NEWS
State attorneys suing AG over breach of rights
Attorney General Garvin Nicholas is facing legal action from within his own organisation as 38 State contract attorneys are suing him for breach of their constitutional rights. A pre-action protocol letter dated July 28, 2015 was sent to Nicholas by attorney Nalini Jagnarine who instructed counsels Ian Benjamin and Samson Wong to act on behalf of 38 attorneys employed on fixed-term contracts, or previously so employed by the Government. The letter which was obtained by the Express stated the lawyers were seeking relief against the Government and the Judicial and Legal Service Commission (JLSC), including compensation, for breaches of their constitutional rights. The lawyers claim their rights were being infringed upon because they were being kept in contract positions with lower remuneration than those of Public Service attorneys. They also noted that some vacancies exist in State offices yet no moves were made to fill them. Nicholas told the Express on Wednesday he had not yet received the pre-action letter. Read more…
Blows for Jack
Corruption-accused politician Jack Warner has been ordered to pay former attorney general Anand Ramlogan close to $1 million in damages after a High Court judge yesterday ruled against him in a lawsuit filed by Ramlogan for defamation of character. Justice Robin Mohammed made the ruling at the Hall of Justice in Port of Spain saying Warner could provide no proof to back up the allegations made during an Independent Liberal Party (ILP) meeting in October 2013. The lawsuit revolved around allegations that Ramlogan was the owner of more than 51 properties which he could not have acquired based on his salary as Attorney General. In his 57-page ruling, Justice Mohammed said it was clear to the court Warner made the allegations in the midst of the local government election with the intention of gaining a political advantage over Ramlogan and the Government. “Such objective of political gain ought not to have been pursued at the costs of lowering the claimant's reputation in the estimation of right-thinking members of the public, discrediting the claimant in his Office of the Attorney General of Trinidad and Tobago and exposing the claimant and his family to ridicule and contempt, particularly in circumstances where the defendant showed no evidence or belief in the truth of the defamatory statements,” said the judge. Read more…
PM: I don’t smoke ganja
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar last night said she does not smoke marijuana. She made the comment in response to a final question by panellist Isha Wells during the leadership exchange hosted by state-owned Caribbean New Media Group (CNMG) at its Maraval Road, Port-of-Spain studios. The issue was raised by former national security minister Jack Warner, after he claimed the substance had been found on the Phillipine, San Fernando property of the PM in 2013. The claim was subsequently corroborated by the police and the matter in still being investigated. But as the debate was wrapping up last night Wells, in her final question asked the PM the direct question “PM do you smoke marijuana.” “The answer is no, definitely no,” Persad-Bissessar responded. Earlier, Persad-Bissessar said her lawyers were taking note of the allegations of corruption and otherwise being made against her by Warner and promised an avalanche of legal action following the general elections. She said all were free to make statements as they wish now during the election campaign because they were seeking to make her Government look bad. But she said she would not be “distracted by those scandalous and totally false allegations being made by the gentleman (Jack Warner).” Read more…
Who pulled the trigger?
Who pulled the trigger? This is the question police are trying to get answers to, as investigations continue into the shooting death of prison officer Robert Seecharan, 37, who was shot dead with his own licensed firearm during a heated argument with a woman in Penal on Wednesday night. Up to press time, a 35-year-old woman, and her 16-year-old and 18-year-old daughters remained in police custody as officers tried to get answers surrounding the circumstances which led to the prison officer’s death. A 12-yearold boy who was at the scene of the shooting was subsequently released. The firearm believe to be used in the fatal shooting was retrieved from the woman’s handbag. While the 16-year-old remains detained at the Southern Homicide Bureau, San Fernando, her mother and 18-year-old sister remain in custody at the Penal Police Station - they were expected to speak with their attorneys last night before official statements were recorded. Read more…
POLITICS
PNM: Fuad is no victim
The People’s National Movement (PNM) yesterday categorically refuted what it said were ridiculous claims made by Health Minister Dr Fuad Khan that he was “victimised by the former PNM administration.” In a statement, party general secretary Ashton Ford declared, “The PNM wishes to make it absolutely clear that as a political party we do not hire people whatsoever and therefore, if he experienced any difficulties in the Ministry of Health he cannot ascribe blame on our party.” Ford continued, “What is worse, Dr Khan did not provide the country with any details insofar as his application for employment in either the Ministry of Health or any of the Regional Health Authorities.” Ford said as “a long-long-standing Member of Parliament since 1995,” the only complaints of political discrimination made by Khan in Parliament “are those he suffered under the Basdeo Panday led UNC (United National Congress).” He said, “The PNM views Dr Khan’s absurd statement as a deliberate attempt at stoking the ethnic fears of his former constituents who are now abandoning the UNC in droves.” Read more…
Tobago ILP executive calls it quits
The executive of the Tobago arm of the Independent Liberal Party (ILP) has severed ties with the national party, headed by political leader Jack Warner. The announcement was made by the former regional co-ordinator Akeil Abdullah yesterday during a talk show on Tobago Channel Five. Approximately 387 members have also tendered their resignations from the organisation. Abdullah said the ILP did not have Tobago at heart. “Tobago has to reject the ILP, effective today. We will not stand for the kind of politics that is taking place there because we Tobagonians believe and we know that this can only result in more chaos and we don’t want to contribute to that kind of ill-development in the national landscape,” he added. Abdullah, who stood as the shadow secretary for the Division of Community Development and Culture, was appointed to the position of regional co-ordinator, Tobago, in May following the death of Lionel Coker who held the position since 2013. In response, Warner said he was not surprised at the turn of events and that would not hinder the party’s campaign in Tobago. Warner said they got a hint of what was coming earlier in the week in a statement issued to the media. Read more…
BUSINESS
TTMA extends condolences to slain cop’s family
The Trinidad and Tobago Manufacturers’ Association (TTMA) has extended condolences to the family, friends, colleagues, loved ones and fiancée – Ms. Danielle Huggins, of slain police constable, Sherman Maynard. Maynard was on guard duty in a police vehicle outside the Royal Gaolin Port-of-Spain at the time of the prison break last Friday. A shootout ensued and Maynard was mortally wounded, succumbing to his injuries shortly after at the Port-of-Spain General Hospital. The TTMA, in a statement, said, “His courageous action in the line of duty is a testament to his dedication to the nation’s peace and justice.” The statement continued, “The Association applauds his courage, determination and fight to making Trinidad and Tobago a safer place for its citizens.” PC Maynard came from a police family, as his father is retired Senior Superintendent Stephen Maynard, and his brother Sheldon Maynard, is also a member of the Police Service. He was the nephew of Senior Superintendent Mr. David Abraham, who heads the Northern Division, and his cousin is the head of the Central Division, Senior Superintendent Johnny Abraham. His mother Mrs. Octavia Abraham, also a retired police officer, described him as a very loving and hard-working person. Read more…
OCM’s profit down 14 per cent
Regional media company, One Caribbean Media (OCM), has reported a decline in its after-tax profits for the six month period ending June 30, 2015, with its chairman referring to “continuing contraction in all our markets.” In consolidated unaudited results released to the T&T Stock Exchange on Wednesday, OCM reported that its after-tax profit declined by 14 per cent from $39.3 million for the first half of 2014 to $34.4 million for the first half of this year. OCM’s revenue from continuing operations declined by 13 per cent from $268.1 million in the January to June 2014 period to $237.4 million in the comparable period in 2015. OCM’s after-tax profit in the second quarter, from April 1 to June 30, declined by 32 per cent, falling from $23 million in 2014 to $17.4 million this year. The media company’s revenue declined by 22 per cent in the second quarter. Explaining the company financial performance in the first six months of 2015, OCM chairman Fred Gollop stated: “Last year the group benefited from the sales of Fifa World Cup Rights and related advertisements during the comparative period. Read more…
2 out of 3 citizens would move abroad for work
More than two out of every three Trinidadian job seekers say they would be willing to move abroad for work. This is a “remarkably high proportion that says a lot about the evolving marketplace for talent”, according to a new study by local recruitment website Caribbeanjobs.com, management consultancy The Boston Consulting Group (BCG), and The Network, a global alliance of more than 50 leading recruitment websites. A report based on the global study has been released on www.bcgperspectives.com. Caribbeanjobs.com surveyed jobseekers in Trinidad, Jamaica and Barbados to learn what factors motivate them and which countries they would consider moving to. The survey was part of a wider Global Talent Survey which surveyed 200,000 respondents from 189 countries. The proportion of people willing to work abroad is particularly high in the Caribbean in general with 91 per cent of Jamaicans willing to move abroad for work; one of the highest proportions in the world, the report said. “It’s a world in which the geographic barriers to employment are coming down, including in the minds of some of the most talented and highly educated workers,” said Rainer Strack, a BCG senior partner and one of the report’s four coauthors, a statement from Caribbeanjobs.com said Wednesday. Read more…
REGIONAL
Antigua and Barbuda and US meet to discuss WTO gaming case
On Tuesday, the foreign minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Charles 'Max'Fernandez, and his delegation met with Assistant US Trade Representative for the Western Hemisphere, John Melle, to discuss resolution of the WTO case United States – Measures Affecting the Cross-Border Supply of Gambling and Betting Services. Both sides considered the meeting productive and useful for the exploration of various elements that could ultimately bring closure to the matter. Both governments have undertaken to continue the discussions at an early date with a view to reaching a final settlement. Fernandez and Melle each gave their respective government’s commitment to moving to a final conclusion as expeditiously as possible. The United States breached commitments it made to WTO members under the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) by maintaining and enforcing laws that act to prevent foreign-based operators -- including those based in Antigua and Barbuda -- from offering gambling and betting services on a cross-border basis to consumers located in the United States. Read more…
INTERNATIONAL
Eurozone inflation and unemployment hold steady in July
Inflation in the eurozone held steady in July, as falling energy prices offset rises in industrial goods. The annual inflation rate stayed at 0.2%, according to the flash estimate from the EU's statistics agency Eurostat.Energy prices fell 5.6%, compared with a 5.1% drop in June. Food, alcohol and tobacco prices rose 0.9%.Eurostat also said that the unemployment rate was unchanged at 11.1% in June, for the third month.James Howat, European Economist at Capital Economics, said the figures were not positive: "Worryingly, surveys of employment intentions have weakened recently, suggesting that the labour market recovery will remain pretty weak."He also pointed out that the ECB still has a lot of work to do to hit its inflation target of "below, but close to, 2%".In March, the ECB began a massive €1.1 trillion bond buying programme in an attempt to stimulate the eurozone economy. Policymakers spent much of last year in fear of deflation. The worry is that if price falls become entrenched, consumers and businesses will delay purchases and investment in the expectation that prices will fall further. Read more…
31st July 2015