NEWS
National Enterprises Ltd (NEL) investors sound the alarm – State companies shaky
The shaky performance of state companies under the umbrella of the National Enterprises Ltd (NEL) was a major topic of concern for shareholders, who vented their concerns at the group’s annual general meeting on Thursday at the Trinidad Hilton, Port of Spain. NEL is a holding company which has shares in seven companies, four of which are in the energy sector. These companies include Trinidad Nitrogen Company Ltd (Tringen), NGC NGL Ltd, Pan West Engineers and Constructors LLC, NEL Power Holdings Ltd (NPHL), the Telecommunications Services of TT (TSTT,) and National Flour Mills (NFM). Read more here
Girl, 12, critical after gun attack on dad. Bagatelle residents fear more bloodshed
Residents of Bagatelle, Diego Martin, are bracing themselves for a resurgence of gun violence, following Wednesday’s attempted murder of a resident which resulted in his 12-year-old daughter being shot. The child was listed in critical condition yesterday. The shooting, which occurred at 8.10 pm, left several people apprehensive that an “answer back” would lead to more violence and bloodshed in the community, which was said to have been “quiet” for the past several months. Police reports stated that the intended target appeared to be a 39-year-old electrician of Bagatelle Road, Diego Martin. It was reported that the man had just pulled into his driveway when a masked gunman approached and opened fire on him. Read more here
POLITICS
NTA leader hits back after PM blanks offer to help fight crime – Griffith: Nation drowning in blood
This nation is drowning in blood, former police commissioner Gary Griffith said, as he responded to the prime minister rejecting his offer to help the government in its crime-fighting initiatives. On June 5, Griffith – the political leader of the National Transformation Alliance (NTA) – posted a video online calling on Dr Rowley to put aside political differences and allow him (Griffith) to help the government combat the spiralling crime. "As a former commissioner of police and a former minister of national security, I am willing yet again, to let you know that I am willing to help, because our country desperately needs it," Griffith said in his June 5 video. Read more here
Tancoo: Come clean on state of T&T economy
With a $9 billion deficit looming for the 2024 Budget, Opposition UNC Finance spokesman Dave Tancoo is demanding that Finance Minister Colm Imbert, in his mid-year review today, provide full disclosure on the true state of T&T’s economy—including the loss of $5B in revenue and its effects on citizens. “Citizens are demanding that Imbert today tells the whole truth about the crisis he’s brought upon our national economy, including the new deficit and $5 billion loss, how this affects T&T’s economic health and what it means for the average person who’s already battling crime for their life,” Tancoo said yesterday. Read more here
BUSINESS
Cariri launches virtual learning platform
The Caribbean Industrial Research Institute (Cariri) has launched the Innovation Nation Training Programme, a virtual learning platform that focuses on science, innovation, entrepreneurship and climate action. In a media release, Cariri said the programme is designed to empower 3,500 students across TT. The virtual platform is expected to give students the flexibility to follow the programme at their own pace from the comfort of their homes over the July/August vacation period. Read more here
IMF urges swift action to resolve forex shortages
The International Monetary Fund has issued a call to action regarding Trinidad and Tobago’s ongoing foreign exchange challenges, emphasising that resolving these shortages must be a top priority for this country. And to tackle the situation, the IMF’s executive directors are calling for an improvement in the way foreign currency is distributed and exchanged in the market. Read more here
REGIONAL
Over 500 exhibitors expected at International Building Exposition 2024
The Government of Guyana, through the Ministry of Housing and Water, launched their Third International Building Exposition under the theme “Building on the Foundation of Sustainability and Unity” at the Ramada Hotel in Providence, East Bank Demerara (EBD), on Thursday night. A platform will be created to allow small, medium, and large companies to showcase their wide range of housing-related goods and services from August 8th–11th at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence EBD. During Thursday night’s launch, the Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal, emphasised that Guyana’s recent transition to an oil-producing nation has resulted in a number of new demands, such as the need for “reimagined housing,” which promotes a cleaner environment, dual footprints, and innovation to make climate-friendly homes more accessible. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Refugees sent to Rwanda from remote UK island speak to BBC
A group of migrants were transferred to Rwanda from a remote UK territory by the British government over a year ago. They say they feel isolated and unsafe - with one describing the African country as an “open prison”. With political parties divided over the government’s controversial plan to send asylum seekers from the UK to Rwanda, the BBC has travelled to the African state to speak to four of the migrants already there - albeit under a separate agreement - about their experience in the country. The small group arrived from Diego Garcia, an island in the Indian Ocean. They say their complex medical needs, in some cases as the result of past rape and torture, are not being met in Rwanda. Read more here
7th June 2024