NEWS
Lee Sing: Rival gangs uniting is cause for concern
Former Port of Spain Mayor Louis Lee Sing has cautioned that the joining together of rival gangs for Tuesday's protest action against the police was not good for TT. "One of the more startling and interesting developments is the question of the coming together of the rival gangs. And if people underestimate that one development they do so at their own peril. TT has been spared those agonies for a long time because the gangs were fighting among each other. The fact (is) that these murders by the police (the killings remain under investigation) provided sufficient glue to bring the groups together." Read more here
Four charged with businessman's murder
Four people are scheduled to appear before a Scarborough Virtual Magistrates Court on Friday, charged with the murder of Carenage businessman Koongenbeharry Jaisarie also known as Jai, 64. The Director of Public Prosecutions gave the all-clear for charges to be laid on Thursday. A 34-year-old Jamaican National who also resides at Clarke Trace, Signal Hill, a 35-year-old man of Bethel, a 41-year-old man of Mason Hall and a 58-year-old female of Breeze Hall, Scarborough would be jointly charged for Jaisarie's murder. Jaisarie's body was discovered in a concrete grave in Tobago on Tuesday, June 23, 2020. Read more here
POLITICS
Scotland chosen as PNM PoS South candidate
Attorney Keith Scotland was chosen as prospective candidate for Port of Spain South on Thursday night at Queen’s Hall, Port of Spain, the PNM's 41st and final contender for the upcoming general election. He opted to not comment to Newsday, saying the process must unfold for itself. For two hours the screening committee mulled six nominees. At 7.40 pm, PNM general secretary Foster Cummings told Newsday Scotland was their choice. “We think he will be a good leader for the constituency. He is experienced as a lawyer and works in the Port of Spain area.” Read more here
PM warns gangsters against retaliation
Gangsters be warned: this is a war you will not win. That’s the message from Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley yesterday to people in communities who feel they can engage the police in gunfights. To bolster “hotspot” communities plagued by gun violence and which are genuinely hurting, however, Rowley also announced a recovery team to foster good order and engage in reconciliation. Rowley addressed the issues yesterday following protests in parts of Trinidad during the first three days of the week. The protests were sparked by last weekend’s alleged extra-judicial killings of Morvant residents Joel Jacob, Noel Diamond and Israel Clinton. The PM extended condolences to the families of the three men, relatives of PC Allen Moseley, who was killed in an encounter hours before the men were killed and those of Ornella Greaves, who was killed during a confrontation between Beetham Gardens residents and the police during one of Tuesday’s protests in the capital. “T&T has five dead people, grieving families and a bruised nation...looking to the future hoping this would be a thing of the past,” Rowley said. Read more here
BUSINESS
Scotiabank, Sagicor cancel distribution deal
Scotiabank T&T and Sagicor Financial Corporation Ltd have cancelled their distribution deal. In a release issued yesterday Scotiabank T&T said both companies “have mutually agreed” to not proceed with the 20-year distribution agreement for insurance products and solutions in T&T. Sagicor provides financial services in the Caribbean as well as life insurance in the United States. The sale of ScotiaLife T&T Ltd would therefore not proceed. Scotiabank T&T said it remained committed to providing high quality insurance solutions to its customers through ScotiaLife T&T Ltd, adding that this will be supported by ongoing investments in insurance systems, new products and digital solutions to help its customers with all their protection needs. Read more here
Many wanted Diego State lands
The construction of the $230 million Diego Martin vehicular over pass and the administrative complex on land opposite Victoria Keys Housing complex, caused the Prime Minister Keith Rowley to gain enemies, he admitted yesterday. Read more here
REGIONAL
New COVID-19 cases recorded at Mabaruma
TWO new cases of the coronavirus have been recorded in the town of Mabaruma, carrying the total number of cases recorded in Region One to 78.
Reports are that two relatives of a male teacher who recently tested positive for the disease, have also tested positive. Fives tests were conducted following the recent case, medical officials have noted. To date, 74 cases have been recorded at the Moruca sub-region, also in Region One. On Thursday, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Karen Gordon Boyle, noted in a daily briefing, that the total number of recorded cases of the pandemic in Guyana has increased by two, bringing the total number of recorded cases to 250. Read more here
Cronyism claim - Lisa Hanna dodges charges but scolded for contract nepotism
Lisa Hanna, a legislator and spokesperson for the Opposition People’s National Party’s (PNP) election campaign, has escaped criminal charges but has been slammed for nepotism and cronyism in the award of millions of dollars in contracts in St Ann in a ruling by the director of public prosecutions (DPP). Richard Lake, the husband of the St Ann South Eastern member of parliament, might, however, be at risk of being charged. The ruling has been with Integrity Commission since July 2019 but has not been made public. And DPP Paula Llewellyn, who, on Thursday, confirmed sending her opinion to the anti-corruption body, declined to comment on the matter. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Rocketing Covid-19 infections expose Trump's callous claim pandemic is 'handled'
This is what President Donald Trump's "handled" pandemic looks like. The United States, the world leader in Covid-19 infections and deaths, is reeling from an out-of-control resurgence of the virus that is racking uprecord numbers of 50,000-plus new infectionseach day now. Texas, Florida and Arizona -- Republican-run states that most aggressively embraced Trump's impatient demands to get the economy open again -- are heading into what one expert warned is a viralthreatthat is approaching "apocalyptic" levels. All over the country, including in rule-resistant Texas, authorities are imposing mask mandates that Trump will still not endorse and are slowing or reversing economic opening plans as a Covid-19 summer becomes reality. It now seems certain that a predicted fall spike of the virus will simply become an extension of relentless months of sickness and death. Read more here
Zheng Yanxiong: China appoints hard-line Hong Kong security chief
China has appointed a hard-line figure as head of its new security agency in Hong Kong. Zheng Yanxiong is best known for his role in dealing with a protest over a land dispute in the southern Chinese village of Wukan. The new agency, answering directly to Beijing, is being set up to enforce a draconian security law passed this week in Hong Kong. Opponents of the law say it erodes the territory's freedoms. The law targets secession, subversion and terrorism with punishments of up to life in prison. Several leading pro-democracy activists have stepped down from their roles and one of them, one-time student leader and local legislator Nathan Law, has fled the territory. Separately, one of 10 people arrested using the new law during protests on Wednesday has become the first to be charged under it. Hundreds were detained during the clashes. Read more here
3rd July 2020