it is just to move from strength to strength.” Read more…
BUSINESS
BHP reports potential gas find
BHP Billiton yesterday said it can confirm positive drilling results for the LeClerc well in TT. In a statement, the company said this well forms part of its targeted petroleum exploration program. The deep water LeClerc 1 ST01 well located, 135 miles off the east coast of Trinidad reached a total depth of 22,876 feet. BHP Billiton said in doing so, “the well encountered gas in multiple zones.” Read more…
$2 billion bond raised by RBL
The $2 billion bond successfully executed by Republic Bank Limited (RBL) at a fixed interest rate of 4.5 per cent will be lucrative for investors as they have been able to shift from lower yielding assets, says managing director Nigel Baptiste. “From an economic perspective, this bond assists government in meeting its expenditure requirements and reflects continued confidence in the local economy,” he told the T&T Guardian RBL’s proposal was submitted on June 1 and the bank was awarded the mandate by Government on June 17. The bond was issued on June 29, 2016. Read more…
Why deny 50 years and over
The changes announced last Wednesday for the Government Assistance for Tuition Expenses (GATE) programme were not harsh or unreasonable. The Cabinet, which approved the cutbacks, will need to review some of the measures proposed as public discussion throws new light on them. Read more…
REGIONAL
Stripped - Operational Responsibilities Pulled From Senior Cops Ripped By Tivoli Commission Report
Two high-ranking members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) have been stripped of all operational responsibilities as a result of scathing criticisms from the West Kingston Commission of Enquiry about their conduct during the May 2010 police-military operations in Tivoli Gardens. Deputy Commissioner of Police Clifford Blake revealed yesterday that the two senior officers - who were among five serving members singled out for stinging criticism by the Sir David Simmons-chaired commission - were transferred to other areas of the JCF in the last two months. "They have been transferred out of operational duties to administrative duties," Blake disclosed during a Gleaner Editors' Forum at the newspaper's downtown Kingston offices. Read more…
Puerto Rico activists fight to keep beaches public
Environmental activists and experts in Puerto Rico breathed a sigh of relief when a law that sought to privatize La Parguera, a public maritime zone in the western coast of Lajas, was rejected. But their battle is far from over. Several public beaches and maritime zones are fighting privatization proposals. Project #1621, the bill that was recently rejected, intended to legalize floating water houses or casetas. Illegal casetas have existed in La Parguera for decades. The bill would have legalized these homes, allowed the owners to rent the property for up to 40 years and it would have turned the free public space along the casetas into an exclusive tourism zone. Read more…
INTERNATIONAL
Hospital fire kills 11 premature babies in Iraq
Donald Trump: 'Second Amendment' gun advocates could deal with Hillary Clinton
Donald Trump set off a fierce new controversy Tuesday with remarks about the right to bear arms that were interpreted by many as a threat of violence against Hillary Clinton. "Hillary wants to abolish -- essentially abolish the Second Amendment. By the way, if she gets to pick, if she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks. Although the Second Amendment people, maybe there is, I don't know," Trump said. He added: "But I tell you what, that will be a horrible day, if Hillary gets to put her judges in, right now we're tied." Trump's ambiguous comments alarmed some political observers as to whether he was threatening her life or calling for increased political activity. Read more…
10th August 2016