NEWS
Sustainable land management forum meets in Port of Spain this week
As the country prepares to host the fifth session of the Partnership Initiative for Sustainable Land Management (PISLM) for Caricom States high-level forum next week, the Ministry of Planning and Development’s Environmental Policy and Planning Division’s (EPPD) is progressing with its mangrove rehabilitation project. Recently, Dr David Persaud, environmental manager at the ministry, with a group of students, planted several mangrove plants in Caroni. The project falls in line with proper land management and this year’s focus on PISLM’s theme. Read more here
Businessman, 80, attacked during robbery on mend
An 80-year-old businessman who was beaten by bandits, who then robbed his family upstairs Woo Ling’s Supermarket along the Western Main Road in St James last Friday, is now comfortably recovering at home. “It was a hard pill to swallow and we are all in the role of retail business, so we expect the worst but being invaded in your own premises is totally unimaginable,” he said yesterday. His condition was revealed by his nephew and owner of the supermarket, Brent Woo Ling, who told Guardian Media that in the 60 years they have been in St James, they have never experienced anything like this. “We have never, ever, ever, ever, which makes it worse... my uncle was beaten, tied up, and robbed,” Woo Ling said. During the early hours of last Friday, Woo Ling said a group of armed men entered his premises and robbed them in their home upstairs the supermarket, which was closed at the time. Read more here
POLITICS
UNC: Blame Al-Rawi, not DPP for Nelson case outcome
San Juan/Barataria MP Saddam Hosein said the silence is deafening regarding the actions of former AG Faris Al-Rawi in the Vincent Nelson case. Speaking at the UNC’s weekly Sunday media conference at the office of the Opposition Leader, Charles Street, Port of Spain, Hosein compared the comments being made against the Director of Public Prosecutions to what he said was the lack of comments being made against the former AG. “(Vincent) Nelson writing the DPP telling him he wants his conviction to be set aside on the basis of that collapsed prosecution, that deals with a former AG making promises outside his constitutional remit to a witness in a criminal matter. Read more here
Kangaloo to be inaugurated as 7th President
President-elect Christine Kangaloo will be inaugurated as this country’s seventh President from 10.20 am at the Queen’s Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain, today, bringing down the curtains on outgoing President Paula-Mae Weekes’ term. The transition should not be a tough one for Kangaloo, who served as acting President on several occasions during Weekes’ time in office. She was re-elected President of the Senate in August 2021, following the 2020 General Election and was first elected to this position in September 2015, following the 2015 General Election. Her ascension to the apolitical office follows over two decades in public service after being appointed an Opposition Senator in 2001. Read more here
BUSINESS
Down Syndrome self-advocates take on the world of work
Christy De Souza and Kellie Simmons both work in this country’s banking sector. Since January, De Souza, 31, has been employed in Republic Bank Ltd’s human resources department, while Simmons, 29, has been working as a banking concierge with Scotiabank T&T since 2020. De Souza had previously worked in the public service at the Office of the Prime Minister before transitioning to the private sector. Simmons, on the other hand, previously interned at the Central Bank of T&T. Both De Souza’s and Simmons’ stories may sound common enough. But they are not. The women are Down Syndrome self-advocates. Read more here
Over 300 jobs to be expected
Scottish firm Ascensos Ltd launched a new contact centre in Trinidad that is expected to create 300 jobs over three years. Ascensos selected Trinidad and Tobago as the ideal nearshore location to support their North American clients. InvesTT in a news release last week said the company will lease commercial space at Princes Court in Port of Spain and aims to begin live client operations from June 1, 2023, with an initial 100 agents. It said the ultimate goal is to create up to 300 local jobs over three years in Trinidad and Tobago. Read more here
REGIONAL
Millet production valuable to food security
Recognising that India is a powerhouse in millet production, Guyanese authorities are looking to leverage expertise from the Asian nation to advance this country’s food security efforts. During a virtual address at the two-day Global Millet Conference in New Delhi, India, on Saturday, Guyana’s President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, highlighted that India is the largest millet producer globally and is also assuming global leadership in advancing the objective of addressing one of the world’s most foremost challenges which is food security. Based on India’s proposal, the year 2023 was declared the International Year of Millets (IYM) by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Central banks take swift action to keep cash flowing amid investor fears
Central banks have rushed to keep cash flowing through the world's financial systems after the failures of two US banks and the rescue of Credit Suisse sent shockwaves across global markets. Six central banks, including the Bank of England, announced they would boost the flow of US dollars from Monday. Such measures were last taken during the 2008 financial crisis and at the height of the Covid pandemic. It comes after Credit Suisse was bought by UBS in a state-backed rescue deal. Stock markets have fallen sharply since Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank collapsed in the US last week, sparking fears of runs on other banks. Read more here
20th March 2023