NEWS
New tint laws take effect on July 29
Effective July 29, drivers will face a $2,000 fine and docked three demerit points if their vehicle does not meet light transmittance requirements permitted by the new tint regulations. Failure to maintain windscreens or windows free from scratches can also land drivers a $450 fine without demerit points deductions. The unauthorised use of curtains and screens will cost $750 and two demerit points.On July 26, the office of the Transport Commissioner under the Ministry of Works and Transport encouraged drivers to acquaint themselves with all other provisions of the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic (Windscreen and Window Tint) Regulations 2020. Read more here
Struggling single mother laments ‘ridiculous’ cost of textbooks
Sitting in her living room, the 43-year-old mother shook her head as she read a news story on her cellular phone. On her screen, in white letters against the backdrop of a police car emblazoned the headline, “Woman arrested for stealing books.” But the mother’s gesture was of sympathy and not contempt. And while we’re unsure about the motive behind the theft, the mother of four told Guardian Media that as a struggling single parent, she knows all too well the feeling of abject desperation. And she could not help but speculate that this was one such case. Read more here
POLITICS
PM, AG travel to Grenada: Young appointed acting PM, Gonzales, acting AG
Energy Minister Stuart Young will serve as acting Prime Minister while Dr Keith Rowley is in Grenada to attend the 47th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caricom. Rowley left for Grenada on July 28, accompanied by Minister of Foreign and Caricom Affairs Amery Browne and Attorney General Reginald Amour. Minister of Public Utilities Marvin Gonzales will act in the office of the AG in addition to his regular duties. Read more here
Sinanan: Citizens want speedy trials, accountability to be part of Constitution
Chairman of the National Advisory Committee on Constitutional Reform, Barendra Sinanan, SC says citizens want speedy trials, more accountability and government representation to feature among any changes to the Constitution. He said proposals on these will be presented to Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley when the final report containing recommendations is submitted to Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley by Friday. “From the people’s point of view they want to see their representatives more often, they complain about not seeing their representatives. This is parliamentary and local and more so local, funny enough, a lot of complaints from people was that they don’t see their local government representatives,” Sinanan said. Read more here
BUSINESS
T&T oil company makes ‘indicative’ bid for Trinity Exploration
On May 1, the boards of Trinity Exploration and Production and Touchstone Exploration announced that they had reached agreement for Touchstone to acquire all of Trinity’s shares. In the agreement, Touchstone, which is headquartered in Calgary, would acquire 100 per cent of Trinity, a company whose parent is based in the United Kingdom, resulting in one small, independent oil company operating in T&T acquiring another similar company. But on July 17, the Trinity board received an unsolicited, conditional, non-binding, indicative proposal from Lease Operators, a private company incorporated in T&T and owned by the Brash family and run by Charles Brash and his son Anthony. Read more here
Rice mill can bring new opportunities for farmers
President of the Agricultural Society of Trinidad and Tobago Daryl Rampersad says rice farmers have been struggling for years and setting up a rice mill in the country could create opportunities for the local farming community. He said it could also alleviate some of the issues rice farmers face, one of which is late payments from past and present governments. His comments followed Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley’s statement at the post-Cabinet press conference on Thursday that the largest Indian-based agricultural company, Haryana State Cooperative Supply and Marketing Federation Ltd (HAFED), is considering establishing a rice mill in T&T after having meetings with private and public entities in T&T. Read more here
REGIONAL
‘We don’t just promise, we deliver’
MORE than $240 billion has been expended to make home-ownership more affordable in Guyana, and according to President Dr. Irfaan Ali, this has resulted in over 35,000 houselots being distributed and persons benefitting from crucial infrastructural development. Dr. Ali, during a video broadcast on Sunday, said that the government has simultaneously been investing in the country’s infrastructure, enhancing road networks, and improving the availability of water and electricity. “Housing does not come by itself. It comes with infrastructure to support housing schemes. To support these new housing schemes and these 35,000 houselots and homes that we’ve invested in, we have built 414 kilometers of new roads, 250 kilometers of new water transmission mains and more than 2,200 kilometers of electricity transmission lines,” President Ali said. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Israeli ministers authorise Netanyahu retaliation against Hezbollah
Israel's security cabinet has authorised Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his defence minister to decide when and how to retaliate for a deadly rocket attack Israel and the US say was carried out by the Lebanese Shia militant group Hezbollah. Ministers met in emergency session in the wake of the strike on the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights on Saturday evening, which killed 12 children and teenagers from the Druze community. Hezbollah has denied responsibility. It was the deadliest cross-border incident in months of exchanges of fire between the two sides. Read more here
29th July 2024