NEWS
6 deaths, 505 new covid19 cases
For a second day in a row, the Ministry of Health has reported TTs lowest daily covid19 death total for 2022, with six deaths. There were, however, 505 new cases. There have been 3,460 deaths to date. Of the total number of deaths, the ministry said 2,827 were not fully vaccinated, 216 were, and 390 had died before May 2021, when the first group of vaccinated people became fully vaccinated. Read more here
Coast Guard on shooting of Venezuelan pirogue: We were acting in self defence
A Venezuelan baby is dead and his mother wounded after a Coast Guard vessel opened fire on a vessel transporting illegal migrants during an altercation on the high seas off the southern coast on Saturday night. While the T&T Coast Guard is claiming that its officers were acting “in self defence” after the pirogue rammed into their vessel, former senator and humanitarian attorney Nafessa Mohammed described the incident as alarming and is calling for a full scale investigation. Read more here
POLITICS
UNC: Trinidad is burning because of crime
United National Congress (UNC) member and former temporary senator Sean Sobers said TT is burning and the Government is failing to address the country’s “spiralling crime situation.” Sobers also pointedly asked what was going on in south Trinidad. Read more here
Minister assures all above board for return to classes
Education Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly said her son will be among the scores of Secondary and Standard Five children expected to return physically to school on Monday. Gadsby-Dolly was addressing parents on Sunday during a video message. The minister, in an attempt to rid fears among parents, said some parents are happy while others are anxious and scared but, however, took the time to assure concerned parents that the ministry has been making preparations, “at all schools they have been outfitted with hand washing stations. At all schools they have been supplied with cleansers and cleaners to ensure that the areas are safe for our children.” Read more here
BUSINESS
‘NCBFG a long-term investor in GHL’
Jamaica's NCB Financial Group (NCBFG) says it is committed to T&T insurance company, Guardian Holdings Ltd, as a long-term investor. NCBFG group CEO, Patrick Hylton, made the comment in responding to a question from a shareholder of the company at its annual meeting on Friday. The question asked Hylton his thoughts on GHL as a long-term holding of NCBFG, in the context of local company’s share price declining on the Jamaica Stock Exchange (JSE) following its cross-listing there last May and the fact that NCBFG sold down less than 0.5 per cent of its 61.96 per cent stake in GHL in June 2021. Read more here
REGIONAL
Forestry sector earns US$31M
In 2021, Guyana’s forestry sector managed to rake in export earnings of more than US$31 million, according to figures provided by the Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat. The exported products include logs, lumber and round wood, derived from 377,838 cubic metres of production. The production numbers represent a 16 per cent increase when compared to the previous year. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Ukraine crisis: Macron says a deal to avoid war is within reach
French President Emmanuel Macron has said he thinks a deal to avoid full scale war in Ukraine is possible and that it is legitimate for Russia to raise its own security concerns. Before talks in Moscow with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday, he called for a "new balance" to protect European states and appease Russia. He restated that the sovereignty of Ukraine was not up for discussion. Russia has massed troops on Ukraine's border but denies planning to invade. Moscow has made a string of demands, including that the Nato defence alliance rule out Ukraine becoming a member, and that it reduce its military presence in eastern Europe. Read more here
7th February 2022