NEWS
ODPM: Piparo mud volcano quiet over weekend
Activity at the Piparo mud volcano has slowed down for now, the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM) has said after monitoring the site over the weekend. The ODPM issued a statement on Sunday noting a marked reduction in the noise and the release of mud and gas from the volcano. “No noticeable new fissures have appeared on the volcano’s dome, neither has any large-scale widening occurred. The ODPM also met with some of the residents in the community, who confirmed these observations,” the statement read. Access to the area is restricted while the volcano remains active. Read more here
PSA to legally challenge WASA restructuring again
The Public Services Association (PSA) is planning to file another legal challenge of the Water and Sewerage Authority’s (WASA) transformation process. PSA President Leroy Baptiste said the action is being considered after Public Utilities Minister Marvin Gonzales said on Saturday that the WASA’s top-heavy management structure is being tackled in the latest phase of the restructuring programme. Cabinet’s Human Resource Advisory Committee (HRAC) is reviewing recommendations for compensation packages for 226 new executive leadership position and Gonzales said once approved, “an announcement will be made almost immediately.” Baptiste said: “I had people call down my phone yesterday, crying after the story was published in the newspapers as they do not know how they will pay their rent, going forward, and whatever change the government will purport to give them with to go home would not be able to ustain in any which way.” Read more here
POLITICS
Panday: PNM, UNC failed on property tax
Patriotic Front political leader Mickela Panday says the PNM and UNC have both failed when it comes to the implementation of property tax. Panday, the daughter of former prime minister and UNC founder Basdeo Panday (deceased), made those comments in a post on her Facebook page. “The PNM has never shied away from the fact they intend to implement the property tax, a bill they passed that became law on January 1, 2010, regardless of the additional financial burden on so many people struggling to make ends meet.” Read more here
Mayaro UNC exec blanks Paray
The Mayaro constituency executive of the United National Congress (UNC) is supporting political leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar and has distanced itself from the statements and actions of MP Rushton Paray. “Mr Paray has his views and those are his views but this is the stance of the Mayaro constituency executive at this time. There’s one leader and we support her,” constituency chairman Shaffick Mohammed said yesterday. In a statement, after Paray challenged the party’s leadership to hold National Executive elections by June, the Mayaro executive said they “stand firmly and resolutely in support and endorsement of our political leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar and the National Executive”. Read more here
BUSINESS
ANSA McAL recognised for sustainability
“When people think about sustainability, it’s not only about environmental sustainability, it’s also about people.” It was a candid statement from ANSA McAL’s chief legal and external affairs officer, Frances Bain-Cumberbatch as she reflected on the conglomerate’s EurochamTT’s award on March 15. ANSA McAL was presented with the overall Sustainability Champion 2024 large companies award by the European Business Chamber in T&T (EurochamTT) which held its second edition of such recognition. Meanwhile, RESSCOTT Ltd took home the EurochamTT/ UN Sustainability Champion 2024 in the small and medium-sized enterprises. Read more here
REGIONAL
Gov’t, IICA partnering to convert GSA into regional institution
The Guyana School of Agriculture will soon be converted into a regional institution offering more innovate training programmes and newer technologies. The country’s Head of State Dr. Irfaan Ali made this disclosure during his address at the opening of the 38th Session of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)’s Regional Conference for Latin America and the Caribbean (LARC) held in Georgetown, Guyana last Monday. The country, he said, is investing in a ‘centre of excellence’ in collaboration with the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture, which will be equipped with a situational room and state-of-the-art data analytic platform to support regional food security and food production. Read more here
INTERATIONAL
Court ruling effectively outlaws Islamic schools in India’s most populous state
A court in India’s most populous state has effectively banned Islamic schools by striking down a law governing madrasas, weeks before a nationwide election that could further polarize the world’s largest democracy along religious lines. The Allahabad High Court in Uttar Pradesh on Friday declared the Madrasa Act of 2004 to be unconstitutional, according to a court order seen by CNN, while ordering the state government to move students enrolled in the Islamic system into mainstream schools. “We hold that the Madarsa (sic) Act, 2004, is violative of the principle of Secularism, which is a part of the basic structure of the Constitution of India,” the high court said in its order. Read more here
25th March 2024