NEWS
Water quality testing for World Water Day
As World Water Day was observed last Friday, water quality testing was done across Tobago. Environmental officers from the THA’s Division of Infrastructure, Quarries and the Environment (DIQE) were seen monitoring fresh water, brackish water and saltwater sites as well as wetlands situated throughout the island. Newsday understands that 29 freshwater sites, 13 brackish water sites (salt and fresh), 16 saltwater sites and wetlands situated throughout the island were monitored and data collected on pH, temperature, total dissolved solids (TDS), salinity, dissolved oxygen (DO), nitrate, turbidity and specific conductivity. Read more here
Sir Vidya’s sister: Settle ownership before restoration
The sister of Nobel Laureate Sir Vidya Naipaul has called on the Capildeo family to settle their differences in a bid to save the historic Lion House from total collapse. Savitri Naipaul-Akal spoke with Guardian Media on Sunday as she and other relatives met with Chaguanas Mayor Gopaul Boodhan at the historic Chaguanas landmark. Naipaul-Akal who was born in the Lion House said “I was shocked because sums of money had been spent in the past to little or no avail. But that’s not the problem, the problem with this house is the ownership, and that has to be settled.” Read more here
POLITICS
PM: Mischief-making by MP Charles
The Prime Minister last week alluded that Naparima MP Rodney Charles was mischief-making in asking if this country was biased is its treatment of different types of immigrant. In a listed question to the PM in the House of Representatives on Friday, Charles asked, “Could the Prime Minister state why refugees from Nigeria, Ghana and Sierra Leone are treated less favourably than those from Venezuela?” Read more here
Moses: Guaido provided new information
Government is maintaining its position of non-interference in Venezuelan affairs after Foreign Affairs Minister Dennis Moses attended a Caricom meeting in Barbados to participate in a conference call with Venezuela's self-declared interim president, Juan Guaido. Moses told the media on Sunday that he does not rule out talks with Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro. On Saturday, Moses attended a previously undisclosed meeting with other regional Foreign Affairs Ministers in Barbados and participated in the video call. The meeting was facilitated by Canada, according to Caricom. Read more here
BUSINESS
AMCL, GKC report higher earnings
This week, we at Bourse review the 2018 year-end financial results of Ansa McAl Ltd (AMCL) and GraceKennedy Ltd (GKC). Both companies recorded overall improvements in performance despite adverse economic conditions in their respective main operating jurisdictions. We take a closer look at the results and give a brief outlook. Read more here
REGIONAL
Not Ruel’s Man - CMU’s Pinnock Denies Chairmanship Of Reid Foundation As Corruption Probe Deepens
Caribbean Maritime University (CMU) President Fritz Pinnock has distanced himself from Cabinet discard Ruel Reid, denying allegations that he holds chairmanship of a fundraising foundation linked to the former education minister, who was sacked amid swirling allegations of corruption engulfing agencies under his purview. “I was off the island on company business, and on my return, I became aware that several questions were raised about my actions and my involvement as chairman of a particular foundation. I wish to place on record that I am not the chairman of the foundation in question nor any other foundation of that nature,” said Pinnock in a statement released to the press yesterday evening. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Emboldened: Trump's presidency enters new era
Donald Trump now has a chance to recast the story of his presidency. Just as he did on election night in 2016, the President has won a victory over the conventional wisdom of his critics, this time after special counsel Robert Mueller found there was no evidence that Trump had conspired with a hostile foreign nation -- Russia -- to win power. The finding, delivered in a summary of the Mueller report by Attorney General William Barr, means Trump can finally try to move on from an intrigue that strangled his presidency from the start. Read more here
Brexit: Cabinet meets amid pressure on May
Prime Minister Theresa May is expected to update ministers on her Brexit strategy as she chairs a meeting of her cabinet this morning. It comes after a weekend of speculation about her leadership and claims of a plot to oust her - something senior ministers have denied. There have been suggestions that naming a date for her departure as PM could boost support for her Brexit deal. But Downing Street has refused to be drawn on Mrs May's future. The Sun newspaper has used its front page to urge Mrs May to set a date for her resignation to win over reluctant Tories and the Democratic Unionist Party in order to bolster the chances of her withdrawal agreement passing in a third vote. Read more here
25th March 2019