NEWS
Zachariah's mother, stepfather charged with manslaughter in his death
The mother and stepfather of six-year-old Zachariah Charles have been charged with manslaughter in his death. A release from the police service said that Rnella Charles, 31, and Stephon Brizan, 32, were charged with the office on Wednesday, following advice received from the Director of Public Prosecutions. It said Charles and Brizan are expected to appear before the Port-of-Spain Magistrates’ Court on Friday to answer to the charges. According to a police report, on April 12, Zackariah was brought into the Port of Spain General Hospital by relatives in an unresponsive state. Doctors and nurses told police that the child's body bore several visible bruises. Read more here
CAL threatened with lawsuit over change in ticket validity policy
A woman and her two nieces have threatened to sue Caribbean Airlines Limited (CAL) over its decision to amend its policy on the validity of tickets purchased before the lengthy closure of borders due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In a pre-action protocol letter sent late last month, attorney Richard Jaggasar, who is representing Maajida Mohammed and her nieces called on CAL to refund his clients the US$1,646.79 (TT$11,033.49) they paid for the three tickets to New York. In the correspondence, obtained by Guardian Media, Jaggasar claimed that they purchased the return tickets in February 2020 to travel between Trinidad and New York between August 21 and 31, 2020. Read more here
POLITICS
PM: TT fuel prices can be reduced if global prices fall
If the international price of fuel decreases then the cost at the pumps in TT will also decrease the Prime Minister assured on Thursday. While not indicating at what international price citizens will see this decrease, Dr Rowley assured that there will be a trickle-down effect. “Yes, the trigger point will be made known to the population and if the price goes down, the same way we have raised it because of the subsidy, it is reasonable to expect that significantly, the price at the pumps will go down. Read more here
PM responds to rising murder rate: T&T a violent society in nature
Cabinet is going through the procurement process to get more CCTV cameras – and there ought to be consequences for secondary school students demonstrating violent behaviour, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley said yesterday. Speaking at a media conference at the Piarco International Airport after returning from Barbados, Rowley said Cabinet has cleared moves to get more CCTV cameras, identified funding for it and is going through the procurement process. He added that Government didn’t need UNC MP Roodal Moonilal to call for CCTV cameras since there are cameras in use and while some needed ongoing maintenance and upgrade, Cabinet’s also already addressing this. Read more here
BUSINESS
Unfounded accusations of criminal activities
Unfounded accusations of criminal financial activities by foreign decision-makers resulting in Caribbean banks being shunned by international correspondents will be prioritised when Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley heads to Washington, United States next week. Rowley announced yesterday, he is scheduled to leave for the US capitol next Sunday and will be there all of next week. Read more here
REGIONAL
President to meet Opposition Leader on constitutional appointments
President Dr. Irfaan Ali said he will extend an invitation to Leader of the Opposition Aubrey Norton to meet him for talks on constitutional appointments. The meeting is expected to be held within the next two weeks. The President made this announcement while speaking to reporters following the launch of the International Building Expo at the Pegasus Hotel on Wednesday evening. He said the Opposition Leader will receive a Letter of Invitation for the meeting soon. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Ukraine war: Russia 'plans to seize southern Ukraine'
Russia aims to seize southern Ukraine and to open a route to the separatist region of Transnistria in Moldova, a senior Russian general says. Maj Gen Rustam Minnekayev specified that Moscow would seek to take "full control" over the south in addition to the eastern Donbas region - the stated objective of the Russian authorities. Transnistria is a small Russian-backed region that borders Ukraine. It is unclear if Gen Minnekayev's comments were officially sanctioned. Russian defence officials told the BBC's Steve Rosenberg that they were "looking into" the general's comments, which - if confirmed - offer the first insight into Russia's potential plans in the coming weeks. Read more here
22nd April 2022