NEWS
Gas suppliers assure: No LPG shortage
Both Phoenix Park Gas Processors Limited (PPGPL) and National Petroleum (NP) have assured that there is no shortage of LPG, the nation’s most used cooking gas. In a release on Sunday, PPGPL said its processing units have been taken offline for “routine maintenance works,” which the company has been planning for a year. “These planned maintenance activities were always carded for April to May 2023, and are in no way due to any gas-supply challenges in the sector.” Read more here
2nd female victim from birthday party shooting dies
Although last Monday’s shooting at Temple Street, Arima, left one woman dead at the scene, a second woman has now succumbed to injuries sustained during the attack after spending four days at hospital. Alana Layne died at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, Mt Hope, on Saturday. The 41-year-old was shot in the head after gunmen stormed their house on April 17, during a birthday party for her sister, who had turned 37. Candace Griffith lost her life during the gun attack. Also shot in the incident was Lilly Layne, 15; Deleon Layne; 16; both of Temple Street, Arima; Chad Eastman, 38, of Bon Air, Arouca, Nicholas Sebro and a 69-year-old pensioner. Read more here
POLITICS
PM tells THA's Farley: You have no mandate, call election now
The Prime Minister has issued a stinging condemnation of the Tobago House of Assembly's Chief Secretary Farley Augustine and his executive, saying they did not have the mandate of the people of Tobago. Dr Rowley said if Farley and his Tobago People's Party (TPP) members wanted to be taken seriously by the Central Government and Tobagonians, he should, "make arrangements for an early election." In an op-ed posted on his Facebook page on Sunday, the Prime Minister spoke of the behaviour of Augustine and his THA executive, saying "even at this confused stage should be of great concern to the national population." Dr Rowley listed those "concerning" acts" perpetrated by officers of the Assembly under their warped interpretation of the country’s Constitution and the Tobago House of Assembly Act. Read more here
Hinds to get crime-fighting wishlist from CoP
The National Security Council (NSC) is troubled by the escalating crime situation and while they have acknowledged the fear that citizens are experiencing over it, National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds has assured that steps have been taken to strengthen resources available to law enforcement officers to improve security operations. Disclosing this as he addressed residents during an emergency meeting at the Aranguez Community Centre yesterday, Hinds said he had been mandated by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, as head of the NSC, to look deeper into the occurrences of the spate of home invasions which occurred over the Easter weekend. Six bandits invaded Rasheed Ghany’s home at Ramlal Trace Extension, Aranguez, on April 16, and terrorised and brutalised the family for 15 minutes before robbing them of cash, valuables and alcohol. Read more here
BUSINESS
JMMB partners with Bayshore
JMMB Express Finance (T&T) Ltd has acquired a minority stake investment of 19.9 per cent in Bayshore Finance (T&T) Limited. Bayshore is a privately-owned company in Trinidad and Tobago that provides insurance premium financing solutions to retail and corporate customers. At the contract signing ceremony at JMMB’s Express office in Chaguanas, on Friday, the chief executive officer of JMMB Express Finance Ltd, Elson James said Bayshore was a great fit as it provides premium insurance and the company pushes the boundaries in fintech financing. Read more here
REGIONAL
‘Guyana poised to enter new era’
The relationship between India and Guyana has always been pleasant and healthy, and it has grown stronger over the years through bilateral interactions marked by high-level exchange visits. With the arrival of Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, India’s Minister of External Affairs, who has stated that the bond will extend, it is anticipated that this ever-expanding friendship will reach greater depths. Dr. Jaishankar asserted that while India and many other nations have excellent relations, the relationship with Guyana is deeper. He concluded his four-day visit to Guyana on Sunday and told an India Diaspora Reception on Sunday night at the Marriott Hotel that he returns to his home country with an even “bigger agenda” than he anticipated. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Nikolai Peskov: Putin spokesman's son 'joined Wagner in Ukraine'
The 33-year-old son of Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov says he served with the Wagner mercenary group in Ukraine for nearly six months. Nikolai Peskov said "it was my duty... I couldn't sit to one side watching as friends and others went off there." Wagner is called a "private military company" in Russia and now has international notoriety for alleged war crimes and other abuses in Ukraine. It has recruited thousands of convicts from prisons after taking heavy losses. The BBC was unable to verify his claim about serving with Wagner, whose troops have been engaged in intense fighting for months in Bakhmut. It is rare for a member of the Russian elite to choose to join the group - many have gone abroad to avoid conscription into the regular army. Read more here
24th April 2023