NEWS
Trini chef rocks boat on US TV's Below Deck Sailing Yacht
The second season of the US reality show Below Deck Sailing Yacht premiered on the Bravo network on March 1 and featured a local among its cast – Trini chef Natasha de Bourg. De Bourg is among the crew of the Parsifal III helmed by captain Glenn Shephard. "(He) puts his trust in an all-new crew as they sail along the sparkling coast of Croatia to provide an unforgettable, luxurious experience for the guests and their over-the-top requests," Bravo's parent company NBCUniversal said in a release. Read more here
Griffith wants to switch ratings with TTPS
Police Commissioner Gary Griffith says he wishes the public could have the same support for the T&T Police Service that they have for him. He made the comment after a TTPS press conference at the Police Administration Building in Port-of-Spain yesterday. During the press conference, where Griffith did not speak, the results of two polls were released. Griffith confirmed that the polls were conducted by independent market research and analytics consultant Akilah Procope but were commissioned by the TTPS and not the PSC as Guardian media reported previously. Read more here
POLITICS
New bill proposes 25 years' jail for gang leaders
Criminal gang leaders can be sent to jail for 25 years. People who join a gang for the first time can face ten years in prison. These penalties are outlined in the Anti-Gang Bill 2021, which will be debated in the Senate on March 9. The explanatory notes on the legislation outline "the suppression of associations created for unlawful or criminal purposes and for the better protection of the public" as its primary objective. Read more here
Tougher sex offence laws coming
An avalanche of proposed law against sexual harassment—in the workplace, streets and via use of cyberspace—is coming. Draft pepper spray law is also completed and ready for Cabinet next week, plus a note on regulation of public transport, including PH taxis, went to Cabinet yesterday. Read more here
BUSINESS
Water storage below global standards
Former public utilities minister Robert Le Hunte says the country’s water storage capacity is beneath international standards and needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency. Read more here
REGIONAL
Obesity lobby loses fight as healthcare workers first in line for COVID vaccine
Despite calls from the World Obesity Federation for severely overweight people to be among priority groups for the COVID-19 vaccine, the Holness administration has disclosed that front-line healthcare workers will be first in line to get the jab,...Read more here
House approves $383.1B budget
An unavoidable deviation from the natural course of operations in the National Assembly, due to the behaviour of the Parliamentary Opposition and their subsequent exit from the House, has resulted in the Government’s proposed $383.1 billion Budget 2021 being approved with little scrutiny, clearing the way for the implementation of measures which are expected to reignite the economy and lay a foundation for economic ascension. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
The countries making dubious claims over Covid-19 -- and what that means for the world
For the past year, countries around the world have shared data on Covid-19 cases and deaths with the World Health Organization (WHO) -- information that is crucial in informing the global fight against the disease. However, three countries stand out as appearing either less than transparent or in denial about the scale of the problem. Read more here
Pope Francis begins historic Iraq visit despite virus and security risks
Pope Francis has arrived in Iraq for the first ever papal visit there, and his first international trip since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. Covid and security fears have made this his riskiest visit yet, but the 84-year-old insisted he was "duty bound". He will try to reassure the dwindling Christian community and foster inter-religious dialogue - meeting Iraq's most revered Shia Muslim cleric. The Pope will also celebrate Mass at a stadium in Irbil in the north. About 10,000 Iraqi Security Forces personnel are being deployed to protect the Pope, while round-the-clock curfews are also being imposed to limit the spread of Covid. Read more here
5th March 2021