NEWS
State still to get Sean Luke DNA results 15 years after murder
Prosecutors are hoping to admit fresh DNA evidence in their case against the two men charged with the brutal murder of six-year-old Sean Luke in 2006. However, at a virtual status hearing on Thursday, prosecutor Sabrina Dougdeen-Jaglal admitted the State had not yet applied to admit the evidence. since it was dependent on actually receiving the analysis of the samples. She said the DNA analysis was still outstanding, but samples had been sent for testing in 2006. She added that there was a challenge with the Forensic Science Centre’s DNA lab which had not yet been resolved, and its capacity to do the analysis was “zero.” Read more here
Religious leaders call for justice at vigil
Filled with sadness, scores of people gathered on Thursday night at the Cunupia Market to offer prayers for the soul of Andrea Bharatt and others who have gone missing. Religious leaders joined in the call for justice and an end to crimes against women. The vigil was hosted by Chaguanas East MP Vandana Mohit. Orisha Preist Baba Addelon Braveboy summoned the powers of the Orishas to rain justice on those who commit crimes against women in T&T. Braveboy, who is also known as Banjela in soca circles, told the gathering “I pray for justice against every crime committed against women at this time. I call upon the Orisha of justice, Chango, you are the Orisha of justice. I call upon presence with lightning to strike upon the heads of the enemies, those that are disrespecting our women today.” Read more here
POLITICS
Gadsby-Dolly: Schools have flexibility in reopening
While the Ministry of Education guidelines refer to limited interactions when schools partially reopen on Monday, the ministry has said schools will have some flexibility to run their affairs in line with their particular culture. Ministry guidelines have proposed a hybrid system for forms 4-6 entailing online classes for teaching to continue as far as possible; pupils to report to school to do practicals, SBAs and internal assessments; and physically teaching classes only where absolutely necessary. Read more here
Moonilal: Opposition will not support Evidence Amendment Bill in Parliament Friday
Opposition Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal said the Opposition is not supporting the Evidence Amendment Bill which will be debated in the House of Representatives Friday. The Bill was passed in the Senate recently minus Opposition support. Read more here
BUSINESS
Emile Elias: TCL can fill gap left by Rock Hard cement shortfall
One local contractor does not believe the increase in cement prices from one local supplier will have significant negative impacts on the construction sector. NH International executive chairman Emile Elias said the new prices of Rock Hard Distributors Ltd posed no threats to the cement supply and Trinidad Cement Ltd (TCL) can fill the gaps. He told Newsday on Thursday, “There is nothing that Rock Hard cement either does or can do that will impact on the local construction sector. They are a peripheral player and some of the allegations they made against the government are simply not true." Read more here
VMCOTT owing millions to NIB, BIR
The Vehicle Management Corporation of Trinidad and Tobago (VMCOTT) is owing millions of dollars to the National Insurance Board (NIB) and Board of Inland Revenue (BIR) which represent statutory deductions which have not been paid for years. Read more here
REGIONAL
External debt ceiling set at $650B; domestic debt $500B
The need for wider fiscal space to advance local development and the reconciliation of liabilities incurred by Guyana under the former A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Coalition Government, trumped arguments which sought to restrict motions, tabled in the National Assembly, to increase the archaic domestic and external debt ceilings. Read more here
Trapped in a woman’s body, Jamaican ex-cop mans up to future
Jamaica’s toxic culture of condemnation of transgenders and transsexuals has been blamed for driving a former policewoman to flee the country to embrace what he says is his true identity as a man. Identified as female at birth Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Republicans refuse to purge their party of lies and hateful rhetoric
After four years of refusing to hold Donald Trump accountable for his lies, conspiracy theories and hateful rhetoric, Republicans passed up another chance to purge those forces from their ranks Thursday when they overwhelmingly opposed Democrats' efforts to rebuke Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. The GOP is complaining that Democratic leaders are not only overreaching but also setting a dangerous precedent in both punishing Greene and pursuing a doomed-to-fail impeachment trial for an ex-President in the Senate next week. Read more here
Myanmar coup: Teachers join growing protests against military
A civil disobedience movement in Myanmar is gaining momentum with teachers and students protesting against Monday's military coup. Demonstrators at a university in the biggest city, Yangon, chanted support for jailed leader Aung San Suu Kyi and wore red ribbons, her party's colour. Ms Suu Kyi and other leaders have been held since the military's coup. Earlier, the military detained another senior leader from her National League for Democracy (NLD) party. Although Ms Suu Kyi has not been seen in public since Monday she is believed to be under house arrest, the NLD said, quoted by the Associated Press news agency. Read more here
5th February 2021