NEWS
SEA Maths exam challenging for adults
The mathematics paper of the Secondary Entrance Assessment (SEA) was doable, however, admittedly it was challenging; especially with the time frame allocated to complete the paper. This was the consensus received from a focus group of young people whom Guardian Media asked to complete the paper on Monday. Following last Thursday’s exam, parents, teachers and SEA candidates of the mathematics paper have raised several complaints about certain questions in the exam. Read more here
Job creation a focus for 2020 THA budget
JOB creation is among five key areas of focus of the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) budget for fiscal 2020. The budget will be presented at the Assembly Legislature in June, before being forwarded to the Ministry of Finance for consideration in the national budget. Read more here
New ferry costing $.2m a day
THE Government will pay 34,500 euros (TT$263,580) a day to Virtu Ferries to lease the Jean De La Valette (JDLV), Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley disclosed yesterday. He was responding to an urgent question by Tabaquite MP Dr Surujrattan Rambachan. Read more here
POLITICS
UNC SHOCKER
Thunderous applause and desk-thumping filled the Parliament chamber last night as the Opposition, in a complete turnaround, voted in support of the Civil Asset Recovery and Management and Unexplained Wealth Bill, 2019. Read more here
Rowley: Legal challenges delaying Smith report
Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley says the report on the Sports Ministry’s $150,000 settlement to a former employee is the subject of legal “challenges.” On the advice of the Attorney General and the public service, he said the matter’s being reviewed and when it’s appropriate to present the report it will be done. He added that he couldn’t give a timeframe for finalisation. Read more here
BUSINESS
Key shareholders to comply with Colm
BUSINESSMAN Arthur Lok Jack, one of the key shareholders of Guardian Holdings Limited (GHL), yesterday said he, along with National Commercial Bank of Jamaica (NCB) will comply with the requirements of the Ministry of Finance to ensure the transaction goes through. Read more here
Gopee-Scoon: Govt committed to improving business climate
TRADE and Industry Minister Paula Gopee-Scoon said Government remains committed to improving the country's business climate, encouraging investment and actively supporting the provision of enhanced government trade and business-related services. Read more here
REGIONAL
Clarke To Attend IMF Meeting In Washington D.C
Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Dr Nigel Clarke, will on Wednesday lead the Jamaican delegation at the 2019 Spring Meetings of Board of Governors of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank in Washington D.C. Read more here
St Lucia government minister resigns after second episode of alleged misconduct
CASTRIES, Saint Lucia — Multiple sources confirmed on Friday that Senator Dr Ubaldus Raymond, minister for the public service, has resigned, ahead of a joint session of Saint Lucia’s parliament scheduled for Tuesday, April 9, and the subsequent debate of the estimates of expenditure 2019/2020 in the sum of $1,591,589,000. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Is the sultan of Brunei imposing Sharia law to clean up his family's image?
(CNN)For decades, he was known as a godfather of excess. The wealthiest man in the world for many years, the sultan of Brunei knew how to spend the vast riches that flowed from the oil deposits bestowed upon the tiny Southeast Asian nation he controls with absolute power. Read more here
Brexit: EU keen to quiz Theresa May ahead of summit
Again today, Prime Minister Theresa May heads to Paris and Berlin for talks with Emmanuel Macron and Angela Merkel - this after a number of phone calls on Monday with other EU leaders - with little up her sleeve or in her pocket to share with them. Read more here
9th April 2019