NEWS
Moruga mechanic killed over fender-bender
Sadness gripped the close-knit community of Indian Walk, Moruga, on Thursday morning as they learned of the “senseless murder” of well-known and loved mechanic Colin Forbes, over what is being described as a fender-bender. Forbes, 42, was reportedly stabbed about the body by four Spanish-speaking men outside a bar at Penal Rock Road shortly after midnight on Wednesday. According to a police report, around 12.10 am on Thursday, Forbes was at Big Ben Bar, Penal Rock Road when he attempted to reverse his vehicle. However, his car, a blue Toyota Corolla, PBJ 9659, reportedly struck a red vehicle. Read more here
Hoteliers: Record high occupancy rates for Tobago Carnival
The amount of people getting ready to revel in Tobago Carnival keeps climbing with just over two weeks to go. According to Tobago Hotel and Tourism Association president Chris James, the occupancy for Carnival is 76 per cent across all accommodation types. That figure was as of Wednesday (October 12). James told Guardian Media they are now trying their best to fill up the gaps but concedes 76 per cent is already a good place to be at. “Seventy-six is very good, it’s the highest for the year,” he said. He said it could have been higher but some potential visitors changed plans due to unavailable flights for the period. Read more here
POLITICS
PM unaware of merit list probe: UNC searching for scandal
The Prime Minister has denied knowledge of any police probe against him concerning the withdrawn CoP merit list. He was responding to TV6 news on Thursday, after UNC Senator David Nakhid claimed in Parliament that he was called as a witness by the Anti-Corruption Investigation Bureau into a probe into allegations of misbehaviour in public office by Dr Rowley. Rowley said, “At this time, I know of no such investigation by any arm of the State.” Read more here
Rowley: Stop asking me about Vincent Nelson matter
Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley has defended himself and his Cabinet, saying they had no role in the indemnity issue with King’s Counsel Vincent Nelson in the now collapsed corruption case against former attorney general Anand Ramlogan and UNC senator Gerald Ramdeen. He, however, assured that his Government will not be deterred in its quest to tackle white-collar crime. Rowley made the comments as he spoke at the PNM Diego Martin Constituency’s 49th conference on Wednesday night. He questioned why Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar was calling for him to tell the country if he and the Cabinet knew about the indemnity agreement between the Office of the Attorney General and Nelson. Read more here
BUSINESS
PM: Chinese contractors make $2.5 billion claim
Government has been hit with a TT$2.5 billion (US$380 million) claim from the Chinese contractors of the aluminium smelter plant as a result of the cancellation of the project in 2010. This was revealed by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley at the Diego Martin Constituency’s 49th annual conference on Wednesday night. He said the Kamla Persad-Bissessar government “improperly shut down the project”. The Prime Minister said in an attempt to diversify the economy, the Manning Government decided to build an aluminium smelter plant but “some people who were comfortable where they were and didn’t care who got a job, resisted, saying that the smelter would kill us” (the citizens of T&T)”. Read more here
REGIONAL
Guyana continues to lead global growth
Guyana continues to rank among the countries worldwide with the fastest rate of economic growth, as the country is on course to growing 57.8 per cent this year, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Driven by continued progress in the oil and gas sector, and enhanced productivity in other productive sectors, Guyana is well set to record significant growth this year and beyond. Specifically, in addition to the massive level of growth projected for this year, the country which sits on the edge of South America, is set to grow 25.2 per cent next year. The projections mirror those released recently by the World Bank, in its latest report: “New Approaches to Closing the Fiscal Gap.” Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Iran protests: Iran's Gen Z 'realise life can be lived differently'
Protests against religious rule have spread like never before through Iran's new generation of women and girls, whose parents and grandparents tried and failed to change the system from within. In video messages and on social media, young victims of a violent crackdown explain why they risked their lives to defy authorities. "Clerics, get lost." This is the chant of girls as young as 11 in classrooms across Iran. Social media is full of videos of them taking down the picture of the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, ripping it up and then burning it. "If we don't unite, one by one, we'll become the next Mahsa Amini" is another of their cries, referring to the young Kurdish woman who died in police custody after allegedly wearing her headscarf "improperly". Read more here
14th October 2022