TTMA IN THE NEWS
Big businesses hit delay in implementing Procurement Act: PROCLAIM LAW NOW
Leading business stakeholders – the American Chamber of Commerce (AmchamTT), TT Chamber of Industry and Commerce, TT Manufacturers Association and the TT Transparency Institute – are of the view the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Property Act, 2015, can be proclaimed and fully implemented before the reading of the 2023 national budget. On June 22, Attorney General Reginald Armour, SC, admitted more work was needed before the Procurement Act can be proclaimed. He cited concerns by the Judiciary and the Office of the Procurement Regulator (OPR). Read more here
Business chambers demand a timeline for procurement legislation
AMCHAM T&T, the Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce, the Trinidad and Tobago Manufacturers’ Association and the Trinidad and Tobago Transparency Institute are extremely concerned that the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Property Act has not been fully proclaimed and implemented. In a joint media release sent yesterday, the business chambers said they are heartened that the Attorney General recently recommitted the Government to its implementation. The groups also quoted the AG as saying, “The Government has placed its highest priority and is fully committed to take the final steps to fully proclaim and to bring into operation this important law.” Read more here
Give definitive timeline for implementation
Three private sector groups, and a local non-profit organisation that focuses on transparency, yesterday said they are extremely concerned that the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Property Act has not been fully proclaimed and implemented. Expressing the extreme concern yesterday were AMCHAM T&T, the Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce, The Trinidad and Tobago Manufacturers Association and the Trinidad and Tobago Transparency Institute Read more here
NEWS
Police plead with pedestrians to use walkovers
Police are again pleading with citizens to use the walkovers after a 59-year-old man was killed on Saturday night while attempting to cross the Churchill Roosevelt Highway, in Valsayn. Police said at about 7 pm, the driver of a white Mitsubishi panel van, driven by a La Horquetta man, was heading east along the highway when he hit Jaishema Takram, close to Cipriani College. Takram was thrown several feet and died at the scene. He was a forklift driver at a hardware in Chaguanas. Read more here
Country now on high alert for weather systems
“Whenever the ODPM (Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management) gets involved at the national level it says that something serious may be happening, and therefore the fact that the ODPM is here today at this press conference is an indication of how serious we need to take the warnings, the alerts that we have been getting from the Met Office.” ODPM CEO Rodney Smart made the point as he sat flanked by the Ministers of Rural Development and Local Government, Works and Transport, National Security/Public Utilities and Communications at a news conference yesterday. Read more here
POLITICS
Kamla’s team leads UNC once again
Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar was re-elected UNC political leader as she and her Star Team made a clean sweep of the party’s internal elections on Sunday. In declaring victory at her Siparia constituency office close to 11 pm, Persad-Bissessar thanked the approximately 13,000 UNC members and supporters who came out despite heavy rain earlier in the day to vote for her and her Star Team. Read more here
Reports of irregularities in UNC internals
Claims of irregularities and unfairness surfaced in at least three constituencies despite the presence of independent observers said Dr Fuad Khan and Ramona Ramdial as the UNC internal elections kicked off under stormy skies on Sunday. Dr Khan who was jostling for the post of political leader said the Star slate led by his rival Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar continued sending out text messages on election day, reminding people to vote for the “Stars.” Read more here
REGIONAL
Local economy thrives in first quarter of 2022
The first quarter of 2022 was a productive period for Guyana’s economy, which recorded positive economic growth on account of sustained production in the oil and gas sector, and positive output performances in the non-oil sectors. “As oil and gas activities continued, the non-oil economy experienced moderate growth on account of economic activities regaining momentum from the full reopening of the economy, coupled with fiscal measures to alleviate the rising costs of production and services,” the Bank of Guyana reported in its quarterly update which was published recently. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
South Africa police try to unravel mystery of tavern deaths
Yellow police tape now cordons off the drinking place in the South African city of East London where 21 teenagers died in unexplained circumstances. A forensic team has been going through the site at the Enyobeni Tavern to try to understand what exactly took place. There were no visible injuries on the bodies of the deceased, the authorities have said, so a crush seems an unlikely explanation. Some have said the victims were poisoned, but this is not confirmed. South Africa's liquor board has said the owners of the tavern would face criminal charges after allegedly breaching licensing agreements. Some family members of the victims have been gathering at the tavern to try and find out the latest news. Among them was Xolile Malangeni. Read more here
27th June 2022