NEWS
Acting CoP orders probe into leaked memo
Within 24 hours after receiving information that the life of the Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar was possibly under threat, the Special Branch Unit was able to process the information and determine it to be fake. While such swift work is usually commended, the officers from the unit are now being investigated as one of them leaked the details of their investigation, causing widespread panic after it was shared on social media yesterday. Speaking at an impromptu media briefing yesterday afternoon, acting Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams confirmed that the circulated memo from within the Special Branch Unit, which is tasked with high profile duties, including the protection of the Prime Minister, was genuine. However, he assured that after probing the allegations made in the document they were found to be false. Read more...
PoS hospital ‘functioning as normal’
Health Minister Dr Fuad Khan has given citizens the assurance the Port of Spain General Hospital is “functioning as normal”. However, he also said there are plans to increase the complement of guards and introduce hand-held scanners in an effort to beef up security at the hospital. Khan made these statements amid rumours yesterday that patients were being evacuated from a section of the hospital. Some people even ventured that the entire facility was being closed down. Judith Balliram, chief executive officer of the North West Regional Health Authority, also said both internal and external security at the major medical institution was being fortified. Balliram said she was awaiting word on the number of scanners which should have been procured by the end of yesterday. Last Friday, three inmates—Allan “Scanny” Martin, Hassan Atwell and Christopher “Monster” Selby—escaped from the prison on Frederick Street, Port of Spain. The three got their hands on firearms and a grenade and shot their way out of the prison. Read more...
‘Monster’ squeals
Former prison escapee Christopher ‘Monster’ Selby is assisting police with vital information regarding the planning and execution of a brazen and violent jailbreak last week Friday when Selby, Allan ‘Scanny’ Martin and Hassan Atwell shot their way out of the Port-of-Spain prison. However, freedom lasted less than two days and in the case of Martin, a few minutes, as Martin was cornered and shot dead by police at the Port-of-Spain General Hospital. Atwell was gunned down by Rasta City gangsters in Laventille on Saturday while Selby surrendered to Barataria police on Sunday. Sources told Newsday that Selby is likely to appear in the Port-of-Spain Magistrates’ Court sometime this week or early next week once investigators are finished recording statements from him. He is being questioned by officers of the Homicide Investigations Bureau as well as the Criminal Gang and Intelligence Unit at a police station in Western Division. Apart from a charge of escaping legal custody, Selby is also expected to be charged with the murder of PC Sherman Maynard. Read more...
New suspect held in jailbreak probe
An Aranguez man was yesterday detained by police for assisting three prisoners during their daring escape from the Port-of-Spain prison last Friday. The 38-year-old suspect, who police believe provided the Nissan Navara that was used by the prisoners as a getaway vehicle, was arrested at a mosque, in Enterprise, Chaguanas, around midday yesterday by Guard and Emergency Branch officers. He remained detained under tight security at the Central Police Station, St Vincent Street, Port-of-Spain, up to late yesterday and was expected to be questioned by investigators between last night and this morning. Police sources said investigators had been searching for the suspect since the jailbreak and were only able to make the arrest after they received an anonymous tip-off yesterday. The man, who police said was behind the turf war in the Enterprise district last month, had gone into hiding. He is believed to have also supplied the weapons, which were sneaked into the prison, to the escapees. Meanwhile, Christopher “Monster” Selby, the last surviving escapee, remained detained at the St James Police Station up to late last night. Read more...
POLITICS
PNM paints Harris Promenade red
So he had even more—possibly several thousand—reasons to break out into a full jump among the PNM “red-painted” Harris Promenade on Tuesday night. If PNM leader Keith Rowley had broken into a “sorta” chip on stage following last week’s large Arima PNM meeting, then Tuesday’s huge San Fernando gathering would certainly have been more than enough for him to do the dance, full blown and with joy, as he did at meeting’s end. To Peter Lewis’ infectious music and other beats, he jog-jumped small distances in between other members on stage, working his arms and forearms to the beat and handclapping in between. Even PNM chairman Franklin Khan, who often boasts of large numbers at meetings, seemed awed by the turnout. He expressed amazement that while he usually says PNM was “ready,” the absolute readiness demonstrated at Tuesday’s meeting blew him away. The impressively huge showing at PNM’s south-central regional launch, five Sundays away from the September 7 general election (as San Fernando West candidate Faris Al-Rawi put it), gave the PNM the appearance of a confirmed edge over its competing PP rival. Read more...
PM moves without Rowley: No debate but Q&A
Instead of a leaders’ debate, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar will now take part in a question-and-answer session hosted by state-owned Caribbean New Media Group (CNMG), tonight. After weeks of negotiations between Persad-Bissessar’s team and the Debates Commission there seems no compromise on the proposed dates of August 20 and 27. In a statement issued by the Ministry of Communication yesterday, Persad-Bissessar said she would not depart from the promise she made to the people of T&T “to participate in such a historic moment in the country’s political history.” CNMG’s CEO Ken Ali said previously that it had invited Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley to participate in the debate. The television station stated Rowley had categorically refused to participate in the debate. Rowley told the Guardian on Tuesday that he had given a commitment to the Debates Commission to take part in a debate after nomination day, August 17. The release stated that Persad-Bissessar will take part in a separate question-and-answer session on the date and at the location which were proposed by the T&T Debates Commission. Read more...
BUSINESS
T&T secures US$600m for regional energy facility
The Ministry of Planning and Sustainable Development announced yesterday that T&T had secured a commitment from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) of US$600 million over the next six years for the Energy Fund for Caribbean Sustainability. The ministry has been working with the IDB to develop an energy project for the last two years. Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, first announced the commitment by the Government of Trinidad and Tobago to initiate a Multi-Donor Energy Co-Financing Facility in the region in January in Washington DC at the energy conference hosted by US President Barack Obama. In February, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the IDB and the Government of Trinidad and Tobago which formalised the framework for cooperation in the establishment of the facility. This initiative involves support from other international donors as well, and is an unprecedented step in addressings the energy issues facing the region. In a letter to Planning Minister Bhoe Tewarie, T&T’s Governor on the IDB Board, Gerard Johnson, Head of the Caribbean Desk at the IDB commended the Prime Minister for her bold leadership in initiating this facility. Read more...
Karim: Plans to build solar park on former Caroni Lands
There are plans to use former Caroni lands to build a park that will utilise methods for converting solar energy into electricity. Minister of Tertiary Education and Skills Training Fazal Karim made the comment yesterday as he commissioned Trinidad and Tobago’s first fully solar-powered energy efficient home. The house is located at the University of Trinidad and Tobago’s Point Lisas Campus. Karim said the initiative of the integrated photovoltaic (PV) park could support the establishment of a new industry, engaged in the production and installation of solar photovoltaic panels. He said Cabinet had agreed last October on an integrated photovoltaic park based on the findings of a feasibility study. Karim said “the lands from former Caroni (1975) Limited located east of Point Lisas (214 hectacres) will be transferred to the National Energy Corporation to allow for adequate contiguous land for the establishment of four main plants of the integrated Photovoltaic Park (including) a float glass plant, metallurgical grade silicon plant, polysilicon plant, solar photovoltaic plant.” Labour he said will be provided through the National Training Agency Energy and thereby jobs will be created. Read more...
ECLAC: C’bean youth jobless rates alarming
The Economic Commission for Latin American and the Caribbean yesterday described as “alarming” the unemployment rate among young people in the Caribbean. Economic affairs officer of United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) Michael Hendrickson said, although economic growth in the Caribbean increased from 1.3 per cent in 2013 to 2.3 per cent in 2014, the rate of unemployment did not fall proportionately. “Growth was not as job-full as we would have hoped,” Hendrickson said. He was at the time presenting the Caribbean aspect of ECLAC's economic survey of Latin America and the Caribbean, held at the commission's Chancery Lane, Port of Spain, offices. “In some countries youth unemployment rate is as high as almost 40 per cent; in others the average is around 25 per cent, which is very alarming. What we have been seeing is that the profile of unemployed youths is very much now becoming a situation of joblessness among graduates or trained persons from university, so that is an alarming situation,” he added. Hendrickson said discussion on the issue was needed. “We would have hoped that with the acquisition of skills that there will be the kind to return of human capital resulting from university training, but we are not getting the proportionate kinds of returns to human capital and that is something that is very concerning in the region. Read more...
CAL,Emirates sign key deal
State-owned Caribbean Airlines announced that it has signed a key new interline deal with United Arab Emirates-based airline, Emirates. According to a statement issued by CAL, the arrangement gives customers a greater choice of destinations; easy transfers in key airports such as London’s Gatwick and New York’s JFK International Airports and an opportunity to take advantage of through fares from the extensive Emirates network via London and New York to Port-of-Spain, Georgetown, Kingston and Montego Bay. CAL said, the benefits to consumers will be tangible. These benefits include a hassle free journey with a single ticket and the lowest available fares in both economy and business class. Under this arrangement, a passenger travelling from Mumbai, India, can fly on one of Emirates six daily non-stop flights to their hub in Dubai, then connect to one of their three daily non-stop services to London Gatwick (including the 380’s) and then connect to one of CAL’s four weekly non-stop flights to Port-of-Spain. “Caribbean Airlines is thrilled to expand our relationship with Emirates: which is a significant powerhouse in the airline industry. Emirates is well respected globally with an outstanding reputation” stated CAL vice-president (Commercial and Customer Service) George Reeleder. Read more...
REGIONAL
Cuba and St Lucia sign trade agreement
Cuba and Saint Lucia recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) aimed at expanding trade between the two countries. Saint Lucia’s Trade Export Promotion Agency (TEPA) hopes to introduce quality Saint Lucian products into the Cuban market. Minister for commerce, business development, investment, and consumer affairs, Emma Hippolyte, and Roberto Verrier, director of the Centro de Promociὁn del Comercio Exterior y la Inversiὁn Extranjera (CEPEC) signed the MOU during the recently held Cuba-Caribbean Business Forum in Santiago de Cuba. The MOU cements the ongoing relationship between TEPA and CEPEC to expand trade between the two countries. “The government of Saint Lucia hopes that this relationship will deepen existing bilateral relations and also examine future trade opportunities to be pursued between Saint Lucia and Cuba,” Hippolyte said. The forum was hosted by the Cuban Chamber of Commerce and the local government authorities of Santiago de Cuba to mark the 500th anniversary of the city. TEPA is working to introduce Saint Lucian products into Cuba, which involves working closely with Dr Charles Isaac, Saint Lucia’s ambassador to Cuba and Jorge Soberon, Cuba’s Ambassador to Saint Lucia. Read more...
INTERNATIONAL
Royal Dutch Shell cuts 6,500 jobs
Oil giant Royal Dutch Shell has announced it has shed 6,500 jobs as part of cost-cutting plans as it seeks to counter falling oil prices. The job cuts comprised part of its $4bn reduction in operating costs. Shell, which currently employs about 94,000 people, said it is also scaling back its oil exploration operations. The firm announced profits of $3.4bn in the three months to 30 June, a 35% decrease compared with last year. It said the job cuts affected contractors as well as Shell employees, and included job losses at its operations in the North Sea and cuts resulting from divestments in Nigeria. Shell said that it was "planning for a prolonged downturn" in oil prices. The price of oil is currently about $53 a barrel, sharply down from about $110 a barrel a year ago. Chief executive Ben van Beurden said: "We have to be resilient in a world where oil prices remain low for some time, whilst keeping an eye on recovery. "We're taking a prudent approach, pulling on powerful financial levers to manage through this downturn, always making sure we have the capacity to pay attractive dividends for shareholders." It also announced that it was selling a 33% stake in its Japanese business, Showa, to petrochemical group Idemitsu for about $1.4bn. Shell said it had seen $20bn of asset sales in 2014 and 2015, and it expected to see $30bn in sales between 2016 and 2018. Read more...
30th July 2015