TTMA IN THE NEWS
TTMA meets with police on illicit trade
Officials from the TT Manufacturer's Association (TTMA) and the police met to discuss strategies and policies aimed at preventing illicit trade in TT. A media release from the TTMA on Thursday reported that the meeting was attended by the association's president Tricia Coosal and acting Police Commissioner McDonald Jacob which sought to strengthen partnership between the two entities. Among the concerns raised during the meeting was the need for more measures to interdict the illegal trade of items from alcohol, tobacco, pharmaceuticals, cleaning agents and counterfeit items. Read more here
TTMA, police in talks to tackle illicit trade
Discussions for strong public-private partnerships formed part of the meeting with Trinidad and Tobago Manufacturers’ Association (TTMA) and the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) on the prevalence of illicit trade. At the meeting held yesterday, Acting Police Commissioner McDonald Jacob and members of his team reinforced their commitment to undertake initiatives to tackle the issue of illicit trade. Read more here
NEWS
Government receives 4 bids for deepwater energy exploration
Despite only four out of the 17 deepwater exploration blocks up for grabs being bid on at the end of the relevant bid round on Thursday, Minister of Energy Stuart Young said the results of were a great positive for TT. Responding to questions at the end of the three-day TT Energy Conference 2022 at the Hyatt Regency hotel, Young said the fact that there were no further bids was also expected. He reiterated what he said in December last year at the beginning of the bid round, that shareholders of oil companies have stopped them from going into new areas. Read more here
Arima company gets contract for Central Block of Port-of-Spain hospital
Work on the Central Block portion of the Port-of-Spain General Hospital is back on track after project managers, the Urban Development Corporation of T&T (Udecott), retained a local company to complete the steel portion of the structure. The Udecott on Thursday confirmed to Guardian Media that Arima-based Universal Structures won the tender for this phase of the construction. Universal Structures is a subdivision of Adam’s Projects. This component of the billion-dollar project came in at $103 million and according to Udecott, it is expected to take some nine months to complete. Read more here
POLITICS
Imbert: Government will definitely have to borrow to pay back pay
NO matter what the government and unions agree to on an increase in wages, the State will have to borrow money to pay the resulting back pay. It is also possible that loans will be needed to cover the increased wages. Speaking at a post-Cabinet media briefing at the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann’s, on Thursday, Finance Minister Colm Imbert said even if the unions accept the government’s initial offer of two per cent over an eight-year period, the government would have to borrow money to finance that. The unions have rejected that offer and will meet with the Chief Personnel Officer (CPO) from June 10-24. Read more here
Imbert: Govt not supporting increased fees by UWI
Check yourself first. Government isn’t supporting a proposal for increased tuition fees for this academic year (2022-23) made by the University of the West Indies’ (UWI) St Augustine campus—and has asked UWI to examine its 300 courses and see if it hasn’t overextended itself. “We feel increases should be a last resort,” Finance Minister Colm Imbert added on the issue at yesterday’s post-Cabinet media briefing at the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann’s. Read more here
REGIONAL
Over $1B ‘injected’ into Region Six economy
Over $1 billion will be pumped into Region Six annually through the creation of 3,000 part-time jobs for residents there, Vice-President, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo announced on Thursday. Residents turned out in the hundreds to sign one-year contracts which will see them being placed at government offices or agencies. They will receive $40,000 per month for 10 days’ work. Speaking at separate meetings at the New Amsterdam Technical Institute, the University of Guyana Tain Campus and at the parking lot in front of the Classic International Hotel, Vice-President Jagdeo urged those recruited to see their jobs as a stepping stone for greater things in life. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Biden urges ban on assault-style weapons and gun age limits
President Joe Biden has said the US should ban assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazines to tackle the "carnage" of gun violence. Addressing the nation after a spate of mass shootings, Mr Biden said too many places had become "killing fields". He said if a ban was not possible the age limit for buying such weapons should at least go up from 18 to 21. But deadlock on the issue between Republicans and Democrats in Congress means progress is seen as unlikely. In order for any laws to pass, Republicans in the Senate need to back them, which is unlikely because they defend access to guns as a constitutional right for every American. Read more here
3rd June 2022