NEWS
Verification process begins for CNG dispensers
The NGC CNG Company Ltd has teamed up with the TT Bureau of Standards to have all dispensers at CNG service stations verified by the Legal Metrology Inspectorate (LMI). It said this should ensure accuracy in the volume of gas dispensed. In a joint release earlier in the week, the companies said it began verification work on the nozzles of the dispensers. There are ten operational CNG stations in Trinidad and three fleet-based stations – two in Trinidad and one in Tobago. Read more here
China’s ambassador to T&T defends Sinopharm vaccine
China’s ambassador to T&T Fang Qiu is urging people to follow the science as he seeks to counter misinformation being shared about the Sinopharm vaccine. Some 100,000 doses of the vaccine are expected to arrive in T&T next Tuesday. In a letter to the people of T&T, Fang Qiu said, “At this crucial point where science and reason should be leading the way, any kind of politicisation and stigmatisation of vaccines should be opposed, as this “political virus” can cost lives just as the Covid-19 virus does and even worse. At this critical moment where selfless service should be prevailing, any kind of political reckoning out of self-interest should be opposed, as whatever we do we should do it for the people’s greater good.” Read more here
POLITICS
PM, Deyalsingh slam UNC 'lies' on field hospitals
The Prime Minister and Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh on Wednesday condemned boasts from the Opposition UNC that the United States government sent field hospitals to Trinidad and Tobago because party leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar made the request for them at a UNC virtual meeting on Monday. In a post on his Facebook page, Dr Rowley declared, "Shameless liars. "Attempting to take political credit for Government work that had nothing to do with them! How can anyone ever trust these people." Read more here
UNC insists no untruths told in its US-donation claims
The Opposition has replied to Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley’s condemnation of the party’s attempt to claim credit for the donation of two field hospitals by the United States government. In a statement yesterday, the UNC said Dr Rowley was “cannot identify a single untruth in the UNC’s statement, thanking the Government of the United States of America for the donation of two field hospitals”. The UNC statement yesterday, referred to Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar words at a virtual meeting of the party on Monday. Read more here
BUSINESS
Robert Le Hunte has 'the formula' to take Ansa Bank to the next level
Robert Le Hunte has a reputation for taking businesses to the next level. His experience in banking, insurance and management has taken him all over the world, where he took the wheel of companies that were either looking to make a change in the way they operated or a change in their level of performance, and within years there was a turnaround or expansion. That skill will come in handy for the former Minister of Public Utilities in his new role as managing director of Ansa Bank, which was renamed after the Ansa McAl group acquired the local branch of the Bank of Baroda. Read more here
Penny smart and pound foolish, not an option for Govt
At the time of writing, 55 people had been confirmed as having, unfortunately, died in T&T of the coronavirus in May alone and, as day follows night, I am sure by the time you read this that figure would have increased. We also have more than 4,000 active cases of people who are stricken with the virus and our hope and prayers are that they will recover fully. This latest wave is without doubt the most intense we have seen and the signs are that we are in dangerous territory. Most of us now know of people who have gotten the virus and too many of us know people who have succumbed to it. Read more here
REGIONAL
More power for the grid
Progress across various sectors of the economy is often constrained by the inability of consumers to access reliable energy, and as part of efforts to address this issue incrementally, the government will be increasing the production of electricity at Skeldon Energy Incorporated to 30 megawatts.
Increased power generation at the facility will be made possible through the installation of a new transformer, according to Minister within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Deodat Indar, following a tour of the site on Wednesday. The new transformer will enable the company, which is located at the Skeldon Sugar Estate, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), to channel more energy to the national grid, which services the entire country. Minister Indar said that at present the company is transmitting 12.5 megawatts of power to the grid through the 69,000 kilovolts (KV) transmission line. Read more here
‘Collusion’ scandal
An audit conducted into the $46.8-million government contract awarded to Rahim’s Cleaning and Trucking Limited to sanitise and clean eight locations in Ocho Rios, St Ann, has unearthed worrying findings, including exorbitant pricing costs and...Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Israel launches more strikes on Gaza as fears of a ground invasion grow
The Israeli military directed heavy artillery fire and dozens of airstrikes into Gaza overnight into Friday, as fears grew that a ground invasion of the territory could be launched to quell rocket fire from Palestinian militants. As the Israeli bombardment rained down, United Nations officials inside Gaza said dozens of people had fled their homes in the north and east of the enclave to seek refuge in schools -- belonging to the UN relief agency for Palestinian refugees -- which are considered designated emergency shelters. Read more here
Indian variant: Second jabs could be brought forward to tackle rise
Second vaccine doses could be brought forward and local restrictions introduced to help tackle the Indian variant in the worst-affected areas, the UK government has said.
Minister Nadhim Zahawi said steps could also include vaccinating younger people in multi-generational households. Meanwhile, a top scientist has warned lifting restrictions on 21 June is in doubt because of the Indian variant. Cases in the UK have more than doubled to 1,313, Public Health England said. The figures released on Thursday have risen from 520 cases recorded by PHE up to 5 May. However, Prof Paul Hunter, who sits on a number of Covid advisory committees for the World Health Organization, said current figures were around two weeks out of date and would now be higher. Read more here
14th May 2021