NEWS
4 new cases of covid19
Four more people tested positive for covid19, bringing the total number of cases to 7,680. This was stated in the Ministry of Health's 4pm update for Sunday. The number of people who recovered from covid19 are 7,403. The total active cases are 138 and deaths remain the same at 139. Read more here
T&T can get into business of pepper spray, says former Caroni Green CEO
T&T can still get into the business of producing and exporting pepper spray. Sharma Lalla, the former CEO of the now-defunct Caroni Green Limited, said this country may not have missed the boat. When Lalla took over the show at Caroni Green, the company was exporting over 1.5 million pounds of pepper, had well over $1 million dollars in the bank. Read more here
POLITICS
PM tackles Caricom issues this week
The Prime Minister will be tackling several matters related to his role as Caricom chairman this week. Dr Rowley was appointed Caricom chairman towards the end of last year. In a statement, the Office of the Prime Minister said as Caricom chairman, Rowley will chair the Caricom Prime Ministerial Sub-Committee on the Caribbean Single Market and the Economy “in preparation for the wider regional meeting. Read more here
Police must change attitudes toward women – Indarsingh
Police should stop treating women with contempt when they make reports. This point was underscored by Couva South MP Rudranath Indarsigh when he addressed a vigil at Calcutta Settlement #1, Freeport on Sunday. Indarsingh said he was appealed when he read the newspaper on Sunday only to learn that a woman was ridiculed and chased by the police when she went to make a report against one of the men who allegedly killed Andrea Bharatt. Read more here
BUSINESS
RBC Eastern Caribbean Sale Approved
The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) has approved the sale of Royal Bank of Canada in the territories of the Eastern Caribbean. On Friday, Governor Timothy Antoine of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank confirmed that RBC assets will be sold to a consortium of indigenous banks within the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU) jurisdiction, viz. 1st National Bank (St. Lucia), Antigua Commercial Bank, National Bank of Dominica, Bank of Montserrat, and Bank of Nevis. The sale includes operations in Antigua and Barbuda, the Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, Saint Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Read more here
A way forward for tourism
At the end of an unforgiving 2020, the world was hopeful to regain some level of normalcy with the coming of the New Year. Read more here
REGIONAL
COVID crisis escalates as moderate, critical cases near 100
Health Minister Dr Christopher Tufton goes to Cabinet this morning with a full-blown crisis on his hands as key hospitals in the coronavirus fight have either exceeded their COVID-19 bed space or are on the brink of turning away the sick. Read more here
Reunited!
After being officially closed for almost a year, the Guyana-Suriname border has finally been reopened for legal travel between the two countries. The MB Sandaka, serving as a temporary replacement for the inoperable Canawaima ferry, sailed from Moleson Creek at 08:00hrs on Sunday to South Drain, Suriname with eight passengers. The vessel returned to Guyana later at 13:00hrs the same day, with eight Guyanese who were delighted to return home. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Engine debris rained over a mile across a Denver suburb. Now Boeing recommends suspending its 777s with that engine
Kieran Cain was playing basketball with his kids Saturday afternoon at an elementary school in greater Denver when he heard what sounded like a sonic boom and looked up. "We could see there was a giant black cloud of smoke high up in the sky, immediately followed by, you know what looked like pieces of the aircraft," Cain told CNN. "Basically a shower of things that were falling out of the sky." Read more here
Texas weather: State should pay soaring power bills, says Houston mayor
The mayor of Houston has called for the state of Texas to pay the huge electricity bills racked up by residents in last week's freezing weather. Sylvester Turner told CBS News it was not the fault of residents that the system could not cope. Some residents have reported bills in excess of $16,000 (£11,500) for a few days of usage. Temperatures plummeted to 30-year lows, hitting 0F (-18C). Much of Texas, which normally enjoys milder winter weather, was blanketed in snow. Read more here
22nd February 2021