NEWS
Food service industry workers turn out for vaccines by the 100s Thursday
In time for the reopening of restaurants and fast food outlets, hundreds showed up at the Paddock, Queen’s Park Savannah on Thursday for their first dose of the Sinopharm covid19 vaccine. There was an extremely long line at the entrance to the site by 8.30 am. Last Saturday, the Prime Minister lifted restrictions on restaurants and fast-food outlets. From Monday, takeaway and delivery services will be allowed. Restrictions on in-house dining remain in effect. Thursday was the first of four days set aside to vaccinate food and beverage workers at mass vaccination sites. Read more here
POLITICS
Opposition Senator: Interference with individual rights permissible only if reasonably justifiable
Several factors will have to be addressed if Government indeed has to examine making the COVID-19 vaccine mandatory by law, says Opposition UNC senator Jayanti Lutchmedial. Lutchmedial spoke yesterday after statements by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley on a radio programme hosted by former UNC MP Dr Bhoe Tewarie. Rowley was quoted as saying if a variant of COVID-19 becomes more virulent, then Government would do what is necessary to protect the population and, “We know through scientific information that there is a vaccine that could prevent that from happening then the Government would have to take a decision on behalf of those persons who have the right to protect themselves from this virus. So a decision will have to be made.” Read more here
BUSINESS
TPHL accepting proposals for Guaracara refinery until July 23
Trinidad Petroleum Holdings Ltd (TPHL), through Scotiabank, will be accepting proposals/bids for the Guaracara refinery up to July 23. It began accepting proposals on June 28, according to a press release on its website. The release said it had started "a broad-based process for a transaction involving The Guaracara Refining Company Ltd’s refining assets, and the restart of the refinery." "Scotia Capital (USA) Inc. (Scotiabank) has been retained by TPHL as its exclusive financial advisor in connection with the potential transaction." Those interested are asked to send an e-mail to process.tphl@scotiabank.com. Read more here
REGIONAL
MoU signed to ‘jump start’ $39.2M training programme for hinterland youths
The Ministry of Labour’s Board of Industrial Training (BIT) and the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, on Thursday, officially inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jump start a $39.2M training programme for Community Support Officers and youths. The training programme will be headed by the Board of Industrial Training and will see youths benefitting from a number of BIT courses. Speaking at a simple ceremony held at the Hinterland Scholarship Dormitory at Liliendaal, Labour Minister, Joseph Hamilton, outlined the structure of the programme. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Europe floods: At least 120 dead and hundreds unaccounted for
At least 120 people have died and hundreds more in western Europe are unaccounted for after some of the worst flooding in decades. Record rainfall caused rivers to burst their banks, devastating the region. In Germany, where the death toll now stands at over 100, Chancellor Angela Merkel called for a determined battle against climate change. Belgian media is reporting 22 deaths there. The Netherlands, Luxembourg and Switzerland are also affected. In Germany, the states of Rhineland-Palatinate and North Rhine-Westphalia were the worst-hit. Scientists have repeatedly warned that human-induced climate change would bring pulses of extreme rainfall such as this one. Read more here
16th July 2021