NEWS
Criminologist: SSA terrorist report is scaremongering
Criminologist Daurius Figuera says the Strategic Services Agency (SSA) report presented in Parliament on a possible national security threat of people radicalised by terrorist groups was not guided by thorough threat assessment, and described it as scaremongering. Laid in the Senate on Tuesday, the SSA's annual report for 2021 outlined a possible threat from terrorist figures who may have links to locals with radical Islamic leanings. Read more here
GCCI president:Trade relations between Guyana, T&T rest on Rowley’s shoulders
The president of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry has stressed that trade relations between Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana rest on the shoulders of Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley. In an interview with Guardian Mediaon Thursday, Timothy Tucker explained that based on how Prime Minister Rowley treats Guyana’s business community, it will determine his legacy. Tucker’s comment followed his recent appeal to Guyana President Irfaan Ali not to sign a proposed MoU on agriculture, energy and national security with Trinidad and Tobago. Read more here
POLITICS
Rowley: Caricom must become single market economy
The Prime Minister called for economic unity in his address at the Caricom Agri Investment Forum and Expo in Guyana on Thursday, saying that unless Caricom recognises itself as a single market economy and compiles its knowledge and talents, it will never achieve its common goals, such as food security. “We know what to do. The question is, are we prepared to do it?” Dr Rowley said. Read more here
Housing Minister denies MPs claim of $7m waste at HDC site
Caroni Central MP Arnold Ram has claimed that the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) is paying over $7 million a year to rent scaffolding for the Edinburgh Towers project in Chaguanas although work there has stalled. However, this has been denied by Housing and Urban Development Minister Camille Robinson-Regis. In April 2021, then Minister of Housing Penelope Beckles promised the project would be completed by June of this year. But during a visit to the La Clave Street location on Tuesday, MP Ram lamented the state of the work and what he called wasted money on scaffolding. Read more here
BUSINESS
Amcham pitches nearshoring investment policy to Government
The American Chamber of Commerce has presented a proposal to Government on the ways nearshoring can result in more investments in Trinidad and Tobago. The chamber put together the policy paper – Nearshoring Framework & Rationale for The Government of Trinidad & Tobago which its executive presented to Trade and Industry Minister Paula Gopee-Scoon at the ministry in Port of Spain, on May 13. Read more here
Expert: T&T should not rush to establish a Central Bank digital currency
What is needed for T&T to truly create an enabling fintech environment? According to Richard Young, chairman of the T&T International Financial Centre (TTIFC) in a world where physical cash continues to be replaced by digital money, this country’s development of a robust and agile digital economy will be fundamental to its future economic prosperity. Speaking at the opening of the Commonwealth Fintech Toolkit Workshop held at the Radisson Hotel, Port-of-Spain Young explained that T&T’s journey to true “cashless society” status is one that requires the public sector to be positioned as a State-backed utility that aligns its operations as a payment provider to national consumers. Read more here
REGIONAL
Investing in vision 25 by 2025
President, Dr Irfaan Ali, has said that the time is now for CARICOM to correct the imbalance between consumption and production in the region. And the way to achieve this is through the “25 by 25” target, that is, to reduce the region’s food-import bill by 25 per cent by 2025. The President highlighted these and other issues on Thursday, at the National Cultural Centre (NCC), as he delivered welcoming remarks at the opening of the Agri-Investment Forum and Expo, which will run from May 19-21, at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Monkeypox cases investigated in Europe, US, Canada and Australia
Cases of monkeypox are being investigated in several European countries as well as the US, Canada and Australia, according to health authorities and local media reports. The new cases were reported in Belgium, France, Australia and Germany. This follows infections confirmed in Italy, Sweden, Spain, Portugal, the US, Canada and the UK - where the first European case was reported. Monkeypox is most common in remote parts of Central and West Africa. Instances of the disease outside of the region are often linked to travel to the area. Monkeypox is a rare viral infection which is usually mild and from which most people recover in a few weeks, according to the UK's National Health Service. The virus does not spread easily between people and the risk to the wider public is said to be very low. Read more here
20th May 2022