NEWS
Trini woman's frantic search for Carriacou family: 'I just want to be with them'
Hours after Hurricane Beryl made landfall completely flattening the island of Carriacou, Trinidadian Emma Saxon saw drone footage of the destruction on social media. Saxon, who lives in Carriacou with her Grenadian husband Jeffrey Saxon and their Trinidadian-born daughter Emmalynn, recognised her home in the video. The roof had been blown away. Saxon, who came to TT in February to have surgery, spent the next two days frantically trying to reach Jeffrey and Emmalynn, who is five. When she was finally able to speak to them, she said while the connection was poor, she was relieved they were safe. Read more here
Law passed to make pan T&T’s national instrument
With unanimous support, the National Musical Instrument Bill, 2024, was passed in the Lower House on Wednesday night. The Opposition’s support was unsurprising since the purpose of the bill is simply to ratify, in law, that the steelpan is the national instrument of T&T. It will still have to be assented to and proclaimed by the President. The bill has only four clauses. The first two define what a steelpan is; the third declares the pan the national instrument; and the fourth mandates the minister in charge of culture to report to Parliament on the promotion, development, and impact of the steelpan nationally and globally every two years. “This legislation will establish a definitive claim on the steelpan as an invention and innovation that was created in Trinidad and Tobago. Wherever the steelpan goes, it will be marked as a creation of this nation,” said Minister of Tourism, Culture and the Arts Randall Mitchell, who piloted the bill. Read more here
POLITICS
Hinds: Grave threat to T&T as 70,000 rounds of ammo unaccounted for
The 70,000 rounds of ammunition that the Strategic Services Agency (SSA) had purchased and is now unaccounted for poses a very serious and grave threat to citizens, visitors and national security, says National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds. The minister indicated this in the Senate yesterday replying to Independent Senator Dr Paul Richards who raised questions following Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley’s statement on the findings so far from the audit of the SSA. Rowley addressed Parliament on the matter on Wednesday. Among findings, Dr Rowley detailed the intelligence agency’s increased purchase of ammunition from 8,000 rounds in 2017 to 100,000 rounds by 2022. Also, its increased stock of firearms from 24 pistols/revolvers in 2016 to 103, of different types and calibre, including military grade by 2022. Read more here
Griffith on PM's statements on overthrow plot: SSA coup a 'red herring'
Former commissioner of police Gary Griffith on July 4 scoffed at the Prime Minister's claim of Strategic Services Agency (SSA) members planning a coup against the Government. Dr Rowley, head of the National Security Council (NSC), had read a statement in the House of Representatives on July 3 based on the findings of a probe into the spy agency by Brig Gen Anthony Phillips-Spencer. He said the audit found the SSA was being run under the influence of a religious cult comprising highly-trained military operators, armed to the teeth with the latest weaponry, on a treasonous mission to overthrow the Government. Read more here
BUSINESS
US$270M PPP to manage POS port's cargo handling
The InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB) and the Global Infrastructure Facility (GIF) are supporting T&T in the development of a US$270 million public-private partnership that will improve cargo services at the port of Port-of-Spain, boosting trade and enhancing the country’s competitiveness. A statement from the IDB said, “The PPP is expected to invest up to US$270 million, aiming to boost port productivity by more than 50 per cent. “The new private operator will manage all the port’s cargo-handling activities, ranging from general cargo operations and terminal handling to weighing and reefer services.” It noted the T&T’s Port Authority has issued a public notice to companies interested in participating in the project tender, adding that the project has generated significant interest from private sector participants, who have until July 15 to register. Read more here
Media InSite head says to use data for informed decisions
“Is perception reality?” That is the question Allison Demas, founder and chief executive officer (CEO) of Media InSite, posed during her feature presentation on “The Power of Perception: Media Intelligence for Enhanced Engagement” at the Hyatt Regency hotel on Wrightson Road in Port of Spain yesterday. Demas also emphasised that engagement, tone and “taking the pulse of content to the people” are key elements of artificial intelligence that could enhance marketing strategies and facilitate the collection and dissemination of data for making informed decisions. She described it as embodying an element of “feeling the love.” Read more here
REGIONAL
PNC failed to show Guyana that it’s ‘trustworthy’ -Dr Jagdeo highlights
Although the People’s National Congress Reform (PNC/R) has carried the trademark stamp of being riggers, its recent congress has indeed shown that the party is “untrustworthy,” People’s Progressive Party (PPP) General Secretary, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo HAS said. During a press conference at the party’s headquarters on Thursday, the PPP General Secretary highlighted the ‘jack-in-the-box’ tallying by the PNC/R, which has yet to announce the official results of its central committee members. Dr Jagdeo while explaining the history of the party, which has been slowly disintegrating on the national stage, said that the PNC/R had the opportunity at its congress to “reinvent” itself, but they failed to do so. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Biden faces donor pressure as he digs in on re-election bid
President Joe Biden is facing pressure from some major Democratic donors as he faces a critical few days in his campaign for re-election. A number of donors are publicly warning they will withhold funds unless Mr Biden is replaced as the party's candidate following his disastrous debate performance last week. Friday is a big day for the president as he seeks to shore up his candidacy with a rare primetime TV interview and a rally in Wisconsin. Pressure on Mr Biden, 81, to step aside has grown following a debate marked by several instances where he lost his train of thought. Read more here
5th July 2024