NEWS
US govt's 2023 human trafficking report: TT still on Tier 2 Watch List
This country remains at Tier 2 Watch List on the 2023 Traffic In Persons (TIP) report for a third consecutive year. The 95-page report was published on Thursday. The designation means the government has not met the minimum standards of the UN TIP Protocol and the United States’ Trafficking Victims Protection (2000 )Act, but is making significant efforts to doing so. The ranking also means the estimated number of victims of severe forms of trafficking is very significant or is significantly increasing and the country is not taking proportional concrete actions; or there is a failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat severe forms of trafficking in persons from the previous year. Read more here
Teen killed, 2 wounded in Arima shooting
A teen boy is dead and two others wounded following a shooting incident on Thursday night in Arima. Police officers were at the scene of the crime at Mt Pleasant up to late last night. Details are still sketchy but the boy, who is said to be around 14 years, died on the scene. The two others were taken to hospital for treatment. This story will be updated as soon as more information comes to hand. In an unrelated incident, police shot and wounded a man in Cocorite during an exercise last night. The wounded man was taken to hospital by officers for medical treatment. Read more here
POLITICS
CXC: CSEC, CAPE exams will continue as planned
THE Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) announced on Thursday, that Caribbean Secondary Education Council (CSEC) and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) papers will be administered to students as planned, even after exam scripts for nine subjects were stolen from a Jamaica school earlier this week. On Wednesday, it was reported that a fireproof cabinet containing the papers was taken from St James High School on Tuesday night. The Jamaican ministry of national security and the Jamaican Constabulary Force are investigating. The breach came less than a month after CXC was forced to scrap the mathematics paper II after it was leaked in Jamaica. Read more here
Hochoy awaits Farley’s response to audio clip matter
Former Tobago House of Assembly Chief Secretary Hochoy Charles says he is eagerly waiting on Chief Secretary Farley Augustine’s explanation of the audio recording purportedly involving two THA executive members. In the audio clip, which was leaked online three weeks ago, two officials believed to be THA executives are heard discussing hiring persons full-time through the THA to spread propaganda on behalf of the Tobago People’s Party. Augustine has so far not confirmed whose voices are on the clip but has said he has nothing to fear about it and promised to address the matter before the end of this week. Read more here
BUSINESS
NGC collaborates with major engineering firms
The National Gas Company (NGC) has signed separate master service agreements (MSAs) with two major locally operating engineering firms – Massy Wood Ltd (Massy Wood) and Worley Trinidad Ltd (Worley). In a release, NGC said both MSAs will provide design engineering and project-management services to support planning and implementation of strategic project initiatives. They will also help build and leverage synergies which will support NGC’s operations and can be accessed by the individual companies in the NGC group over the next three years. The signed MSAs will further NGC’s efforts to be on par with best-practice standards and improve the cycle time between the planning and execution phases of projects. Read more here
Use ExporTT, Paula tells manufacturers
Small exporters are being urged to take full advantage of the services offered by ExporTT. This call came from Paula Gopee-Scoon, the Minister of Trade and Industry, when she spoke at a ceremony to celebrate the export of a container of food products made by ASA Enterprises Limited from its Mc Bean facilities on Wednesday. Gopee-Scoon said many small businessmen find some level of difficulty when dealing with the banks to finance their operations. Speaking from her personal experience, Gopee-Scoon recalled when the business of her father, Ramwant Gopee, folded in the 1980s. She said when the TT dollar was devalued, her father found himself owing the banks at a time when sales were also low. She said everything was taken away from her father who had borrowed a lot from the banks who in turn were only too pleased to lend him money. Read more here
REGIONAL
PPP/C’s landslide victory demonstrates citizenry’s gratitude for development
European Commission VP says while congratulating party on its performance at the LGEs FIRST Vice-President of the European Commission (EC), Frans Timmermans, on Wednesday, congratulated the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) on its landslide and historic victory in this year’s Local Government Elections (LGEs), where the party secured 66 of the 80 Local Authority Areas (LAAs). Timmermans described the win as an illustration of the citizenry’s high level of gratitude for the level of development that the PPP/C has been bringing to the country at the central government level. The highest-level European Union (EU) official to ever visit Guyana, Timmermans opened with the commendation when he delivered remarks during the signing ceremony for an agreement between Guyana and the EU for a mangrove protection and restoration project along Guyana’s coastline. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
George Orwell's 1984 returned to Portland library after 65 years
A copy of George Orwell's dystopian novel, 1984, has been returned to a US library in Oregon state after 65 years. In a note enclosed with the book, an 86-year-old man, identified only as WP, said the book should be returned to Multnomah County Library in Portland because of its relevance today."After re-reading, I realise that, more than ever, this book should be put back in circulation," the note reads. The seminal novel explores the themes of totalitarianism and truth. Read more here
16th June 2023