NEWS
Mahabir-Wyatt: Pandemic leave confusing
Chairman and managing director of Personnel Management Services Diana Mahabir-Wyatt is describing as confusing the government’s decision to approve covid19 backpay for public servants. She said public servants who were sent home would have received full pay while at home. “This includes permanent public officers, employees of regional corporations, permanent hourly and daily paid workers. The people who would not already have been paid were part-time or casual workers, and seasonal workers, and I don’t think there were many of those, because at that time I don’t think we had many seasonal workers who would have been called out. This sounds good but I doubt it applies to very many people. It doesn’t.” Read more here
Candidates upset with errors in EBC notice
One of the candidates vying in today’s General Election was up in arms yesterday after his name was wrongly represented in an Election and Boundaries Commission (EBC) advertisement in the daily newspapers. Valmiki Ramsingh, leader of The National Party complained that the error was made in the EBC’s Notice of Taking A Poll advertisement. Instead of Ramsingh, he said the advertisement had Rampersad. Read more here
POLITICS
EBC: voters can feel safe to exercise franchise
Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) chairman Mark Ramkerrysingh says it is safe to go out and vote in the general election on Monday. He said the commission has taken "extraordinary steps" to ensure a safe environment. “We have complied with all public health protocols in arranging the booth. While you do not have to wear a mask to vote, we are urging that you do so. When you come to the station, please practise physical distancing. On entering the station, ensure you are sanitised. Before dipping your finger in the ink, again ensure you are sanitised. Once you do your part and we have done our part, this will be a safe and seamless process.” Read more here
Rowley feels ‘light’ at end of five-year term
“Thank you for your prayers and your support.” This was Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley’s message as he addressed the congregation of the Divine Destiny Worship Centre in Diego Martin yesterday, prior to today’s General Election. “Yesterday it was very prevalent when I went about on a motorcade, so many people yesterday. I was out for about nine or ten hours yesterday, just out in a motorcade meeting people, seeing people, and greeting people. And so many people would stretch out and reach out and say I have been praying for you. I’m still praying you, I’m praying for you,” said Rowley as he addressed the church service. Read more here
BUSINESS
Lower for longer - oil prices
There have been significant changes to the demand and supply patterns for crude oil in 2020 due to the indefinite impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Read more here
REGIONAL
Bell to Toll for September Poll
Prime Minister Andrew Holness is expected to call the general election for the week before the new academic year starts on September 7. Party insiders say the likeliest dates are September 2 or 3 in the narrow window to avoid interrupting the return of students. That equation takes into consideration the minimum periods before and after nomination day and the tradition to not stage elections on a weekend. Some highly placed party insiders, however, put September 10 as the outer band for D-Day. Read more here
Guyana, Suriname eager to bury the hatchet
The construction of a bridge linking Guyana and Suriname, the sharing of oil- and-gas expertise, and joint efforts to fight COVID-19 are just some of the areas Guyana and Suriname will immediately commence working towards, following discussions between the countries’ two Presidents. During the engagement, which occurred at a working breakfast hosted by President Irfaan Ali at State House on Sunday, it was emphasised that both Presidents are interested in immediate action, and will therefore hold themselves to a goal-oriented timeline. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Adults may not be the only Covid 'long haulers.' Some kids still have symptoms, months after falling ill
Fourteen-year-old Indiana Evans is a promising dancer from Hertfordshire, southern England, who was doing 16 hours of practice a week on top of school before the coronavirus pandemic hit. Indiana fell ill with a cough in early March, said her mother, Jane Evans. Although she didn't have any other coronavirus symptoms, her parents kept her home for two weeks in line with government guidance.She was never ill enough to be hospitalized, her mother told CNN. Nonetheless, the teenager -- who planned to audition for prestigious dance schools -- can now barely manage a trip to the supermarket. Read more here
Jimmy Lai: Hong Kong media tycoon arrested under security law
Hong Kong business tycoon Jimmy Lai has been arrested and his newspaper offices raided by police over allegations of collusion with foreign forces. His case is the most high-profile arrest so far under the controversial security law imposed by China in June. Mr Lai has been a prominent pro-democracy voice and a supporter of protests that erupted last year. In February the 71-year-old, who also holds UK citizenship, was charged with illegal assembly and intimidation. Read more here
10th August 2020